Sibling rivalry, rivals in love, factional rivals, rivalry between nations: There seems to be no level of our lives not riddled with rivalry. Like its relatives, competition and conflict, rivalry is found in all societies and cultures.

The reason for this is clear to see just by looking at rivalry's underlying conditions. Basically, rivals vie for something they both want but can't -- or think they can't -- both have. Siblings vie for parental affection and approval; rivals in love strive for the beloved's affections; factional rivals jostle for power and influence; nations struggle to secure their interests despite the opposition or competing interests of others.

Clearly, all this competition has the potential to get out of hand quickly. As a result, all societies need to channel and restrain both rivalry and competition so they do not threaten the social fabric. Wa is a Japanese word, and as a concept it may appear characteristically Japanese, but in reality it is simply one culture's attempt to control competition by calling for its opposite: cooperation.