Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
skitch
Gym climber
Bend Or
|
|
|
Topic Author's Original Post - Jul 28, 2015 - 09:00pm PT
|
Lately I've really been disinterested in competitive people (at least people that are competitive with others). Maybe it's because I spend too Much time around high school kids so I expect adults to be above that kind of sh#t.
To me there are way too many climbers and other outside activities people that judge and rank the value of others on their ability to do the most meaningless things.
Maybe I just suck at everything so I'm just missing a friendly camaraderie that people seem to enjoy, but it gets super old when someone I barely know or just met tries to compete with me in both sport and career.
I guess that's why some people are so content with "just" climbing easy routes all the time.
|
|
the Fet
climber
Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La
|
|
|
Jul 28, 2015 - 11:44pm PT
|
Just like so many things in life there is a fine line between good and bad. Balance and yin and yang and all that.
Good = playing basketball against a friend is great exercise, brings out your best effort, is fun, you appreciate your friends and your good shots, etc.
Bad = start assigning worth as a human to a silly activity, trying to outdo someone or prove your superiority.
|
|
ECF
Big Wall climber
Colona, CO
|
|
|
Jul 29, 2015 - 03:26am PT
|
Competition can bring out your most impressive performance,
Or your least impressive behavior.
Your choice.
Don't be an askwhole, world's full of em already.
|
|
Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
|
|
|
Jul 29, 2015 - 04:48am PT
|
The short answer is yes!
A group of Boulderers taking turns on a problem can drive them all to climb harder than they each would have been motivated to do individually.
Keeping score, on the other hand, leads to paying attention to the wrong things, and induces, ulcers, destructive type a behavior, avarice, hardened arteries and heart attacks.
|
|
mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
|
|
|
Jul 29, 2015 - 05:26am PT
|
My dad's friend Burt was the sweetest guy off the golf course, always ready with a quip, glad to oblige you if you needed a hand.
On the course, every shot was followed by a string of language that could strip paint. I never cottoned to his behavior. It's supposed to be a gentleman's game, you against the course. Why he bothered, I'll never understand.
Dad shuddered whenever he was paired with Burt in his regular Wednesday foursome of close friends.
From that standpoint, competition is bad, when it causes friction.
On the other hand, exhibition is good, up to a point, as well. Exhibition leaves the competitiveness alone and it may be routine after a time, but you have to rule yourself to get there.
It's up to the individual to determine how he wants to conduct himself, and it demands maturity.
Some folks seem never to grow up while some grow up gracefully.
Ty Cobb was a competitive askwhole, known for holding base runners' belt loops surreptitiously with a finger while they anticipated their moves. And that was the least of his tricks to gain the "competitive edge."
|
|
rottingjohnny
Sport climber
mammoth lakes ca
|
|
|
Jul 29, 2015 - 05:52am PT
|
Competition is a great thing until some psycho with NPD inserts him or herself....
|
|
EdwardT
Trad climber
Retired
|
|
|
Jul 29, 2015 - 06:09am PT
|
Healthy competition is great. Can't beat it. (bah dum bum)
How people respond to their results and others determines the character of the competition.
|
|
pud
climber
Sportbikeville & Yucca brevifolia
|
|
|
Jul 29, 2015 - 07:41am PT
|
Healthy competition is working hard at something and being pushed by others to do your best. It is good and has many positive benefits.
What you describe is insecure people trying to prove they are not.
|
|
Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
|
|
|
Jul 29, 2015 - 07:45am PT
|
Competition is a great thing until some psycho with NPD inserts him or herself....
