Without competition, the spectacular development of technology

Hear the words of Lee R. Raymond, uttered with the weight of truth: “Without competition, the spectacular development of technology that we have seen in the last one hundred years in this country would not have happened.” These words are not merely an observation of economics, but a revelation about the very engine of human progress. For it is in the clash of rivals, in the striving of one against another, that innovation is sharpened, perfected, and unleashed upon the world. Without struggle, there is no fire; without rivalry, no greatness.

When Raymond speaks of competition, he names the ancient spirit that has driven humanity since the dawn of time. It is the same impulse that made hunters refine their tools, that made sailors build stronger ships, that made nations seek faster roads and taller towers. Far from being mere greed, true competition is the sharpening stone upon which invention is honed. In a world of rivals, each is pushed beyond comfort, beyond complacency, to bring forth what they would not have attempted alone.

Consider the story of the Wright brothers, who, in their race to conquer the skies, were not alone but surrounded by other dreamers. Men across nations sought to build machines that would take flight, yet it was the rivalry and urgency of being first that spurred the Wrights to persevere, to refine, and finally to succeed. Had they no rivals, perhaps the skies would have remained unconquered for decades more. So too with all technology: it grows where men and women strive not only to achieve, but to surpass.

History offers another mirror in the Space Race. When the United States and the Soviet Union contended for mastery beyond the earth, both poured their genius into rockets, satellites, and exploration. In mere years, progress was made that might otherwise have taken centuries. Out of that fiery contest came not only the moon landing, but also countless inventions—computers, satellites, materials—that now serve all humanity. This is the truth Raymond proclaims: without competition, the fire of progress dims, but with it, it blazes.

Yet his words also carry a warning. For competition must be guided, lest it devour rather than uplift. Rivalry that descends into cruelty or corruption breeds destruction, not advancement. The task of leaders is to harness the spirit of competition for creation, not conquest; for building, not breaking. When balanced, it is a forge of brilliance; when unrestrained, it can consume both victor and vanquished alike. Thus, wisdom teaches that competition must be married to fairness, discipline, and vision.

The lesson for us is clear: do not shun competition, but embrace it as the crucible that shapes your skill. In school, in work, in art, let rivals not discourage you but drive you higher. Seek not only to defeat them, but to become greater yourself through the striving. For in such contests, all are elevated—the competitor, the craft, and the world that benefits from the fruits of your labor.

Practically, this means challenging yourself against worthy peers, daring to step beyond comfort, and refusing the stagnation of being unopposed. It means seeing rivals not as enemies, but as partners in the shaping of excellence. Just as steel is forged by hammer and fire, so too is greatness forged by rivalry and perseverance. Without such struggle, our potential lies dormant; with it, we rise.

Thus the words of Lee R. Raymond resound like a bell across the ages: the spectacular development of technology is no accident, but the child of competition. Let us not fear the contest, but enter it with courage and honor, knowing that through it, we build not only our own strength, but the advancement of all mankind. For it is in striving against one another that we discover the heights to which humanity can ascend.