Selfish or Survivor – The True Face of a Person in Difficult Times"

Think about this 

Do you know the difference between being selfish and being a survivor?

Look, when a disaster strikes, and a person thinks only about saving themselves instead of others – that’s called being selfish.

But a survivor is someone who, even in difficult situations, tries to help others first.

However, being a survivor isn’t easy — this is actually a matter of psychology.

Meaning, this trait exists in every person, but it only shows itself in moments of crisis.

Psychology means "the study of the human mind and behavior" — in other words, how a person thinks and reacts in different situations.

Let me explain it simply: imagine two people — one is your friend, and the other is you.

Now, you both go far away together in a car.

But suddenly, a terrible accident happens.

Now pay attention...

In that accident, your friend loses one of his legs.

And there’s no one around for miles — it’s a deserted area.

You have very little food and water

with you.

Okay?

So, you call emergency services from your phone.

They respond by saying it may take a few months for help to arrive.

You both wait... but one month passes, then two... then three months.

Yet, no one comes to rescue you.

And in that moment — what would you do?

Just think for a second.

Because, of course, you need something to eat to survive, right?

So you start eating your own friend — yes, alive.

He's still alive... and this is where the real question arises:

In that moment, would you be called a survivor — or a selfish person?

Think about it again...

What if I say this is survival?

Why?

Because in times of crisis, there are certain chemicals inside every human that start to react automatically.

It’s the brain — not the heart — that takes control.

You don’t think, “This is my friend,” or “This is my brother.”

You only think about saving your own life.

You commit a horrible act — not out of cruelty, but survival.

Now think again.

If you don’t eat your friend because you believe “He is my friend” — then he would die anyway, right?

Something similar (I don’t remember exactly) happened in America — a horrifying event — an airplane crash.

And in this article, I will describe exactly what happened, so we can better understand the difference between survival and selfishness.

Let’s begin.

This tragedy took place in 1972.

A Uruguayan rugby team, along with their friends and relatives, were traveling by airplane.

While crossing the Andes Mountains, the plane crashed.

It was a snow-covered area, low oxygen, freezing temperatures below zero — and no help at all.

There were 45 people on board.

Some died immediately after the crash. Some survived.

But the real suffering had only just begun...

These people survived for 72 days in

snow —

With no food... and no proper clothing...

Now just imagine how much pain and suffering they had to endure.

They were trapped in the snow for 72 days.

So, in order to survive, they had no choice but to eat the flesh of their friends who had already died.

That’s why I told you the earlier story — the one about the accident — as a question.

Understand now?

You might ask:

“Isn’t this cannibalism? Eating human flesh, even though you're a human yourself?”

Yes — this is cannibalism.

There’s no doubt about that.

But what’s important to understand is why they did it.

Those people didn’t eat their companions out of desire or pleasure — they did it to survive.

Some of them initially refused.

But after fully realizing the hopelessness of the situation, they eventually agreed.

Because when you're starving, and death is staring you in the face, survival forces you to do what is otherwise unthinkable — even if it goes against humanity.

If they hadn’t done it, they all would have died right there in the snow.

And no one would have ever known.

Here’s another important part of the story:

Two of the survivors — Nando Parrado and Roberto Canessa — eventually climbed the mountains on foot for 10 days, crossing dangerous terrain, and finally brought help for the rest.

In the end, only 16 people survived.

Hard times truly reveal a person’s real face.

That 1972 plane crash in the Andes Mountains left 45 people stranded.

Only 16 survived — but at what cost?

Another question we must ask is:

When the food ran out and they were forced to eat the flesh of their dead friends,

does that make them selfish — or survivors?

But no — not in the way you may be thinking.

Because in that tragedy, every single person was fighting for their life.

Everyone wanted to stay alive, to return home and spend time with their family again.

And that thought — the will to live — is something that lives in all of us.

Some people did say no at first.

Some could not bring themselves to eat human flesh.

