In a computer programming forum recently, I was chided for being competitive when I asked if anyone had managed to solve a particular problem in less lines than I had done. My critic then poked fun at another forum writer, suggesting that the amount of time spent working with computers was an indication they didn’t have a girlfriend, ending with “I’ll lend you a few of mine…”
I’ve spent a fair bit of time pondering questions on the nature of competition, and what purpose it serves.
So, what exactly is competition? And is there such a thing as healthy competition?