About The Survival Of The Fittest

Or more about making choices…

It’s interesting to consider people that suggest the survival of the fittest is a way of life, fair, and inevitable.

Do they really mean it, and aren’t we a bit above that?

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Fit

Fit has been interpreted to mean lots of things:

• Strong
• Fast
• Hardy
• Prolific
• Wealthy
• Pretty
• Intelligent

And maybe not so much about that last one, but for all the others, the thought is that if I’m stronger than you, I succeed, and you don’t.

Those that aren’t

This is the part that usually isn’t mentioned…

If you survive because you’re strong, then somebody else who isn’t, doesn’t. The survival of the fittest also means the non-survival of the:

• Old
• Weak
• Sick
• Unable

Not quite the intent…

And that’s where it gets troublesome.

If you really mean it, then I’d like to specifically suggest that your elders have passed their prime and perhaps we should let them fail.

“But I’m going to use my strength to help them.”

Is your quick retort – good for you.

Survival of the fittest family

And so it’s no longer about the survival of the fittest – because you want to protect your family.

Now we’re getting someplace.

And of course if my family can provide for our well-being better than yours, we’re the ones to survive.

My Community

Ok – so your community might be stronger than mine, but my state is bigger than yours…

Hmmm – it doesn’t quite look like survival of the fittest any longer, does it?

And I’m ok with that.

Because that “survival of the most intelligent” that I included way back there at the top – that’s a reasonably recent addition to the list. “Might is right” has been around for quite a long time, and those not in a position of might have been mightily oppressed. And while strength has it’s place, being smart enough to direct strength to the best solutions is just as essential to survival.

So certainly – keep thinking that the survival of the fittest is natural, but take care in dividing up the bounty of survival, and be especially respectful of how you define fitness.