Others hardened their hearts and ate it anyway.

But behind each choice, there was pain — a different kind of pain for every individual.

So now ask yourself again:

Was it selfishness... or survival?

According to psychology, when a person is in an extreme situation, their mind shifts into a “fight or die” mode.

It is in that moment when friendship, love, and humanity are truly tested.

But think — when the only thing separating life and death is hunger, what would a human being do?

Even today, this real-life incident fails to give us a clear answer to the deep questions of psychology and humanity.

It doesn’t offer closure — only more questions:

“How far can a human go just to stay alive?”

And what should we call it — survival or selfishness?

Think about it... both these words seem similar, but when a sudden tragedy strikes you, you end up doing some good things and some bad.

Are those bad actions considered selfish — or are they just part of survival?

Right now, I am only talking about survival.

But in the case of selfishness, there are many actions that may seem normal to you — yet deep down, they are selfish.

Let me give you another example.

Imagine you're driving a car.

Suddenly, a child runs into the road and crashes into your vehicle — and dies on the spot.

Now ask yourself:

What will you do in that moment?

Will you call the police?

Will you rush the child to the hospital?

Or will you run away?

You have three choices — which one do you think is right?

Maybe you believe that it wasn’t your fault — that you didn’t kill that child.

Technically, the accident wasn’t your fault.

Running away from the scene — that is not survival.

Even if it wasn’t your fault, the right action is to take the child to the hospital.

And yes, calling the police is also the correct choice.

But often, people act out of fear.

And in that fear, humans make terrible mistakes — this is part of human nature.

Still, even if an accident occurred because of your mistake and someone lost their life — you should call the police.

That act would still be considered survival — because you are facing the situation instead of escaping it.

Now, if you're thinking:

"It wasn’t my fault. The child suddenly came in front of my car, and I even tried to stop..."

Yes, you may be right.

But still — in that moment, calling the police or taking the child to the hospital — these are the actions of a survivor.

If you run away from the scene, even if it wasn’t your fault — that would be called selfishness.

Unfortunately, many people, when they face such accidents, choose to run out of fear.

They think, “It wasn’t my fault, so why should I get involved?”

But their thinking is wrong.

And such people are selfish.

Understand?

Now let me tell you a real-life story — something important to understand this topic even better.

So let’s begin…

China's Four Pests Campaign (1958–1962) and the Mass Killing of Sparrows

In 1958, Mao Zedong launched a national campaign called the "Four Pests Campaign" (in Chinese: Si Hai Yun Dong).

The goal of this campaign was to eliminate four harmful pests from the country:

1. Rats

2. Mosquitoes

3. Flies

4. Sparrows – specifically, the Eurasian Tree Sparrow

The Chinese government believed that sparrows were eating large amounts of grain, which was reducing food production.

They claimed that each sparrow ate around 4.5 kilograms of grain per year, so it was considered necessary to kill them in order to save food.

So, the people were told to beat drums and bang pots to scare the birds into continuous flight.

Their nests were destroyed, and their eggs were smashed.

Millions of Sparrows Were Killed — Was This Survival or Selfishness?

Think about it — was this survival or selfishness?

Yes, it was clearly selfishness.

For the sake of human benefit, millions of sparrows were killed.

Rats were exterminated. Insects too.

But instead of solving the problem, it actually made things worse.

When sparrows were wiped out, a new ecological crisis emerged.

Sparrows didn’t just eat grain — they also ate insects like locusts, caterpillars, and other crop pests.

Without sparrows, the insect population exploded.

Massive insect attacks hit the crops.

Grain production dropped even further.

This led to the Great Chinese Famine (1959–1961) —

one of the worst famines in modern history.

The poor Chinese people must have thought:

“Eliminate the sparrows, rats, and grain-eating insects — and we’ll have more food.”

But the result was the opposite —

a horrific famine that claimed

the lives of millions.

