Which is More Important: To Win or To Play By The Rules?

Summary

The article argues that the pursuit of winning often takes precedence over adhering to rules, which are seen as flexible and subject to change based on societal shifts and power dynamics.

Abstract

The essay "Which is More Important: To Win or To Play By The Rules?" presents a provocative perspective on the significance of winning versus following rules. It suggests that while rules are designed to govern conduct, their importance is frequently undermined by the desire to win, which can lead to rule-breaking. Historical examples, such as wars, political campaigns, and revolutions, illustrate that winning often requires bending or breaking established norms. The article also reflects on the role of referees in sports, indicating that even professionals need external enforcement of rules due to the overwhelming drive to win. The author concludes that winning has been instrumental in rewriting rules and shaping history, citing pivotal moments like the American Revolution and the fight for civil rights. The piece ultimately posits that the act of winning can lead to societal progress and the redefinition of rights and truths.

Opinions

The author believes that rules are inherently restrictive and their importance is diminished when they are frequently broken.
Winning in war is seen as a civic duty, overshadowing the rules of peacetime that would normally condemn killing.
Political campaigns, notably the American presidency, demonstrate that societal norms can be disregarded in the pursuit of victory, as seen with the "Make America Great Again" movement.
The founding of America and other revolutions are highlighted as instances where rules were disregarded for the greater cause of independence and societal change.
In sports, the author opines that athletes and professionals often bend the rules to gain an advantage, indicating a universal temptation to cheat for victory.
The presence of referees is justified by the inherent desire of athletes to win, even at the professional level where rules should be second nature.
The article suggests that breaking rules has historically been a necessary step to rewrite them, as evidenced by the American Revolution, the Civil Rights Movement, and the Women's Suffrage Movement.
The author asserts that rules are made by those in power who are resistant to change, and therefore, challenging and winning against these rules is essential for societal progress.
The essay concludes with the notion that life is not black and white when it comes to following rules, and that winning has had a profound impact on the evolution of society, justifying the means by the ends achieved.

Which is More Important: To Win or To Play By The Rules?

Rules are regulations, principles, or guides for governing conduct, behavior, or procedure. Inherently, rules are restrictive and outline what can or cannot be done. And the importance (or lack thereof) of playing by the rules can be identified by how often rules are broken.

To successfully win a war, no country has played by the usual laws it uses to govern its people. Killing someone would, by the rules, lead to a criminal arrest and persecution but killing the enemy in the context of your country’s victory? Why, it’s now your civic duty to fight and protect your country, soldier! For freedom! For liberty! For oil!

To successfully win the American presidency, one would think that the basic social norms of being a respectable, upstanding citizen would be in the rule book. Yet recent history has shown that rules are indeed meant to be broken, so long as it’s broken by the majority. That’s now called “Making America Great Again.”

To successfully win America’s independence, did the Founding Fathers play by the rules? Not at all. In fact, it was a revolution that overthrew an entire nation’s worth of rules. Has any military coup that’s overthrown a government, or any dictator that’s been in the seat of power for decades played by the rules? Not even close.

Let’s make it more relatable. Let’s use the world of sports as the next example. The rules are black and white. Whoever has the fastest time or scores the most points wins. If it crosses the boundary line, it’s out and if it crosses the goal line, it’s a goal. But who doesn’t bend the rules if they think it will give them an advantage and that they can get away with it?

Did the ball really cross the line or is it just because of the camera angle? If no one sees you trip an opponent, won’t people think they just tripped over their own feet? I swear I didn’t body check him; he just fumbled!

If you’re continuing to stand on the moral high ground and want to tell me that no, you’d never cheat no matter how large the prize or how great the opportunity, then let me ask you this. Why are there referees in the world of professional athletes? They’re professionals, they’re best of the best, and they live and breathe in the world of sports regulations. They certainly know the rules of their game and yet someone has to be there to reinforce the rules. Why? Because it’s more important to win.

My last and final argument is that history has shown us time and time again the importance of winning so that rules can be rewritten.

If America played by the rules, there would be no United States of America; there would only be another colony of the British Empire. If Rosa Parks didn’t defy the Jim Crow laws of her time, would we still be living in an age of racial segregation? If Susan B Anthony didn’t violate the voting laws of her days, would women be able to vote today?

Rules are made by the people in power. They are fundamentally just people, and people don’t like change, especially when it challenges their position in society. So if you want civilization to prosper and move forward, it is without a doubt more important to fight and win for what you fundamentally believe is an unalienable right or a universal truth.

There is no situation or circumstance in which playing by the rules is a black-or-white affair. Lines are toed and crossed regularly, and it’s more than socially acceptable to live amongst the shades of rule-following greys. Winning, on the other hand, has changed the face of society. It has literally determined the fates of entire nations and civilizations. And, as cliché as it by be, the ends justify the means.