Why do we live in a competitive society?

  • Thread starter Thread starter IWantGod
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
We live in a competitive society because we will never have enough for everybody. Time, energy and resources are finite. The problem started with Adam. If he had been stronger against Eve, we wouldn’t be in this mess.
 
Some of the answers here seem to support the “competitive society”, which I am interpreting as a synonym for capitalism.
2425 The Church has rejected the totalitarian and atheistic ideologies associated in modem times with “communism” or “socialism.” She has likewise refused to accept, in the practice of “capitalism,” individualism and the absolute primacy of the law of the marketplace over human labor. Regulating the economy solely by centralized planning perverts the basis of social bonds; regulating it solely by the law of the marketplace fails social justice, for “there are many human needs which cannot be satisfied by the market.” Reasonable regulation of the marketplace and economic initiatives, in keeping with a just hierarchy of values and a view to the common good, is to be commended.
Click to expand...
The inequalities and distortions of capitalist development are often an expression not only of economic liberalism but also of utilitarian thinking: that is, theoretical and practical approaches according to which what is useful for the individual leads to the good of the community. This saying has a core of truth, but it cannot be ignored that individual utility – even where it is legitimate – does not always favour the common good. In many cases a spirit of solidarity is called for that transcends personal utility for the good of the community.
Click to expand...
The Church doesn’t support capitalism or “survival of the fittest” at all.
 
Probably it (competiveness) should be balanced with set priorities. Where is your position in all these? Is Jesus your Lord or is your survival, your business, your career your lord?

When things are put in the right perspective, then we cannot go too wrong.
 
Competition is good to a degree-ie:when it drives innovation-but when it becomes excessive and is used to define people/determine their perceived worth or lack of worth (as is happening in our society) then it becomes a bad thing.

I believe that competition should never leave behind the (perceived) lesser people and thankfully so does the Catholic Church I think.
For example,schools are now so focused on being the best,better than other countries,creating the smartest students etc but it is sometimes at the expense of those students having good mental health and balance.
Of even greater concern is when children with Autism,or those who are just less intelligent whether naturally or due to poor social upbringings,get left behind by such a “competitive system”.

Unfortunately society teaches people to value as higher those who are wealthy or high achievers but I don’t think people who believe in Jesus/Christianity should have that mindset.
Correct me if I’m wrong🙂
 
IWantGod said:
As Catholics we are against socialism or communism. But we don’t seem to have any qualms about the idea of competing for our survival, a world where our well being is determined by having the best idea or out-competing the other guy. A guy can gain everything and a guy can literally lose everything and become homeless. Kind of like survival of the fittest. We have capitalism which seems to me to be a competition for the best way of life. .
Click to expand...
If socialism and capitalism are two opposite ends, then a reasonable goal toward which to work would be a middle ground. Pope Francis seems to say that is what he wants us to work for; I’ll just make that statement in a vacuum. You mentioned Charles Darwin twice, which reminded me to recommend a book I recently read:

https://www.amazon.com/10-Books-That-Screwed-World/dp/1400157919
 
(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

I am the Good Trainer; I know my Mareep and my Mareep know me.
 
IWantGod said:
We have capitalism which seems to me to be a competition for the best way of life. .
Click to expand...
Where ever you have a finite amount of some needed or desired resource there is going to be competition. That’s not a statement only about humans; that’s about life on earth in general. Socially we tend to organize in dominance hierarchies (common among social beings). Not everyone can be on top. If you want to be on top you must compete with the others that want to be there. You know that guy/girl that everyone finds so attractive? Only one person can be paired off with him/her ( kind of ). What the best seat at the high school graduation? So do others. Get there early to claim it first before your competition does.
IWantGod said:
Why do we live in a competitive society?
Click to expand...
Life itself is a competitive endeavor. Even if you didn’t live in a society at all and separated yourself from it you will still be competing with other life to sustain your existence.
 
I agree with you. Competition is good, but we should approach with a Christ like attitude.
 
