Journal of East China Normal University(Educationa ›› 2016, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (1): 14-23.doi: 10.16382/j.cnki.1000-5560.2016.01.002

• Basic theory of Education (教育基本理论) • Previous Articles     Next Articles

The Morality of Competition and its Expansion in Education

GAO De-Sheng   

  1. Research Institution of Moral Education, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210097, China
  • Online:2016-03-15 Published:2016-03-31
  • Contact: GAO De-Sheng
  • About author:GAO De-Sheng

Abstract:      Today competition is around us anywhere and anytime. Viewed from its origin, education has nothing to do with competition based on winning or losing. The original education was the result of leisure, while modern education is based on the logic of competition. Modern education is combined with competition, but education researchers keep a blind eye to the research of competition. This indifference should be examined and competition should be included in the field of education research.      Competition has its own functions in its particular ways and ranges. It’s elusive and tends to be pervasive in all human activities. Moreover, it’s kind of a demonic evil, and its first rule “every man for himself” inherently implies the exclusion of others. A demonic evil implies that competition is an evil. However, the demonic evil is not absolute, there is good elements in it. Competition, as a demonic evil, can stimulate humans to cooperate, though it can also disseminate selfishness and moral indifference. Living in a world of competition, people tend to sacrifice everything just for winning. As a result, people can tolerate and even do something beyond human bottom line. Competition is so cunning that humans cannot see its true colors.       Today, education and competition are intertwined with each other. Modern education is totally competitive, as can be observed either from its motivation, organizational conditions and its internal structures, or from its operating modes, evaluation standards and its spirits. Modern education is hunted by competition. If ancient education was for spiritual promotion, then modern education is totally for survival. Modern education is basically delivered by government schools. The government attempts to promote its international competitiveness by controlling education. The competition of modern education is structured, and is controlled by the government system to an extreme degree. Test scores become the main and only standard of competition. Another characteristic of competitionfocused education is that competition has become a culture of education.       What competition has conveyed through education institutions is nothing but selfishness and moral indifference. Competition involves everything about interpersonal relationships, representing the instrumentality of learning and humans. From the perspective of education’s sustainability and humanity, it’s imperative to get rid of the appendage of competition in education.