> It seems humans need a sense of competition to make progress towards any goal beyond the day-to-day.
No, you're overgeneralizing.
As counter-examples:
- fitness goals
- financial freedom goals (eg the FIRE communities)
- altruistic goals
- romantic goals (impress a potential partner)
are all proof that humans can be motivated by health/desire for physical well-being, kindness, compassion and personal comfort to progress to goals beyond the day-to-day.
Competition motivates some progress, but there are other sources of motivation as well :)
Altruism is borderline, given how much of "altruistic" activity is really about social signaling and competitive status games through conspicuous giving. Even if subconsciously.
All the above are day-to-day goals though, except perhaps altruism. By not day-to-day I mean something beyond satisfying the desires of your physical body to feel good, fuck, eat well, be safe, be admired, etc. Goals about species, deep time, eternal questions, the fate of the environment or the planet.
No, you're overgeneralizing.
As counter-examples: - fitness goals - financial freedom goals (eg the FIRE communities) - altruistic goals - romantic goals (impress a potential partner)
are all proof that humans can be motivated by health/desire for physical well-being, kindness, compassion and personal comfort to progress to goals beyond the day-to-day.
Competition motivates some progress, but there are other sources of motivation as well :)