Scarcity scares people. When we see that there might be a lack of goodies, there is an immediate reaction. We compete aggressively or fade into the woodwork – the old fight-or-flight response. There are some who struggle a bit and give up after that initial energy surge. Others attach themselves to more aggressive folks. Still others gang up and drag down the guys on top. Some simply die.
In certain contexts, competition for scarce resources is appropriate. Sports teams compete aggressively for the “trophy”. The individual athletes compete for fame, more money in their next contracts, and perhaps for the love of the competition. The sports team owners compete for revenue and prestige and who knows what else. That seems like a reasonable kind of competition and there is real scarcity at the top to make it worthwhile.
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