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Josephine Rivera
Mark O. Jarvis
FHS-1500
U4 Essay
Question(s):
1. Is competition over-emphasized in American Society? Why? What are the advantages of
such a competitive attitude? What are the disadvantages?
2. Identify situations that you have observed in which competition has actually interfered with
people achieving a goal. Is competition emphasized in children? What recommendations would
you make to parents regarding their child's participation in soccer, baseball, etc.?

Answer:
I believe that healthy competition encourages people to try harder to succeed and
cultivate their talents. However, it seems that competition in America is emphasized to an
unhealthy degree. So, the question is, what is healthy? Overall, children are taught that
winning is more valuable than learning, and it goes much further than sports. The American
Dream is a term coined by always becoming better having a better yard, better car, better
house, etc. This competition and desire to be better leaks into weight, hair, intelligence, GPAs,
having the latest technology, and more. The list is seemingly infinite, so its no wonder why
children feel like they dont measure up (and why that mentality carries into adolescence and
adulthood).
America in particular stresses winning, competition, and quite simply, being better than
the rest. While the American attitude has many benefits, such as encouraging children and adults
to perform better and constantly improve, the negative effects are overwhelming. In my opinion,
American competition devalues winning, while making each loss a total defeat. This harms
childrens confidence, especially as they enter more complex stages of life, such as teenhood. I
cannot help but think that if Michael Phelps lost a few races, we would focus on his losses rather
than that fact that he is the most decorated Olympian. Americans have cultivated a belief system
of sore losing and boastful winning. Berger writes: ... culture and families differ in which
attitude and accomplishments they value, and children respond to that. (Berger, 2016, p. 283)
American children are often not taught to appreciate experience and the love of the game, they
are instead taught to compare. And consequently, they find little joy in learning because they feel
like utter failures if they arent on the same level as another student. Comparison also leads to
greed, as we fail to appreciate what we have (and take care of what we have) and compare our

strengths and possessions to others. Whether its a retouched body on a magazine or a car we
cant afford, theres always something to want rather than something to be grateful for.
I can personally attest to the dangers of competition. In high school, I was an active
member on the debate team. I felt like Id found my niche and began to make goals to improve.
Soon, a student from another school joined our team. Shed been on another high schools debate
team and competed in the same event as me. Even though we were team members and had a
common goal of moving our debaters up in the ranks, I had a jealous itch; I needed to be better,
more articulate, and more decorated. Soon, my love for debate turned into the source of my
stress. Even though I was largely successful and consistently won my rounds, I still felt like a
failure because I was on the same level as my teammate. I ended up dropping the class after our
state event, when

I ranked below her by two points two points. The goals I had made a year
earlier had been met, but regardless, I labeled myself as a failure.
As a young student, I saw how self-depreciating it can be to lose when your only goal is
to win. Whether the game be soccer, baseball, or academics, comparison truly is the thief of joy,
and we must teach children to win gracefully. And more importantly, teach them that anothers
success is not their failure.

References:
Berger, K. S. (2014). Invitation to the life span (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers.