Is Survival Selfish Lane Wallace Analysis

From the depths of our primitive instincts to the current day, survival has always been a driving force for humanity. The fight-or-flight instinct is naturally hardwired into each individual, as stated in the story “Is Survival Selfish?” by Lane Wallace, “Perhaps it comes down to the ancient "fight or flight" impulse. Animals confronted with danger will choose to attack it, or run from it, and it's hard to say which one they'll choose, or when. Or maybe humans are such social herd animals...” People can either choose to face danger or get away from it. With this said, survival cannot be selfish since people have an instinct for survival.

When people set their feelings aside, they have a better chance of surviving. Emotions are a strong factor

Putting yourself first is the most important decision someone can make. If you spend your time helping another person who is attempting to reach the same goal as you, that will slow you down in trying to reach that same goal. In the story “Is Survival Selfish?” by Lane Wallace, it states, “Simpson ended up hanging off a cliff, unable to climb up, and Yates, unable to lift him up and losing his own grip on the mountain, ended up cutting the rope to Simpson to save himself.” Yates had to make the decision to save his own life or his good friend, Simpson’s. As any other reasonable human would decide, he chose to save himself and made the decision to cut the rope to save his friend if that’s what he had to do to survive. They both ended up surviving in the end, but if Yates had decided to help out his friend, then they both would’ve ended up dead. Decisions are the most important element in survival. Elie Wiesel, a Holocaust survivor, recounts his experiences in the concentration camps and the decisions he had to make while there to stay alive. In the memoir Night, by Elie Wiesel, the narrator states, “At first, my father simply doubled over under the blows but then he seemed to break in two like an old tree struck by lightning. I had watched it all happening without moving. I kept silent. In fact, I thought of stealing away in order not to suffer the blows” (page 54). Seeing his father suffering pained him, but he had to push those empathetic feelings aside and instead, thought about how he thought his father was weak and should’ve endured the punishment better. This was an easier way for Elie to deal with the situation. Attempting to aid any other person, while trying to save yourself is a difficult resolution to come to, but ensuring your own survival is the best