The millions of Chinese people who died probably thought, “We’re doing all this just to survive.”

But what actually happened?

Even unknowingly, it turned into selfishness.

Crops were destroyed. Entire villages were wiped out. People were forced to eat grass, dirt, even dead bodies — just to stay alive.

In reality, the words survival and selfish are different, but sometimes they look almost the same.

And the truth is — we don’t even realize it:

Are we surviving? Or are we being selfish?

Later, after 1960, Chinese leadership finally realized that killing sparrows was a massive mistake — which it really was.

So, sparrows were removed from the campaign list.

Instead, bed bugs were added.

But by then… the damage was already done.

Let me give you another example —

Just to help you understand better the difference between survival and selfishness:

Imagine you have an enemy who wants to hurt you badly.

Not just hurt — but break you.

So he plants bombs on two buses.

Then he tells you:

“Choose one.”

One bus has 30 people.

The other has 90.

Which one will you try to save?

You pause. You think.

And you make a choice —

But was that choice survival… or selfishness?

**"Maybe the first one with 30 people is the right choice — but why? Because the first bus has 30 people inside, which means a lot of lives are at stake. But now imagine that those 30 people are your entire family. Even then, would you still choose the first bus so that the people in the second bus can be saved? Just think.

Here, the issue becomes something else. I told you — your enemy is doing this not to kill you, but just to hurt you.

Now think: what will you do?

If you think you’ll call the police or try to fix everything yourself, that would be the wrong move.

Why? Because, brother, this is not a toy — there are time bombs inside both buses. And yes, it’s a remote bomb. And your enemy hands the remote to you.

Now the choice is yours.

The point of giving this example is simple: when a human stands in front of an extreme decision — where every choice leads to someone’s death — will he save himself and his family?

Or will he save more people?

That’s where the real difference between survival instinct and selfishness shows up.

And that’s the moment when a person’s true face is

revealed."**

**“Even if you wouldn’t steal till your last breath, in this situation — if we look at it from a psychological point of view — then yes, saving 90 people might feel like the right choice, even if it means sacrificing your own family out of helplessness.

According to moral psychology and utilitarianism, saving 90 lives gives greater benefit — it’s a utilitarian decision.

In reality, humans sometimes don’t make decisions out of selfishness, but based on deep psychological instincts.

Everyone’s sense of morality is different — some think of the greater good, some only of their own relationships.

But the truth is, when a person faces such a moment in real life, they don’t always ‘think’ — they react.

Either they press the remote, or they freeze.

Some run.

Some panic.

These are biological responses — not selfishness, but survival."**

The Mind Says: Save More Lives.

The Heart Says: Don’t Lose Your Own People.

Every human brain hears two voices — one of logic, and one of emotion. When life demands a choice between life and death, a person becomes a survivor… and sometimes, they’re mistaken as selfish.

Try to understand — if you see from the enemy’s perspective (as I mentioned above), your enemy is willing to do anything to win — even if that means targeting your own family. So even if you save your family, the trauma of letting 90 others die may haunt you forever. And if you save those 90 people, the pain of losing your family might never leave. But the “logical” decision — saving the many — seems right, doesn’t it?

Maybe we all carry both sides within us — a little bit of selfishness and a little bit of survival instinct. Maybe in extreme situations, we all react differently. Sometimes the person who looks selfish… might just be trying to survive.

Ever noticed — whenever there's an earthquake, your first thought isn’t about others. You think of yourself first, don’t you? You rush out of the house to save yourself. Only after the danger passes do you begin helping others.

But have you ever stopped to ask why?

The answer lies in something called instinct.

What is this thing called instinct?

Instinct is a natural, automatic reaction — it happens without thinking. It exists to help us survive, escape danger, or protect ourselves.

For example:

A fire breaks out — you run.

Someone throws a stone — you duck.

You feel hungry — you look for food.

You feel sleepy — you sleep.

