In this book, author Svein Olaf Thorbjørnsen probes the question: What is at stake for human beings in a society dominated by competition, particularly economic competition? Is competition endemic to human nature? Does it preserve the dignity and intrinsic value of the human being? Does it secure better living conditions? In a way, the answer to these queries is a simple “yes.” It can allow for superior satisfaction of fundamental needs; legitimate self-love and self-realization; and encourage positive feelings upon mastering a skill. At the same time, however, competition can also contribute to a strong materialistic self-interest and support classicism, social ranking, and elitism: other human beings become only means to a personal success, thus jeopardizing fellowship and collaboration. In a hyper-competitive environment, some of the same positive human values mentioned above—self-love, self-realisation, individuality, and freedom—can be viewed to pose a threat to the realisation of one’s potential and to one’s true humanity. These competing, contradictory aspects of competition are presented and discussed from perspectives across varying disciplines, from social anthropology and economics to history, ethics, philosophy and theology.
Argues that competition is inherently destructive and that competitive behavior is culturally induced, counter-productive, and causes anxiety, selfishness, self-doubt, and poor communication.
Ongoing ideological or political conflicts in the modern world have led to appalling human rights violations against North Korean defectors who attempt to escape from their repressive country and seek freedom. Although some North Korean defectors have survived the life-threatening escape journey and arrived in free countries, their overwhelming challenges have not yet ended, as they now face a range of issues and challenges in resettlement, adjustment, and learning process in new and competitive societies. North Korean Defectors in a New and Competitive Society articulates several hurdles that North Korean defectors encounter, from their long journey of escape to assimilation in their new homes. This book seeks to raise international awareness of human rights violations against North Koreans, and to emphasize the importance of helping them overcome the substantial cultural gaps between North Korea and their new homes.
In many countries of the world there is a growing feeling of uneasiness about the economic situation and its related social consequences. Every day the newspapers tell us that the recession is over, but we see only that scores of organizations go bankrupt, while others are struggling hard to stay in business; that many people have lost their jobs, but welfare measures are being reduced or abolished altogether. By now we should have become aware that our society is not facing temporary market difficulties, but a much deeper and wider crisis with only one root in worldwide economic developments, while other roots are social and psychological in nature. These factors are intertwined, and therefore the answer to the crisis cannot merely be an economic cost-benefit analysis of organizational management. Sociocultural factors participate in the economic process even at the level of individual organizations, and what happens in them has backlash influences on the entire society. Therefore the problem is not the management of the individual organization, but the macroconception of management, which in the Western world of today separates the economic aspects from the social ones, and the individual organizations from society. Social and Economic Management in the Competitive Society begins by analyzing the management models of today to determine which characteristics yield the best results on the economic and social levels. The second step is to indicate the necessary changes of managerial thinking and acting, in order to boost economic results with reasonable profits while minimizing social costs. Finally, the potential ramifications of such changes are explored.
One of the predominant trends of modern society is the pervasive presence of competition. No longer just a function of economic markets or democratic systems, competition has become a favoured tool for governing people and organizations, from the provision of schooling and elder care to the way we consume popular culture. Yet social scientists have played a surprisingly modest role in analysing its implications, as the discussion of competition has largely been confined to its narrow economic meaning. This book opens up competition for the study of social scientists. Its central message is that while competition seems ubiquitous, it should not be taken for granted or be naturalized as an inevitable aspect of human existence. Its emergence, maintenance, and change are based on institutions and organizational efforts, and a central challenge for social science is to learn more about these processes and their outcomes. With the use of a novel definition of competition, more fundamental questions can be addressed than merely whether or not competition works. How is competition constructed - and by whom? Which behaviours result from competition? What are its consequences? Can competition be removed? And, how do these factors vary with the object of competition - be it money, attention, status, or other scarce and desired objects? This book investigates these and more questions in studies of competition among and within schools, universities, multinational corporations, auditors, waste-disposal firms, fashion designers, and more.
