Is Competition possible without ruthlessness?

I've just noticed every single poem I've wrote with the exception of one has been voted down, and although I probably shouldn't be bothered, I am, because I was quite hurt by that.

So it got me thinking about human nature, and more specifically, things people will do in competition. Firstly, is this site really a big contest? What's gained by voting down? As far as I can tell, nothing really, with the exception of getting onto the featured poems.. but then you have to write a good poem to begin with to get there. Anyway, I digress.

So competitiveness is a trait, but what can it make a human do? Lie, cheat, sabotage others.

So my question is this: Can you be strongly competitive without being vindictive? x

Yes, Honor, have honor in the stuff you do. Having an open mind to improve and learn from others.

Down voting doesn't bother me. I won't go down to their level and right cutting poems and I hope you will do the same and avoid that writing trap unless you really only care about ratings. The highest rating poems tend to be about cutting, eating disorders, and things poeple claim they can, "Relate to."