Is the growing level of competition good for the youth?

"It is better to burn out than to fade away"- this quote aptly describes the fact that the level of competition among youths have taken a much higher pace.

Competition according to me means the activity or condition of striving to gain or win something by defeating or establishing superiority over others. We often listen or come across youths competing for something or the other. This word 'competing' is nothing but sounds like 'running in the race' where each and every individual has the thirst, zeal and zest of winning but unfortunately only few are lucky enough to achieve their desired goals rest are termed as 'losers'. Competition among youth is common globally and India is no exception to that, from the age of sixteen, seventeen when the youngsters pass out their secondary school they have to prove their potential and competency for their higher education, as to seek admission in well reputed institutions is very tough as number of seats are less and number of candidates are too many giving a tough competition to each competitor. Each one has to work tirelessly to aspire for a bright future for themselves , but we see that the success rate is quite low while the failure rate is quite high.

All such sorts of competition haunts our inquisitive minds with a thought that where shall this competition lead to or is this good or bad for an individual. These questions can be best understood and answered only when one is aware with the origin of the problem.

Competition has its roots entangled with Education. They seem to be the wheels of the same cart. As per recent statistics nearly 4 lakh students from secondary schools pass out every year who apply for admission in various courses but again the cut off of certain colleges are such that encourages large number of losers in comparison to few winners. The recent medical examination 'NEET' had also been a hot topic in the past few months due to its proposal of conducting only one particular examination for getting admission to country's medical colleges again leading to mass failures.

I personally feel that competition is good only when it does not strive out or rather exhaust one mentally.

The 21st century is undoubtedly a world of competition wherein everyone has to win but more than craving out the path by one's own convictions, I feel that the youths have become victims of ' herd mentality'. Generally the term 'herd ' goes with a collection of sheep where one sheep follows the other blindly without knowing where that sheep is going. The same thing happens in the case of competition as well wherein if one person in the family cracks IIT-JEE in the family then the other son or daughter in the family has to crack the exam either on one's own will or out of some sort of family pressure or peer pressure or the reason can be anything else.

We human beings often forget the fact that each and every individual in this universe stands out as completely different from one another whether in terms of nature, talent, choices, hobbies and many more and competition cannot be a hindrance in the paths of an individuals talent.

Competition is preferred by many due to

• Its help in developing skills.
• Enhancing one's popularity.
• Developing competence in an area.
• Trying out different roles.
• Judging one's own abilities.
• Helps in group activities.

Similarly it offers certain disadvantages as well:

• Causes physical or emotional injury.
• Shatters losers.
• Causes hostility, aggression.
• Insults self worth.
• Diminishes performance.

Mixed with a bunch of pros and cons, Competition stands out unique in itself as it endeavors human minds with new ideas leading to an era of progression. A Competitive spirit helps the youths to come out from the shackles of an intense pressure of the world and at the same time helps to bring the best out of an individual, helps the youths to channelize their energies in the right direction and in an optimistic way so that one utilize his or her talent and bring diamond out of coal. But again competition need not always be healthy there are arenas that might promote unhealthy competition at times. Thus there lies a thin difference between healthy and unhealthy competition.

Unhealthy competition comes into play while winning becomes the sole motive at any cost leading to undesirable events like people going under depression, students committing suicide and many more.

Thus a proper analysis needs to be conducted where parents are the principal players who need to teach their children that instead of winning the outside world at any cost it is necessary to culminate societal values in one to bring alive the essence of human beings.

I personally feel that growing level of competition is good among youth till the time it stands out alone without shedding beauties of society.

Satarupa Mukherjee

Related Essay

1. The growing level of competition is good for the development of teenagers
2. Is the growing level of competition good for the youth?
3. The growing level of competition is not good for the development of teenager
4. Essay on the growing level of competition is good for the development of teenagers
5. Discuss on is the growing level of competition good for the youth?
6. Essay on is the growing level of competition good for the youth?
7. How does competitiveness affect today's youth
8. Is increasing competition is good for youth?
9. Competition are helpful for the development of youth
10. Debate 'the growing level of competition is good for the development of teenagers'