Book 3 Survival of the Fittest:Present Philosophy

I BELIEVE that the cause of the rift or polarisation in every stratum of society dates back to the dawn of time. This rift has been handed down through successive generations right up to the present. If we truly desire for ourselves a better life, we need to firm up our resolve and double our efforts to claim it.


A better life is not an unassailable right that comes about automatically. Mankind has undergone different phases of evolution, from the most primitive Stone Age culture to the relatively more modern pre-historic ‘industrial’ phase of the metal ages (iron, bronze, etc) through the Middle Ages to the present post-modern era.


Among the many legacies we have inherited over the centuries is a professional check-and-balance system, which still dominates our lives till this day.


This professional system exhibits the following chronology of events:


1. The primary survival instinct of all living species, including man;

2. The arrival of civilisation where logical thinking and division of labour began;

3. The arrival of scientific and modern management;

4. The arrival of McGregor’s Theories X and Y;

5. The arrival of logical thinking versus lateral thinking.

Primary Survival Instinct of Living Beings

Over the generations, the survival and perpetuation of living species have been reliant on basic instinct. Everybody possesses some basic level of survival instinct.

Living things that possess less survival instinct will, in accordance with the natural laws of nature, die without any chance of propagating their species and genes.

If you observe the mating ritual of animals, you will discover that the female is likely to choose a mate that is bigger and stronger than the other pursuers.

This instinctive natural selection ensures her offspring of the best genes for survival in an inhospitable environment.

Another consideration is that a stronger partner is more likely to be able to protect its offspring from harm.

The basic ingredient of survival, then, is adaptation, of which man has skilfully mastered the art over the years. Man’s primary instinct to survive is closely linked to an awareness of his average lifespan, based on the normal biological life cycle of birth, growth, saturation and decay as shown in Figure 3.1.

Man has accepted the eventuality that one day he will have to die. This is an immutable fact of life. But given the finite nature of life, man should seek to add more colour to his life if he cannot add length to it.

It does make logical sense that since quantity is finite — and we have little direct control over length — we should really be focusing our attention and energies towards improving the quality of our lives.

And there is much more you could learn from this series.