If you want to understand how to become better allies to people with disabilities, then join us at Embracing All Abilities: Including People with Disabilities at Work.
Since my childhood I have been struggling to understand the exact meaning of "survival of the fittest". What is your understanding of the term?
Since my childhood I have been struggling to understand the exact meaning of “survival of the fittest”. What is your understanding of the term?
While in school I read about how in the wild, the predator hunting their prey is the fittest which is why they survive. When I grew up, I could see in relationships, people using their selfish motives to win arguments, leaving behind those who did the most to sustain the respect of their relationship with full integrity.
As I moved in the corporate world, I faced multiple situations where inspite of having shown great results I was badly appraised, left out, not acknowledged for my work as compared to those who were actively involved in ego massages, sycophancy, and were not good performers. Every time there was a lesson to learn and I did learn something from each situation but I still came across similar situations which means that there was still something to learn which I couldn’t unearth.
Remembering the science lessons in school, looking at the experiences in relationships and corporates, my understanding of survival of the fittest was becoming stronger.
My value system somehow never appreciated this understanding or definition because I was never of the opinion to harm someone in order to have my share of happiness or victory. So “survival of the fittest” was a territory which I never wanted to get into because it was something which was totally opposite to my personality. I kept on facing some harsh realities in my professional arena, I could learn something every time but the trend seemed to follow. I started feeling that I was not “FIT” but on the contrary I always knew I was good and very much desired at various roles/ functions in the organisation and I could easily accomplish these roles…so, where was I going wrong?
Few days back, my dad and my nephew were getting ready for the evening walk when suddenly my dad announced the plan for the next day. My 5 year old nephew got excited to hear that next early morning, my dad and my nephew would have a football match. This small kid was so excited that his excitement added a lot of energy to the environment. To add to his excitement, my dad happily said to my nephew “I will do your goal” and the immediate response from a 5 year old kid was “I will defend my goal”. He could have reacted in many different ways but the response he gave was mind boggling.
All laughed at such a cute and enthusiastic conversation but I seriously contemplated about this response. I wondered why this never came to my mind. I was amazed to understand that even a small kid knows what his priority is to survive a match, then what took me so long to understand the simple meaning of “survival of the fittest”?
This small incidence erased all my doubts and made me feel lighter on one side but felt heavy emotionally of having wasted so much of my crucial time in succumbing to the situation where I could have just been a defender.
What I understood was that my values, my upbringing may not allow me to hurt someone or attack anyone to establish my strength in society or at my work place but I can at least have a priority set to protect myself first and not let anyone harm me.
I understood that I had never established a protection around myself which enabled anyone to enter my zone and gave them an opportunity to harm me. I had learnt so many lessons but what I was failing to learn was to set a priority of not letting anyone attack me. Keeping yourself safe and surviving is stronger than those who attack in anticipation and declare themselves as strongest.
A big lesson from a small mouth.
I am sure many of the readers would contemplate on this thought and would be able to relate to what “survival of the fittest” actually meant for them.
I am still a learner and loved this incident which happened to be a ray of sunshine that cleared the dark clouds from my sky.
Image via Pexels
Ruchi is a new person who has dared to break all walls of monotony in life, a dreamer, a learner and likes to derive inspiration in all situations she is into. Recently plunged into a read more...
Women's Web is an open platform that publishes a diversity of views, individual posts do not necessarily represent the platform's views and opinions at all times.
Stay updated with our Weekly Newsletter or Daily Summary - or both!
Rajshri Deshpande, who played the fiery protagonist in Trial by Fire along with Abhay Deol speaks of her journey and her social work.
Rajshri Deshpande as the protagonist in ‘Trial by Fire’, the recent Netflix show has received raving reviews along with the show itself for its sensitive portrayal of the Uphaar Cinema Hall fire tragedy, 1997 and its aftermath.
The limited series is based on the book by the same name written by Neelam and Shekhar Krishnamoorthy, who lost both their children in the tragedy. We got an opportunity to interview Rajshri Deshpande who played Neelam Krishnamoorthy, the woman who has been relentlessly crusading in the court for holding the owners responsible for the sheer negligence.
Rajshri Deshpande is more than an actor. She is also a social warrior, the rare celebrity from the film industry who has also gone back to her roots to give to poverty struck farming villages in her native Marathwada, with her NGO Nabhangan Foundation. Of course a chance to speak with her one on one was a must!
“What is a woman’s job, Ramesh? Taking care of parents-in-law, husband, children, home and things at work—all at the same time? She isn’t God or a superhuman."
The arrays of workstations were occupied by people peering into their computer screens. The clicks of keyboard keys were punctuated by the occasional footsteps moving around to brainstorm or collaborate with colleagues in their cubicles. Most employees went about their tasks without looking at the person seated on either side of their workstation. Meenakshi was one of them.
The thirty-one-year-old marketing manager in a leading eCommerce company in India sat straight in her seat, her eyes on the screen, her fingers punching furiously into the keys. She was in a flow and wanted to finish the report while the thoughts and words were coming effortlessly into her mind.
Natu-Natu. The mellifluous ringtone interrupted her thoughts. She frowned at her mobile phone with half a mind to keep it ringing until she noticed the caller’s name on the screen, making her pick up the phone immediately.
Please enter your email address