The pursuit of equality has been a perpetual struggle in human history, yet true equality remains an elusive ideal, perhaps a dream that may never be realized. Inequality appears more intrinsic to human existence than equality, woven into the very fabric of nature and society. The foundation of the world itself is built upon imbalances of power and hierarchical structures, with the heavens positioned above the earth, showing a vicious chain of order and dominance.
As diabolical the word “predator” may sound, it's the reality of life. Humans are born with predatory instincts, we always want to dominate and not to be dominated, we always want to be the champion and not to be championed, we always want to conquer and not to be conquered. We don't care to be the best at the expense of others failure, we dine at the expense of others misfortune. Although we feel the need to cooperate and stand as one, it is either because of the social construct we find ourselves in or there is a gain for us in collective responsibility.
Think of a situation whereby there is no judgment on your behavior, no societal norms or principles, whereby everybody does things according to his/her own instinct. It is definite that our true nature will unfold, because we no longer hide behind the facade of moral uprightness. Since life has evolved and endured through unseen forces and unwritten laws and principles which can be otherwise called norms, that serves as the judge to every of our behavior, human beings have developed a dual self.
There's a self which is put in play depending on the context, and there's another one which is the real unrefined self that is displayed when we are alone or we feel unmonitored. This duality reflects the complexity of human nature: the balance between our primal instincts and the veneer of civility we wear in society. It is in this dichotomy that the predator thrives. The refined self plays by the rules, adapts to societal expectations, and wears the mask of morality. It is the face we show to others, the facade that upholds the illusion of equality, compassion, and fairness. Yet, beneath this facade lies the raw, unfiltered self, the predator.
This predator is driven by survival, ambition, and the unquenchable thirst for more. It is this self that justifies stepping over others to climb higher, that rationalizes betrayal in the name of progress, and that sees relationships not as bonds but as opportunities. Even the noblest of causes often conceal a predatory agenda. For every revolution that promises freedom, there is a leader seeking control. For every altruistic gesture, there may lurk the hope for recognition or power.
Equality, then, becomes not a true goal but a fleeting mirage. The predators among us cloak their dominance in fairness, ensuring that the chains of inequality are merely rebranded, not broken. In a world where hierarchy is inevitable, the pursuit of equality becomes a battlefield where the strong subjugate the weak under the guise of justice. Still, humanity clings to the hope of unity, driven by the innate need to belong. Communities are formed, not necessarily out of pure altruism, but as survival mechanisms. The collective shields individuals from vulnerability, yet even within these groups, the predators emerge. Power dynamics infiltrate every relationship, every system, every hierarchy, proving once again that the predator is omnipresent, within us and around us.
However, the predator within us is not inherently evil, it is simply primal. It whispers of survival, ambition, and conquest, urging us to seize opportunities and secure our place in a world of scarcity. But what makes us human is our capacity to temper this instinct, to sublimate it into the fabric of a collective existence that values more than dominance and survival. In the end, perhaps the true battle is not against inequality, but against the predator within. To acknowledge its existence is to confront our nature, to restrain it is to embrace progress, and to deny it is to live a lie. Whether humanity can ever transcend this primal force remains to be seen, but until then, the chronicle of the predators continues, written not by the prey, but by those who conquer.
Comments