I have’t read all of the replies, but are you aware of Distributism?

Distributism was developed in the early and mid 20th Century as an alternative to Socialism and Communism. Of note, the founding inspiration for it was a Papal encyclical on economics published in the late 19th Century and all of the early proponents of it, such as Chesterton and Belloc, were Catholic.

Distributism took a pounding during World War Two as its proponents shelved it to support the war against the Nazis, and it never recovered. But we Distributist have never gone away and we’re still out there. Distributism is the economic theory of at least a couple of European political parties and one Australian one, and somewhat the theory of an American one.

Anyhow, there is competition if Distributism, but not of the same type that you note here.
 
We are called to love our neighbors as ourselves. Loving yourself is to some degree self interest. In order to feed others, you need to be able to feed yourself. Its difficult to help the poor, if you yourself are poor.

A healthy self interest is a good…of course, like all goods, they can be corrupted by our fallen natures, so our pursuit of helping ourselves needs God to ensure we have balanced between loving ourselves, and loving our neighbor.

Regarding “losers”. Losing and failure are necessary for growth. There are so many examples of people who lost or failed, then learned from that experience, to go on and do many good things.

You seem to view competition from an extreme perspective…curious about where that perspective came from…would love to understand the origin of your perspective.

Blessings.
 
That was terrible. Pity like for you.

By the way, Do Robots Dream of Electric Sheep? was the actual inspiration for that evolutionary family.
 
Because we have been led to believe that possessing many temporary material items will cause permanent happiness. Store your treasures in heaven where rust and moths don’t destroy and thieves don’t steal. I personally have been on both sides of this fence and have found that true happiness comes only from God.
 
Yeoman said:
I have’t read all of the replies, but are you aware of Distributism?

Distributism was developed in the early and mid 20th Century as an alternative to Socialism and Communism. Of note, the founding inspiration for it was a Papal encyclical on economics published in the late 19th Century and all of the early proponents of it, such as Chesterton and Belloc, were Catholic.

Distributism took a pounding during World War Two as its proponents shelved it to support the war against the Nazis, and it never recovered. But we Distributist have never gone away and we’re still out there. Distributism is the economic theory of at least a couple of European political parties and one Australian one, and somewhat the theory of an American one.

Anyhow, there is competition if Distributism, but not of the same type that you note here.
Click to expand...
Just Loogled that (movie reference). Thank you for telling us all about something new. Unfortunately, now I have some more reading to do! 🤓 It sounds good, though. BTW, good screen name for suggesting it. 😜
 
Last edited:
KMC said:
I agree with you. Competition is good, but we should approach with a Christ like attitude.
Click to expand...
But a Christ-like attitude doesn’t seem to leave much room for a Darwinian type system that literally results in the existence of a sub-class existing under the working class, and where the lowest of the working class do not fair much better than the sub-class.

People seem to be of the point of view that poverty and the possibility of being poor exists necessarily, is an unavoidable reality. If that situation existed necessarily to such an extent that some people are destined to be poor and in poverty so that others can live a life that is more fitting to their dignity as personal beings, then i would have little choice but to accept it as a necessary evil, an evil that is unavoidable.

Some have argued, including socialists, that capitalism was a necessary evil… But i don’t think that’s true anymore (if it ever was true). I don’t think the current nature of things is necessary. I think it’s an artificial construct that exists for no reason other than self interest. If there wasn’t people in society that pushed for the common good, if there wasn’t a system of taxation, it’s clear that the market place left to it’s own devices would not favor the common good.

In fact, even competition is in danger of falling under the wheels of capitalism as the tendency toward a monopoly over resources becomes a consequence of the very competition that people think is good.
 
Last edited:
it seems like evil can appear in whatever -isms. All of us have evil nature, when playing out our selfishness. Evil will tirn up in every system. Competition is a result of capitalism, which can be seen as a stage of human development. I think Competition is not a must in heaven.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top