"I mentioned the non-competitive spirit explicitly, because these days, excellence is a fashionable concept. But excellence is a competitive notion, and that is not what we are heading for: we are heading for perfection"

In this quote, Edsger Dijkstra is stressing the importance of striving for excellence rather than quality. He acknowledges that excellence is a stylish principle, however explains that it is a competitive idea. He is recommending that rather of competing with others to attain quality, we ought to concentrate on refining ourselves. He thinks that excellence is a more meaningful and satisfying objective than quality. He is encouraging us to concentrate on our own personal development and development, instead of competing with others. By striving for excellence, we can become the very best variation of ourselves and achieve real fulfillment.