The Fight for Survival

The documentary ripped away the rose-colored lenses of theory and idea to show the blood-stained and vicious nature of survival. In fending for their lives, defending their young and killing for food, the lions and hyenas live and function in the cycle of pure survival. As the fight for survival begins at birth, only the fittest survive and reproduce; leaving no mercy for those who cannot fend for themselves. Food and status become an unwavering priority and all other concerns and courtesies are cast aside. It is animal nature. The question is where that parallels to humanity. I feel like the difference between the animal world and human society should be the basis of survival. The undeniable need for food and protection from unrelenting predators separates the cycle of animal life in the wild of Africa from the nature of human experience and interaction. Humanity does not need to threaten its neighbors for food or fight against its own kind for the protection of the young. This should be the difference. Within the animal world the fight for survival, though accompanied by the establishment of prominence, is one cloaked with mauling and feuds for food that often end in death. The natural balance between lion and hyena employs fierce competition; as they fight not only for survival against each other, but also the elements of the world they live in. We do not need to kill for survival. It’s not necessary, not in the least. However, innocent life in our world is taken. Families are ripped apart, lives are taken without warning, and the securities we come to rely upon and hid behind are all but ripped from us. This world is far from perfect. We fight to survive and in the process we cast our neighbors aside. Regardless of how much we may try and despite how much we hope, there are events in our lives beyond our control. And when we are pulled down, it is human nature to fight back; to survive. In that sense human survival becomes more about the preservation of ideas of success and personal feeling, not the preservation of life. Yet there exist some similarities. Like animals we too thrive in competition, looking to promote ourselves above the rest; we desire to pick a worthy mate; fight for our children; and we often leave behind those that are weaker than ourselves. Despite these similarities the difference in my eyes is the fact that animal survival is centered upon necessary killing, an act unnecessary for the survival of humanity. However, the theories of survival that are prevalent in the animal kingdom are in some manners reflected in human nature and experience; but it is important to find the line between the two.