RJ, you gotta problem with the Newark PD? Something you need to tell us about?
|
|
rbord
Boulder climber
atlanta
|
|
|
Jul 29, 2015 - 07:48am PT
|
Competition sucks. Humans suck for competing. Survival of the fittest is just a stupid way to run the world. Man, I could come up with a better system than this god fellow with his unhealthy obsession with competition, given his resources. I'm just better that way. :-)
|
|
donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
|
|
|
Jul 29, 2015 - 07:53am PT
|
Competition is, and always will be, ingrained in human behavior......the tremendous popularity of sports are just one indication. Competition is best turned inward.....you want to be the best that YOU can be.
|
|
rbord
Boulder climber
atlanta
|
|
|
Jul 29, 2015 - 08:02am PT
|
I don't know about always donini. I think technology will soon help us fix our faulty thinking systems, then we can all be awesome like the people who are above competition and other faulty belief systems like religion. Humans are just awesome that way! :-) Or maybe at that point we'll have to come up with a different name than "human".
|
|
EdwardT
Trad climber
Retired
|
|
|
Jul 29, 2015 - 08:38am PT
|
The other day you claimed we had "defeated racism. Now, you think our competitive spirit is a flaw?
Yooze a funny dude.
|
|
rbord
Boulder climber
atlanta
|
|
|
Jul 29, 2015 - 08:46am PT
|
Sorry Edward just trying to channel the beliefs of my peers so as to fit into our society. :-) Believe it if you need it if you don't, well then, you know, develop a competitive belief system that confirms that you're better than me because you reject competition :-)
|
|
EdwardT
Trad climber
Retired
|
|
|
Jul 29, 2015 - 09:01am PT
|
"I broke my phone"
Oops!
|
|
guyman
Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
|
|
|
Jul 29, 2015 - 09:33am PT
|
Sorry Edward just trying to channel the beliefs of my peers so as to fit into our society. :-) Believe it if you need it if you don't, well then, you know, develop a competitive belief system that confirms that you're better than me because you reject competition :-)
Rbord.... that is straight out of C4.... 1976.
People who are too competitive, get all worked up because of failure. I guess that is how they define themselves, Looser or Winner.
I enjoy the beauty of good competition, it makes the winning so much more enjoyable and the act of competing is the enjoyment you get. Somebody is going to loose and if you can't be a good looser you shouldn't compete.
The best Kart race I ever won, was a third place Finnish in the Holiday Classic. I ran a perfect race - didn't put a wheel wrong, didn't let my focus drift, in short- I did the very best that I could and it was very cool to be ahead of some NATIONAL EXPERTS.
|
|
MikeL
Social climber
Seattle, WA
|
|
|
Jul 29, 2015 - 09:34am PT
|
(See Feinstein’s, “A Good Walk Spoiled.”)
Who are you? What are you?
If you are a “someone,” then you will no doubt feel compelled to be a “someone”—whatever or however you define it. If you enjoy or feel compelled toward full engagement, then at that level and in your way, you will “be.” (“Being” is the essential notion here.)
Think of “being” as flow. If you need competition with others or with yourself to find flow, then voilà. If you don’t need competition with either to find flow—then there you are.
|
|
Modesto Mutant
Trad climber
Santa Cruz, CA
|
|
|
Jul 29, 2015 - 09:42am PT
|
I believe the great UCLA Men's Basketball Coach John Wooden said: "Competition not only builds character, it reveals it". A good bench mark in viewing how people conduct themselves while competing.
|
|
rbord
Boulder climber
atlanta
|
|
|
Jul 29, 2015 - 10:58am PT
|
My favorite strategy is to just declare myself the winner in my own head, but you know how we humans like to post about our victories in order to compete for social approval :-)
|
|
Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
|
|
|
Jul 29, 2015 - 11:16am PT
|
When I first moved to L.A. I jumped right into the Stoney Point bouldering scene. The Tues, and Thurs. afternoon session were intensely competitive but at the same time very supportive. To earn respect among the group I had to make quality attempts. So long as this was the case I had the benefit of some really good climbers teaching and encouraging me. If I succeeded at something there was nothing but enthusiasm.
It was a tough crowd, but over time one of the best things for my climbing.
I love the line posted above: "Competition not only builds character, it reveals it"
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!