These are all instincts.

Instincts are controlled by older parts of our brain — like the amygdala and hypothalamus. When there's danger, the brain doesn't make conscious decisions. It reacts instinctively:

Fight. Flight. Freeze.

And here's the important part:

Instincts are part of our biological programming. Every human has them. But how we react depends on our environment, upbringing, and mental conditioning.

But now imagine war…

When a country is attacked — like what happened when Israel bombed Palestine — I’ve seen videos and photos of people who are so weak from hunger that their bodies have no flesh left, only skeletons remain.

And yet… they never ate human flesh.

Let me be clear — despite extreme hunger, despite having only bones left on their bodies, the people of Palestine did not eat the flesh of the dead. They’re human beings too. They have instincts just like us.

So the real question is:

If every human has the instinct to survive, then why didn’t the starving people of Palestine — after days without food and under bombs — cross any lines to stay alive?

Why didn’t they eat animals or human bodies, like the survivors of the Andes plane crash did?

The answer is difficult, but it’s also simple:

This is not just instinct vs hunger, this is instinct vs values.

Inside every human, there are two things…

1. Survival instinct – the biological drive to save one’s own life.

2. Moral boundaries – the ethical limits a person learns from their faith, culture, and conscience — spiritual and moral.

What are the people of Palestine doing?

They are starving —

But they’re still alive with their conscience intact.

They are dying —

But they are keeping their humanity and faith alive.

For them, survival doesn’t just mean breathing.

To live means to live with honor —

Without crossing the line where a human stops being human.

What Does Science Say About It?"

Science says that when a person is in a state of extreme hunger, the part of the brain responsible for decision-making — especially the prefrontal cortex — begins to shrink.

But… if someone has a strong moral or spiritual foundation, they can rise above their basic instincts.

These are the people who don’t just do anything to survive — they carry their faith and dignity with them until their final breath.

Let me give a small example. This story is known to all — whether Muslim, Jewish, or Christian — the story when Prophet Ibrahim (AS) was thrown into the fire.

Yet, he did not react with panic or fear against God’s command.

This is spiritual resistance — rising above instinct.

The final truth is this:

A true human being is one who, even when every reason exists to become like an animal, still chooses to remain human.

And this — this is what the people of Palestine show the world every single day.

There are many countries in the world where people are starving.

There are many nations at war — like Ukraine, Libya, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Sudan, South Sudan, Haiti, Mali, Myanmar, Lebanon, Nigeria, Chad, Mozambique, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

But why did I choose Palestine as an example?

Because the people of Palestine are Muslims, and in Islam, eating forbidden animals is considered a sin — animals like lions, pigs, cats, dogs, crows, predators like foxes, etc., are all haram.

However, Islamic law also says that in times of extreme hardship, when a person is starving, eating a small portion of haram meat for survival is not counted as a sin — but only to the extent of necessity.

Still, despite such permission, many Palestinians choose not to eat what is forbidden. They choose to die with faith and dignity rather than live with compromise.

And that’s the heart of our point here — this article isn’t just about survival…

It’s about what kind of human survives.

In these nations, people are destined to live between war and famine, yet the human spirit remains alive.

Despite the war, despite the hunger — they have not abandoned their humanity.

"Similarly, let me give you a real-life story as an example, so that you and I can better understand the concept of survival instinct."

The Silence of Mount Aoraki – A Tale of Two Lives

It was November 1982, when two trained mountaineers, Mark Inglis and Phil Doole, went on a routine climbing trip to Mount Aoraki in New Zealand. Both had years of experience—snowy mountains and rapidly changing weather were nothing new to them.

But that day, something happened that no one could have imagined. Mark had already checked the weather forecast — a storm was brewing across the ocean, but they had said it wouldn’t make landfall for at least two more days. So they only packed enough supplies for a single day.

No sleeping bags, no radio, no cooking gear. Just the basics. Their plan was simple: climb fast, and return fast.

