Competitive and fast World.
Discussion
I am believer in responsible driving and favour more training for all drivers.
What I would like to elicit from those who post here though is some opinions on my belief that Society gives mixed messages to it's members.
I include in the givers of those messages our Politicians.
In so many areas competition and speed of action are praised and seen as productive, good and worthy of praise. Our children are made aware of this from a very young age.
We want faster and better performance from our computers, entertainment systems and workers. we are told work hard play hard.
Yet then we say, when driving, slow down, don't be competitive.
A contradiction?
Or hypocrisy?
What I would like to elicit from those who post here though is some opinions on my belief that Society gives mixed messages to it's members.
I include in the givers of those messages our Politicians.
In so many areas competition and speed of action are praised and seen as productive, good and worthy of praise. Our children are made aware of this from a very young age.
We want faster and better performance from our computers, entertainment systems and workers. we are told work hard play hard.
Yet then we say, when driving, slow down, don't be competitive.
A contradiction?
Or hypocrisy?
Quality is what matters in all things, IMHO.
Whether it is driving, kissing, or designing a world-class IT solution. Very few people who I come across take pride in what they do.
I'm currently juggling 4 different 'things' and doing each one very well according to the people I interface with. I wonder if that is because I see the benefit in doing things properly and am committed to seeing it through.
[cheesy saying]
Attitude not aptitude determines your altitude.
[/cheesy saying]
Whether it is driving, kissing, or designing a world-class IT solution. Very few people who I come across take pride in what they do.
I'm currently juggling 4 different 'things' and doing each one very well according to the people I interface with. I wonder if that is because I see the benefit in doing things properly and am committed to seeing it through.
[cheesy saying]
Attitude not aptitude determines your altitude.
[/cheesy saying]
Edited by ipsg.glf on Thursday 22 February 23:56
WhoseGeneration said:
We want faster and better performance from our computers, entertainment systems and workers. we are told work hard play hard.
Yet then we say, when driving, slow down, don't be competitive.
A contradiction?
Or hypocrisy?
Yet then we say, when driving, slow down, don't be competitive.
A contradiction?
Or hypocrisy?
We say slow down if someone is going too fast, we say get speed up if someone is failing to make progress, for example not noticing that the lights have changed when it's safe to go.
It's all about driving at the right speed, which is part of driving properly. Nobody would be impressed by a worker who produced poor quality work because they rushed, but there is no contradiction between this and wanting people to be productive and not dawdle. In my experience (software development) the dawdlers produce almost as bad work as those who rush things. Those who think about what they are doing sufficiently to do it properly not only do the bet work but tend to be among the fastest.
One should always strive for excellence in whatever one does. In terms of regular driving, it isn't a competition. (If you are a racing driver then of course speed and a competitive nature are of paramount importance.) One should drive at a speed that is appropriate to the prevailing conditions, bearing in mind hazards such as road surface, the elements and other road users.
In my job (photographer) I strive for excellence because it is a competitive industry and if I put in a poor performance my client may not use me again. Speed is important if you need to get the shot and you have a strict time limit, or if you need to get your shot processed and emailed to a client. Being able to work fast and obtain what you want quickly and properly is imperative in certain situations. At other times it is enjoyable to be able to take a more relaxed and leisurely approach.
I do a small amount of lecturing and I always instil in my students the need to produce excellent work to the best of their abilities because competition is fierce in the industry that they are entering (photography, design and multimedia).
I also run. When racing as part of my club a competitive nature is really important for success. However, in day to day training I only compete against myself, striving to improve previous performance and personal best times.
Life shouldn't be a struggle. It should be a pleasurable journey during which you discover what you are good at and take pleasure in doing whatever that is to the best of your ability, whether it be driving, running, designing circuit boards or products, or even kissing
It is all a question of pride. Sadly this quality seems to be lacking in so many people these days.
In my job (photographer) I strive for excellence because it is a competitive industry and if I put in a poor performance my client may not use me again. Speed is important if you need to get the shot and you have a strict time limit, or if you need to get your shot processed and emailed to a client. Being able to work fast and obtain what you want quickly and properly is imperative in certain situations. At other times it is enjoyable to be able to take a more relaxed and leisurely approach.
I do a small amount of lecturing and I always instil in my students the need to produce excellent work to the best of their abilities because competition is fierce in the industry that they are entering (photography, design and multimedia).
I also run. When racing as part of my club a competitive nature is really important for success. However, in day to day training I only compete against myself, striving to improve previous performance and personal best times.
Life shouldn't be a struggle. It should be a pleasurable journey during which you discover what you are good at and take pleasure in doing whatever that is to the best of your ability, whether it be driving, running, designing circuit boards or products, or even kissing
It is all a question of pride. Sadly this quality seems to be lacking in so many people these days. Edited by EmmaP on Sunday 25th February 19:52
I think the crux which is being raised here is that where society has a mass appeal, you can’t afford to have a free-for-all competition. First priority is everyone’s safety, boring or not. IMHO it’s not a mixed message, not contradiction or hypocrisy; good social sense, responsibility. It’s why we have laws and rules.
Quite mature methinks, and very little to do with qualitive issues, nor pride but I see where you were going!
Quite mature methinks, and very little to do with qualitive issues, nor pride but I see where you were going!
What a great topic and very close to my heart!
In the (software) business I run, I promote an ethos of high quality and doing it better than the other vendors. Impressing at every point is what counts.
On to the thread, competition is a superb driver for behaviour and should have a pivotal place in driving.
However, it's not competition to be the fastest, but to be the best, the most advanced, the safest.
Unfortunately this is directly opposed to the govt ethos on driving (this not a blair rant). All aspects of driving are bad. Causes global warming, crashes, death, congestion etc etc. Planning strategies are in place to reduce traffic flow and increase congestion (how mad is that?).
So with that background how can an ethos of striving for best practise, competing to be the best driver be promoted? It can't really.
Anyway rant over, there is no contradiction, competition is good, right for driving and those of us who promote it are in a minority!
Graham
In the (software) business I run, I promote an ethos of high quality and doing it better than the other vendors. Impressing at every point is what counts.
On to the thread, competition is a superb driver for behaviour and should have a pivotal place in driving.
However, it's not competition to be the fastest, but to be the best, the most advanced, the safest.
Unfortunately this is directly opposed to the govt ethos on driving (this not a blair rant). All aspects of driving are bad. Causes global warming, crashes, death, congestion etc etc. Planning strategies are in place to reduce traffic flow and increase congestion (how mad is that?).
So with that background how can an ethos of striving for best practise, competing to be the best driver be promoted? It can't really.
Anyway rant over, there is no contradiction, competition is good, right for driving and those of us who promote it are in a minority!
Graham
Actually, I wouldn’t lose sight of the beneficial effect ‘the car’ and the freedom and mobility it offers far outweigh doing without though. Rather like the telephone. With further regard to your rant Graham, there’s a nuance that get’s slipped in which distorts accurate perceptions I think. When ever there’s a damning report about ‘congestion’ or ‘traffic’ which gives way to how ‘bad’ the car is to modern society, we lose sight that every car has drivers/passengers going about their business. So rather than damning ‘traffic’, should we refer to these problems as being about ‘people’. There are 35,000 people an hour jamming up the M25 Junction whatever etc etc would put a slightly different perspective on things.
Sorry, bit off topic.
Sorry, bit off topic.
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