Doubling Up On “Rising Down”: When “Accepting A’ight” Goes Wrong

“All good is hard. All evil is easy. Dying, losing, cheating, and mediocrity is easy. Stay away from easy.” Scott Alexander

lions wild animals gorgeous pic

It’s a strange habit to some, but one of the ways I wind down after a hectic day is to watch ‘wild-animals-in-habitat’ shows (like the ones on Animal Planet, NatGeo, etc). I never get bored with what I see because every species is different— some of them have instincts that can seem downright cruel to us humans, but in the best of circumstances, these particular skills allow them to adapt to their environments, keep the right balance between prey and predator and give the best of their genes to Generation Next.

Fighting Hartebeest deerIt’s always educational, of course, to see how lions form prides, how cheetahs teach their cubs to hunt and how stags compete with one another for the affection of female does every mating season, but what’s not so fun to watch is how some of them end up dying for the simple right to feed or procreate. For example, a wild buffalo who’s injured and can no longer keep up with the migrating herd is left behind, then picked off. Or how two males fight to the death and one walks away the victor…..while the loser of the battle limps away to lick his wounds or die in the shade of the brush. Fighting_Hippos

My point? Wild animals do what they can to ensure the survival of their species, period: females don’t give ‘sympathy nookie’ to the least capable male in the last mating competition and groups of wilderbeests don’t keep dragging around a sickly herd member because he once held off a pack of wild dogs 12 summers ago. They hang around long enough to see if healing is possible—some will even leave food for them—and they keep it moving. Heartwrenching? indeed, but that’s how the species remains its strongest and best able to adapt, and IMO, more humans need to watch these documentaries and catch a clue, especially as it pertains to the gene pool.

criminal collageThink about it: was it that long ago that men and women had stringent requirements of the people they chose to build lives and families with? We would date and have fun here and there, sure, but when it was time to seriously settle down and carry on the family name, most of us (especially the “Baby Boomers” and “Greatest Generation” set) would do everything possible to make sure that their intended came from a good family, had ambition, was reasonably healthy/screened for mental illness and had enough common sense to raise any future children so that they could excel in the world.

I’m not advocating arranged marriages or anything, but isn’t it time that we start placing more of the blame of an imploding society on those who use more care in choosing a cell phone company than they do a potential wife or boyfriend? You know, the ones who have recreational sex with whomever without knowing people’s names and addresses, much less if they’re gainfully employed, are undercover sociopaths/serial killers or, heaven forbid, capable of passing on some horrific disease that can cut short the life of their future offspring? When you decide to get horizontal with somebody and impregnate them just because they have cute dimples, a big @$$ or any other silly, superficial quality, how are your children supposed to come out well? If all you know about Ol’ Dude is that he’s a play-cousin to So-and-So or that he might get drafted to go pro next season, is that really enough?

We used to be more like the animals and watch for health and vigor as potential partners courted us and proved worthy (or not). Now, unfortunately, it seems like far too many are content to tolerate Mr. Mad Basic or Ms. Maybe Marginal (or even worse, Crazy Charlotte/Charlie), reproduce with them and watch one generation after the next become mired in dysfunction……if they’re not ‘picked off’ first. from Africa 2

Don’t get it twisted: sometimes we’re lead astray by those with ulterior motives and quite frankly, some of us just don’t have the experience to know any better, but make changes and do the best we can not to repeat our mistakes. But if the rest of us in ‘the herd’ just sit back and allow others to weaken the newest among us, diluting our potential to evolve and prevail, what’s being accomplished? If everyone’s worth handing over our genetics to, then what was once sacred is now simply ordinary. Are we now officially “here for that”? And, if we are, what will be left to preserve?

woman from snapped

future-kanye

nicki-minaj

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1 Comment

  • Reply Lorrie Irby Jackson

    Keep reading and sharing, thank you!

    July 13, 2014 at 6:08 pm
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