But as they reached near the peak, the color of the sky began to change. A bright sunny day quickly turned into darkness. Snow started falling, and the wind began howling fiercely. Descending became impossible.

As time passed, a small snowy crack — just a tiny ice cave — became their shelter. What had been a temporary refuge for the past few hours, now became their home.

If they stepped even slightly away from that cave, the wind and cold would not spare a single human — only death awaited.

Think about that tiny place — no comfort, no food, not even proper clothing. Yet, despite everything, the they stayed alive. They survived.

Every day was a war — against hunger, cold, exhaustion, and the fear of death.

And the only thing that kept them alive… was something deep inside:

The survival instinct.

As we saw in this real story, what actually happened shows us that human instinct is not just a play of words.

When there’s only a thin line between life and death—like in the 1982 snowstorm on Mount Aoraki—there is no selfishness, no morality.

There’s only one desire: to stay alive.

That very instinct, the thing that kept them alive, is the true face of the survival instinct hidden within humanity.

So now we understand the true meaning of survival.

When someone is stuck in a deadly situation like this, at that moment, a person thinks only of themselves.

Sometimes, they help others too, and even walk side by side to survive together.

That’s called the survival instinct.

But what about being selfish?

What does selfishness actually mean?

Let’s now talk about that.

Because during tough times, some people behave in ways that may seem selfish.

The question is: do they do it knowingly? Or are they even aware that their actions are selfish?

Let’s find out what selfishness

really means...

"Are You Truly Selfish? Look Within for the Answer"

Is Being Selfish Always Wrong?

Is it really wrong to be selfish? Or are we all, in some way, selfish?

Let’s take a simple example. Suppose you’re a mobile repair technician. A customer walks in with a phone whose charging jack is broken. You fix it, and when he asks for the bill, you say, “Rs. 500” or maybe “Rs. 700.”

Now ask yourself — are you being selfish here? After all, the jack itself costs barely Rs. 5 in wholesale. Does that make you greedy?

No, it doesn't. Because what you’re charging for isn’t just the part — it’s your skill, your time, your effort, and the years of experience behind your work.

Think about it — why did that man come to you? If fixing a jack was so easy, he would’ve done it himself. But he couldn’t, so he came to you, because you know how. That’s not selfishness — that’s value.

Let’s take another example. You go to a store and ask for a steel water jug. The shopkeeper says, “Rs. 1,500.” Now, you know the same item might be cheaper in the wholesale market.

Does that make the shopkeeper selfish?

No — because he also spent money to get it there. He paid rent, transport, bills — and his time. He’s not selling just an object — he’s selling convenience. If the shopkeeper doesn’t think about his profit, what’s the point of running a shop?

These examples show us a deep truth:

Every person acts in their own interest — and that alone doesn't make them selfish.

This is not “selfishness.”

This is just survival in a world where time, effort, and skill matter.

---

Survival Instinct vs. Selfishness – The Real Difference

There’s a difference between being selfish and following your survival instinct.

Survival instinct is natural. It’s the will to stay alive. Like when someone grabs food in a famine or runs from danger — that’s not selfishness. That’s biology.

Selfishness is different — it’s when someone chooses personal gain at the cost of others, even when there’s no danger, no emergency.

In short:

> If you're protecting yourself or earning what you deserve — it's survival, not selfishness.

But if you're hurting others to get more

than you need — that's selfishness.

Let me give you another example to help understand this better.

Imagine a person is on a sinking boat, and just to save his own life, he pushes others away — now tell me, is this survival or selfishness?

This is selfishness.

Why?

Because that person doesn’t care about others. He is only thinking about himself,

even if his own family is on that sinkin

g boat.

The Andes plane crash of 1972 — some people were forced to eat the flesh of their own friends.

Was that selfishness, or a desperate attempt to survive?

Many climbers, while trekking dangerous mountain routes, leave behind others who collapse on the way — is that selfishness?

