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In Life, You Are Either Prey or Predator, Do You Agree?

Can we take the middle ground instead?

Photo by Jongsun Lee on Unsplash

I came across this statement on a YouTube channel talking about our world and politics. One of the comments said, “You are either prey or predator in this world”.

Do we humans need to go to that extreme?

In today's modern world, do we still have to kill each other like during ancient times?

Our perceptions about the world are shaped by our environment, notably our education, especially history.

Don’t forget that history is written by humans.

After witnessing what has been happening in politics in the past few years locally and abroad, I started questioning the truth of what I was being taught in the history class — who wrote this history? What was his/her background, upbringing, race, religion, and country? How did he/she intend to shape the cultural beliefs or shape the thinking of the next generations? Was there any political motive behind what he/she has written?

History is always written by the winners. When two cultures clash, the loser is obliterated, and the winner writes the history books-books which glorify their own cause and disparage the conquered foe.

As Napoleon once said, ‘What is history, but a fable agreed upon?” ~ Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code

As a very mature adult now, I always have some benefits of doubts about the history that I read. Looking back, something I believed firmly when I was much younger now turned out to be a deceit. The good guys I used to believe in and admired now turned out to be the bad guys.

Often there was no concrete evidence to prove whether it is truly a fact or not, as history is long gone and everybody and evidence have gone under the soil. There could even be an agenda behind the story.

No one knows the whole truth! Except for those who did it.

My take on “In Life, You Are Either Prey Or Predator”

It’s extremely hard to shift one’s perception.

For someone like me who has experienced many different cultures and has lived for the past five decades. I believe the moderate or middle ground is the way forward. In these modern days, we have more choices. We should work for win-win not win-lose.

For those that believe ‘you are either a prey or predator’ in life, I think they must be the descendant of ‘kill all their way to be the victor’. It’s deeply embedded in their DNA and passed down from one generation to the other.

As the old saying goes, “Catch the mother cat to see the nature of her kitten’.

This makes them feel this mindset is normal, even though they may be good-natured as a person.

They make different priorities. They can’t see the possibility of a ‘win-win’ without bloodshed, or less bloodshed.

They don’t believe in a win-win concept and there’s only a win-lose. Or maybe they don’t even know the existence of win-win. Or they simply believed that they were the born privileged ones appointed by their faith. To me, these people are very narrow-minded.

The win-win situation has never existed in their history, hence they couldn’t comprehend it.

Of course, not all of them are the same, some of them are more liberal and adaptive than others. There are always exceptions in everything in this world.

The world keeps rotating

To me, everything in this world is by rotating. Not all generations will be dictated to have the same fate forever be it good or bad. The same goes for the empire or dynasty.

We’ve seen the fall and the rise of different empires or dynasties in the long river of history, especially if they abuse their privileges and do no good to others.

History not only teaches us a lot of lessons but we can also learn a great deal about the nature of someone, race, or country. Studying what they have done in the past can give you a glimpse of what they will be doing. It can also let you comprehend why are they doing what they are doing now.

As said, history never fails to repeat itself.

Those people who have learned about the history of the win-win concept will be able to comprehend the huge benefits this concept can bring about — world peace.

Their ancestors lived through many generations of peace and prosperity by trading what they could offer to each other. No one oppressed anyone but only enriched each other culturally and increased prosperity.

In this world no one has it all and no one can have it all. Why not exchange and complete each other? No one needs to shed blood and each can live a fuller and richer life, according to one's capability.

No one wants to be oppressed and dominated.

Treat others how you want to be treated.

You’re either prey or predator mentality only causes more instability in our world.

Yes, this is an unfair world, only the strongest will survive, but can we at least do our best to reduce oppression and let the weaker ones at least live a decent life, or be fairer?

To me, the strongest ones are those who can enjoy a more privileged life. Yes, you can enjoy it with your capability and blessings accordingly, but please be generous to share some with the weak ones, or help them to live decent lives.

The weak ones may not enjoy the finer things like you do, but let them not be enslaved and go hungry.

Photo by Tim Marshall on Unsplash

From the spiritual perspective

The strong ones – when you help the weak ones you will be blessed in many ways beyond your imagination. Trust the power of the universe.

The universe is always moving and turning. No one gets to be lucky all the time. Everyone will have their turn of good and bad. Imagine when it's your turn to be in a bad time, wouldn’t you hope that the strong ones will treat you better and help you out?

Forgiveness should not come too easily and at no cost. Some people tend to take it for granted — “after all I’ll be forgiven, why should I be afraid of doing this bad thing now?’

While it’s good that some people do not use harsh retribution/karma as the reason not to do bad deeds, as humans we do have a dark side in us. It’s too easy to be selfish and treat other people unfairly at times. Especially when the perks in front are too irresistible.

Hope that mankind can adopt a more win-win mindset for a better world.

The reverse of LIVE is EVIL. Do not let Evil rule our world, or at least reduce it to the very minimal.

Parting words

Let's choose the middle ground or moderation. Giving is receiving, your good deeds will always come to you, if not to your next generations.

Let’s keep this benevolent cycle going for a better world for all.

Our world has become borderless now with the internet. It’s time to explore and understand the different logic from different parts of the world.

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