Competition and competitiveness are roundly celebrated as public values and key indicators of a dynamic and forward-thinking society. But the headlong embrace of competitive market principles, increasingly prevalent in our neoliberal age, often obscures the enduring divisiveness of a society set up to produce winners and losers. In this inspired and thoughtfully argued book, Andrew J. Douglas turns to the later writings of W. E. B. Du Bois to reevaluate the very terms of the competitive society. Situating Du Bois in relation to the Depression-era roots of contemporary neoliberal thinking, Douglas shows that into the 1930s Du Bois ratcheted up a race-conscious indictment of capitalism and liberal democracy and posed unsettling questions about how the compulsory pull of market relations breeds unequal outcomes and underwrites the perpetuation of racial animosities. Blending historical analysis with ethical and political theory, and casting new light on several aspects of Du Bois’s thinking, this book makes a compelling case that Du Bois’s sweeping disillusionment with Western liberalism is as timely now as ever.
Competition is a basic fact of life. Living organisms need resources. When resources are limited, they fight over them. This is natural. Life in the modern world, based on rationality, ingenuity, and co-operative skills, makes it easy to forget this basic truth and to believe that it no longer applies to us human beings. Developments in the western world since the turn of the millennium appear to confirm this perception. Progress made during the 20th century in gender equality and minority rights have been followed up by schemes committed to securing equal access for all to institutions, facilities, and opportunities for success in life. The equality agenda has been pushed further toward equity by initiatives meant to make up for injustices done in the past. It may be tempting to interpret these developments as the consequence of a civilizing process that has subdued the competitive nature of human beings in favor of improved empathy and moral sensibility. Competition, fairness, and equality in sport and society aims to show that this interpretation is wrong. Based on the workings of elite sport, it argues that the fairness and equality agenda, rather than being a manifestation of a mellowing of human nature, is essentially driven by the same innate competitive impulses. What has changed is that, once basic material needs for survival are covered, as is the case in the developed world, people continue to compete in other arenas attempting to improve their position in the human hierarchies and win status and recognition.
He knew the earth experiment was still working even though the human-element component was running very much behind schedule. Tommy made a grumbling sound and slowly shook his furry head from side to side, crying, Wars, greed, jealousy, illnesses, unhappiness, dissatisfaction, obsessions for power - Its just not what I had expected! I know, but give it time. It will happen one day. The earth assignment is not as old as all the other projects we have been working upon, Eric hastily reassured. Tommy was not about to give up on the present venture and with this thought in mind, he stared with his numerous eyes into Erics multiple eyes, and with many worrisome looks he mumbled, ..its a nice place, shame about the human race! The above is an extract taken from the final piece of my foreword for the book Nice place, shame about the human race which attempts to create a better awareness of our everyday actions and elucidates the importance of discovering ones true identity for a better chance of living a happier, more balanced life. Mounting dissatisfactions and insecurities of our modern world, together with the general inquisitiveness of human nature to wish observe ones actions, are areas of modern life which have gained popularity over the last decade when searching for reasoning or answers to our everyday problems. Commencing at the aftermath of World War II and continuing to the present day, a journey is undertaken in trying to illustrate modern western societys increased negative attitudes and behaviour and of the importance of discovering who we really are with a view to more personal happiness. This book is an entertaining, slightly ironical check-in-the-mirror, if you like, of modern behaviour. It observes how modern society has seemingly done away with aspiring to reach higher goals and standards, and at the same time, appears to have become content with mediocrity and of aiming towards lower levels of existence. My main justifications for writing such a book were primarily based upon the search for answers as to why society in the modern western world has reached its present state of development in the constitution of which it finds itself in the present day; if it is possible to live modern life in a more balanced, friendlier frame-of-mind which would inexorably, lead to more happiness, and as an attempt to help you, the reader, into being more aware of our daily conscious and subconscious conduct towards fellow-citizens and of the ensuing consequences of those actions. We are to journey through the many different stages of modern western life as based upon our upbringing in an industrialised society; and although you may have heard some of the themes and topics many times before, I have attempted to pick out the quintessence of noting how individuals react within the confines of our various societies and communal boundaries. What type of person is Nice place, shame about the human race aimed for? Well basically, anybody who is still interested about the values of our modern society, but specifically, when amid the interference and confusion of modern society, one is searching for personal direction into discovering oneself. Emphasis has been placed upon the significance of living ones own individuality, thus being aware of who one really is, and of the importance of taking more self-responsibility for ones actions. Here is a short list of reasons compiled for those who would possibly find my work of interest. 1. If feeling a little out-of-touch with our fast-paced modern society. 2. When interested in achieving more personal awareness in everyday activities. 3. When concerned about societies present course of development. 4. When trying to understand modern societies push and shove mentality. 5. When searching for more in-depth reasoning to our lives. 6. W
