Analysis of issue! Competition...Please rate!

This is my second AWA attempt. I wasn't convinced with my effort in 30 minutes. Hence, I spent an extra 10 minutes to complete the essay. I hope to improve my timings soon. Still, please review and rate it. Comments/criticisms/suggestions are more than welcome.

The positive effects of competition in a society far outweigh the negative effects.

Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the opinion stated above. Support your views with reasons and/or examples from your own experience, observations or reading.

Is competition a boon or bane to the society? This question has always challenged us to comtemplate on the pros and cons of competition in the society. While competition has its own negatives, I completely agree with the opinion stated above. I firmly believe that competition in every field is necessary for the growth and development of any society.

Competition, today, has become an essential part of every human being's life. Whether one is a businessman, a doctor, an engineer, a restauranteur, or a sportsman, it doesn't really matter. Even the genes within one's body compete with each other for survival. The same competition gives rise to Darwin's theory - "Survival of the fittest." Quite simply, it helps us separate the best from the rest. For example, if one were to select a football team, wouldn't one want to select the fittest and most skillful players? Competition among players brings the best out of them, and this is essential for selecting the best.

Competition and desire for success also give rise to innovation. Many great discoveries, inventions and expeditions are indirect results of competition and the race to stay ahead of everyone. A distinctive example can be given from the days of the Cold War between the US and the erstwhile USSR. The quest for supremacy in space exploration, eventually, led to Neil Armstrong's first steps on moon. It was a monumental achievement in mankind's history and competition between the 2 nations played its fair part in it.

At the same time, one can think of certain negatives arising from competition. Competition has given rise to a lot of cynicism and cut-throat politics in the society. The desire and need to beat other competitors can lead one to behave selfishly. This can affect the society adversely. The sad and painful demise of Satyam Corporation is a perfect example of it. Lack of resources to match stiff competition from powerful IT companies led to one of the biggest corporate frauds in India's history. Thousands of people were rendered jobless, many others lost their life savings. However, the same competition helped India become a powerhouse in the field of IT services. Millions of jobs have been created as a result.

In sum, the positive effects of competition far overshadow its negative effects. We must look for alternate solutions to eradicate some of the negative effects. For example, the sad demise of Satyam could have been avoided had proper laws pertaining to corporate governance been in place. Such debates would then have little or no meaning in our lives.

Regards,
Rajat