4.2 Sardines

After being caught in fishing nets, sardines usually die quickly. It used to be a big problem for fishermen.  But a fisherman solved the problem! He placed the sardines in a container with a catfish. To avoid the bigger fish, the sardines had to keep swimming around and around. This kept them alive longer.  

This situation is usually called the “catfish effect.” It can also be applied to many other To avoid the bigger fish, the sardines had to keep swimming around and around. fields. In sports, for example, coaches know that bringing a new, talented player onto a team makes the other players better. This is because they start trying harder to avoid losing their position on the team. And in economics, companies without any competition often become lazy and nonreactive  When strong competitors enter the market, however, they respond by becoming more dynamic. This makes the entire economy stronger. In short, the pressure from opponents can make people and businesses work harder.