Analysis of "No Win Situation"

Alfie Kohn’s “No Win Situation” is a piece that claims that recreation is at its best when the goal is not to compete with someone else. The opening statement includes an example of musical chairs and explains how the winner is out to make everyone else fail in order to come out on top. It is also said that competition undermines self esteem, ruins relationships, and holds individuals back from delivering their best. This is a highly emotionally-based argument and does not include very many facts to help defend the claim.

The opposing view is refuted and four disadvantages are listed about competition. Team competition is attacked in the first point but highly lacks any solid evidence and rather uses identification techniques to somehow persuade the reader to think like the author, however, that’s difficult when the lack of evidence is present. A study of some sort would have made this section legitimate. Competition as a sense of accomplishment is then attacked next. The use of an objective standard for accomplishment is used as an example for non competition, however, from there it goes into an emotional struggle from there. Bashing of our culture is of course included. Third, there is a supposed psychological cost of competition that is mentioned, but one thing the author failed to mention was that people don’t only compete to feel good about themselves and make someone else look bad, some do it for the mere recreation behind it. How else can you play tennis? Against a wall? That’s not exactly very fun for those who love the sport. Finally, there is a toxic effect on relationships with those you compete with. The author seems to make every human being out there to be a cold blooded poor sport who name calls and is overly aggressive. Once again, there is a lack of evidence or a study.

Overall, this was a poor argumentative piece. There is nothing wrong with the author’s viewpoint, however, there is something wrong with the way this claim was argued throughout. Emotional appeal isn’t bad, but if that’s all an argument has to offer, it’s empty. Emotion is a nice cherry topper to a well established argument with solid evidence backing up a claim. To only include emotional ranting makes an individual look narrow-minded. This piece was a good example though of what not to do when writing an argumentative piece.