The human mind thinks of opposites. Every concept to be fully understood should be examined at the opposite meaning as well. When you reduce the terminology of "Competition", in an abstract (philosophical) fashion it means survival of the fittest (or the few). The concept's opposite is Cooperation, reduced in an abstract fashion means survival of all (or many). When facing the choice as your life depends on it, which one would make more sense?
What choice?? If you're one of the fittest, your optimal choice is survival of the fittest. If you're not one of the fittest, your optimal choice is not survival of the fittest. Perhaps you wanted to ask the following question: When facing the choice as our lives [the human race] depend on it, which one would make more sense?
Food for thought; Which is the only species on the planet that violates natures rule of survival of the fittest. Not only do they violate this rule, but they exceedingly do everything possible to ensure that the least fit survive.