dtgreene: 1. Challenge yes, competition no. (See my TGM2 Death example; if everyone within a group is a winner, that really means that everyone in the group is really good at Tetris; it has value simply because clearing TGM2 Death is not an easy task.)
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2. If the event has just one set winner, then it is an event that I would prefer to avoid.
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3. No, simply "growing thicker skin", in the contexts that I have seen it used, is not a way to solve the problem; it just buries it, with the results being potentially explosive later.
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4. Also, if I'me being mistreated, why should *I* have to be the one to change? Why can't the bullies change their behavior (in this case, stop being sore winners)?
1. Yes, there DOES have to be competition of some sort(in those cases the competition IS the game/AI itself. And even in games with NO AI and no competition there is always going to be people comparing themselves to other players of said game in some way, to feel better about themselves/etc.
Also, if we declare everyone a winner at tetris(in your example) regardless of them actually winning somehow(best time/score/etc) then basically you're saying that those who are objectively bad at the game are as good as those who are the best at playing it......which is objectively wrong.
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2. Why? Why is the thought of someone losing so hard to accept? We all lose at something at some point. In those cases it's best to remember the old mantra of changing what you can(for the better), accepting that some things can't be changed/bettered to a significant degree(in this case losing at some things because of lack of skill/talent/luck/etc), and knowing how to tell the difference & live with it
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3. In some cases, yes, but often it's better to move on(not ignore something but to choose to not let it affect you while acknowledging it/moving past it).
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4. Why? For a few reasons:
It's often easier to handle a problem yourself then to try to force someone else to change(not to mention how morally "wrong" it is to force such change on others").
They aren't bullying you of their own free will, usually(they are often influenced by others/society, as I said).
To be the "better" person, and set a good example(of not letting stuff bother you, and how not winning shouldn't bother them).
Note: In the end, it's up to both parties to compromise and work things out, but if both sides adopt a "why should I do x when they won't?" approach then nothing will get solved. Anothername: Any tech that supports the invasion of privacy. The urge, the drive to have everything on everyone available for anyone that cares (mostly the business/ industrial world) with the click of a button.
THIS. I laughed when I started seeing those home assistants(essentially spy tech for big business to profile/advertise to people) for simple things like turning on/off lights, answering the phone, etc. People are so lazy they'd rather have spy tech in their house than be arsed to turn on the lights and feed the pets.
Also as to the original topic of this thread: The(relatively, in the earth's history) recent trend of driving everywhere(even a block away) because people would rather use u[p precious fossil fuels and pollute the air/etc than walk a bit.