Do you sharpen the sword by having smart enemies? Facing off against talent, do you rise to the occasion? Does dancing with the devil bring an otherworldly cunning to you?
What does it say about you when your enemies are daft, dumb, and deranged? Are you on the side of the righteous? Is winning enough?
I like to imagine that your views on this question depends on your temperament. I don’t think there’s a wonderful unifying answer. In general, I like to beat my enemies. I like to know that I’m the best in the room, maybe the world. And, I don’t think having dumb enemies is conducive to that. But, what’s worse than having stupid enemies is being the stupid enemy.
I often think about my beliefs, products, and talents and wonder how I play into being a bad guy in other people’s stories. Every amazing victory comes with a crushing defeat. So, the question comes to what end?
In sports, you generally want your opponents to be good because it makes you good. In politics, winning is everything. In marketing, the sales are your God, and you better hope you succeed.
In general, I think a dynamic interesting world is good, and sometimes with rivals being dumb comes the opportunity to swallow the calorie dense, sweet low hanging fruit. And, who doesn’t like low hanging fruit? I for one like that watermelon grows on a vine.
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