30 March 2018

THE ILLUSION OF WINNING

Winning is what we seek to do when we play a game; whether it is a sports game or a board game. It is attributed to a contest taking place. Thus all contestants must be willing and able to participate. It is something that we have been socially conditioned to believe is of absolute necessity, for if we do not win, we are a failure. It is due to this attitude that sports, which was previously played for the fun of it, has become something that must be won. You need only watch parents of little children who are playing rugby, to see how sports has turned into a kill zone, with parents anxiously screaming to their children to take some or other violent or aggressive action towards their opponents. Sometimes the parents even scream obscenities and threats to each other.

So it is that war has become like a game to be won. In reality, nobody really wins a war. Too many lives are lost, property damaged, animals and ecosystems destroyed, and it costs the countries involved far too much money, or debt. War is a matter of invasion, in almost all cases, and thus it is that only one participant is willing, and often able to participate. For the country which is being invaded, it is merely a means of being bullied. 
 
 

As it is with everything, this attitude of winning at all costs, without any consideration for the consequences thereof, can be perceived on a global level and on a individual level.

On an individual level, people seek to win in their relationships with others, their spouses, children, friends, enemies, employers or employees. Relationships are treated like a game which needs to be won. In this way both parties must be willing and able to participate. Yet, there is most often a party who does not seek to play. Of course, this automatically means that they have lost the game, whether they took part or not.

However, in order to have good relationships with others, it is necessary for a win-win situation. Relationships are not a game to be played, but mutual cooperation and consideration. Refrain from seeing other people as competition, and instead seek the place within yourself where that 'I'm not good enough' voice has been drowned out, and replaced by the 'I love and accept myself just as I am right now' voice. ~<3~

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