Stink Bomb

From the Daniloff Tarot, the Five of Swords; from the Kuan Yin Poems, Verse 98:

Another such victory over the Romans, and we are undone.

—Pyrrhus of Epirus

Competition has its place in the business world - it helps keep quality up and prices down. But when it comes to relating to other humans, it's a stink bomb. There are people who will argue their views from sunrise to sunset, but they refuse to consider anything else from another perspective. As Pyrrhus warned, we might win the battle, but we lose what is more valuable in the process. "My way or the highway" will leave us in a lonely place. The 98th Verse underscores this caution:

Like a careless bird that plunges into the net, you are trapped.

There is hardly a chance to escape.

Researchers have found that people with a need to win tend to have poorer self-esteem than those who simply like to do well. Unfortunately, competition sets up the must-win group in a cycle that never really lets them feel worthy for long. Cooperation allows us to be a part of something greater than our ego, helping us to thrive, grow, and evolve.