Just think for a moment.

But if we look at it from another perspective, it's not really selfishness.

Why?

Because if those people hadn’t tried to eat in order to survive, they would have died — and the world would never have known that such a tragedy even occurred.

And if they had stayed behind with the dead instead of moving forward, they too would have died.

So, leaving the bodies behind was not out of cruelty, it was out of necessity.

And when something is done out of necessity for survival, it falls under the instinct of survival, not

selfishness.

"Being selfish isn’t always a bad thing."

Sometimes, thinking about yourself is not selfish — it’s necessary.

Saying “no” for the sake of your own mental health, safety, or emotional well-being may seem selfish to others, but in truth, it is essential.

Look, you cannot always keep sacrificing your own peace for others. Just because you think about yourself sometimes doesn’t mean you’re heartless.

Is it really humanity to hurt yourself just to help others? Or is it injustice to your own soul?

Not every selfish act should be judged the same way.

Time, situation, and intention — these three matter.

Let me give you a simple example:

If a mother only saves her own child and doesn’t help others in a crisis — is she selfish?

No — maybe she’s just a mother doing what she had to do.

Often, we see someone’s silence and think they are being selfish — but maybe their silence is screaming with pain we can’t hear.

Maybe you, too, have been selfish once — or maybe... you were just trying to survive.

A truly selfish person is someone who only wants happiness and gain, without ever thinking about others. But not everyone who walks away is selfish — some are just broken,tired, or trying to breathe.

Selfish isn’t just a word — it’s a mindset:

Seeking Everything for Life’s Individual Satisfaction and Happiness —

even if someone else is crying… or being destroyed because of it.

I once watched a series called Cryptshow — a brilliant horror series.

There was one particular episode that hit me hard. It showed a man, a doctor, whose ship sinks in the ocean. Somehow, he manages to survive and washes ashore on a deserted island. No food. No water. Nothing.

After a week or two, hunger starts to take over. But with no way to escape, no resources, no hope… days turn into weeks. Two, maybe even four months pass.

And then… do you know what he does?

He starts eating himself.

Yes — first his legs… then slowly, piece by piece… he consumes his own flesh… until there's nothing left but the pain and his survival instinct.

That's where the episode ends.

What did I learn from it?

That sometimes, when a human is trapped in a helpless situation, he stops even thinking about himself.

Survival becomes so raw, so instinctive, that the line between pain and purpose disappears.

Now let me give you another example — from the world-famous series Game of Thrones.

There’s a character named The Hound. During a harsh winter, he and his companions pass through a village.

They come to a house where a poor man and his daughter are trying to survive. They’ve saved just enough food for themselves. The father pleads — “Please, leave us something… this is for my daughter.”

But the Hound’s group refuses.

They steal everything and leave.

Months later, the Hound returns to that same house…

And he finds both — the father and daughter — dead.

They died from hunger… and maybe the cold.

But here’s what hits the heart: Even in death, the father didn’t eat his daughter to stay alive.

And the daughter didn’t consume her father either.

Two very different stories…

One shows a man eating his own body to survive.

The other shows two people choosing death over destroying the dignity of their love.

Two perspectives… two truths.

That's why I say — survival and selfishness are not the same.

But sometimes… when you're in real danger, when everything collapses —

the line between the two can disappear.

And now… let’s talk about what

the Qur’an and religion say about this.

"Qur’an: What Does It Say About Survival and Selfishness?"

The Qur’an sheds deep light on human nature, times of hardship, patience, gratitude, and selflessness (eisaar). When a person is in extreme circumstances — such as hunger, war, or facing life and death — the Qur’an refers to those moments as a test (imtihan).

1. Mention of Selfishness in the Qur'an

The Qur'an views selfish behavior with strong disapproval — especially when a person harms others just to fulfill their own desires, gain, or survival.

🔹 Surah Al-Ma'un (107:1-3):

> "Have you seen the one who denies the Day of Judgment?

That is the one who pushes away the orphan,

and does not encourage the feeding of the poor."

This verse exposes the mindset of a person who lives only for themselves, neglecting the needs of the weak — a clear depiction of extreme

selfishness.

Tafseer: This verse condemns those who neglect the weak for their own benefit. It is an example of extreme selfishness.

2. Mention of Survival and Self-Control

The Qur’an urges humans to practice patience (sabr) and trust in Allah (tawakkul) during hardships — this is a form of spiritual survival mindset.

➤ Surah Al-Baqarah (2:155-157):

> “And We will surely test you… with fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives, and fruits.

But give glad tidings to those who are patient,

Those who say: Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un (Indeed, we belong to Allah, and to Him we shall return).”

Tafseer: This verse teaches an Allah-centric response during survival moments — when life becomes difficult, the true path is patience and trust in Allah, not saving yourself by deceiving others.

3. Eisaar (Selflessness) Is the Qur’anic Ideal

One of the most important Qur’anic principles is: “Giving preference to others over oneself” — meaning that even in times of hunger or survival, one sets aside their own need to help others.

➤ Surah Al-Hashr (59:9):

> “And they give others preference over themselves, even though they are in severe need. And whoever is saved from the greed of their soul — it is they who will be successful.”

📖 Tafseer: When the Ansar of Madinah gave their homes, food, and clothes to the Muhajirun — during one of the hardest survival times — they still showed selflessness. The Qur’an praises this

noble act.

4. Self-Preservation Is Allowed, But Not Injustice

The Qur’an acknowledges that saving one’s own life is a natural instinct. However, it is only acceptable up to a limit — as long as it does not violate someone else’s rights.

➤ Surah An-Nisa (4:29):

> “And do not kill yourselves [or one another]. Indeed, Allah is ever Merciful to you.”

Meaning: The survival instinct is natural, but it must not be pursued through selfishness or oppression.

The Qur'an's Balance: Survival ✦ Selflessness

In times of hunger and hardship — be patient and trust in Allah.

Trying to protect yourself is allowed — but not by taking away someone else’s right.

Being selfish (saving only your own life and abandoning others) is forbidden — it shows weakness in faith.

Putting others first (Eisaar) is a high spiritual rank — such people are worthy of Paradise.

Here we saw what the Qur'an says about this matter.

Now let us turn to a soldier — when a soldier faces such a situation, what actions does he take?

In extreme conditions, soldiers often make decisions that reveal the fine line between survival and selfishness — but how true is this really?

Sacrifice as Survival

We often hear about soldiers —

How a soldier is ready to sacrifice his life for his country, for his people.

We’ve heard this many times. But… is it really true?

And if it is, to what extent is it true?

Because before being a soldier, he is a human being —

Just like us.

And just like we make mistakes, a soldier can make them too.

Let’s first look at the kind of training soldiers go through.

Their training includes everything — both physical and mental toughness.

And yes, survival instinct is very much a part of that training.

So when a soldier is thrown into a life-or-death situation,

He does fight — up to a point — to survive. And that’s understandable.

We’ll go deeper into military training later, maybe in a separate article,

Because this one is already quite long.

But let me say this clearly:

Not every soldier sacrifices himself for his people.

In fact — some don’t even truly sacrifice for their country.

And why do I say that?

Because I’m talking about those soldiers

— who think only of themselves.

And this doesn’t just apply to soldiers…

Even politicians fall into this category.

I’ve already given many examples in this article,

And explained how survival and selfishness are two very different things.

But when you're actually in a dangerous, desperate situation…

It becomes very hard to tell the difference between the two.

In the next article, we’ll explore this deeper —

We’ll talk more about soldiers, politicians, selfishness,

and survival instincts.

But be warned —

The next one will be highly controversial,So read it with responsibility and an open mind.

Article by abdulhafeez