So, there I was, leaning on my truck and talking to a friend on his ranch out in middle of nowhere, South Dakota. I was paying a quick visit and we were catching up on local gossip. A few meters away his young son played with a toy as my friend’s dogs roamed around the driveway. One of his dogs approached the boy as he stood and the boy went to pet his snout. The dog snapped, the boy recoiled, the dog pressed the advantage, and the boy ended up on his back with the dog standing over him growling. This all happened in just a few moments. A half of a moment later the dog was flying through the air from the boot of my friend. He picked up he son, gave him a quick spank, then got in his face and said, “Don’t you ever back down from a dog.”

Now, I am certain that many who read this will get upset about aspects of this story. However, considering the environment, a world that is removed from urban complacencies, where dogs are not pets but coworkers who are expected to maintain a certain amount of their wild nature so they can deal with coyotes and such, my friend’s actions make sense. The significance of this story is that all animals are hard wired to instinctively take advantage of vulnerabilities. If we show a vulnerability to an animal, they will immediately try to exploit it.

Humans evolved from animals. We all, men and women alike, have within us the basic instinct to take advantage of the vulnerabilities of others. In truth, it is stronger in some rather than in others. And, also, not everyone takes advantage in the same way; I am sure there are a million different innate strategies that have evolved over the years. But we all have to work to be conscious of our actions and choices in order to override this reflex.

While I am of the opinion that the social-economic-political structure of our society is outdated and needs to be far more inclusive, I am not naive enough to think that those superficial fixes alone will end the problems we have today. Patriarchy, matriarchy, capitalism, and socialism. These things have far less influence over corruption and abuse than the ability to override our basic instincts does.

Regardless of the political structure we choose to abide, regardless of the economic structure we choose to build, and regardless of the social structure we decide to follow, we all must make the effort to choose towards a possible organized future rather than allow reactions to spiral us back to our chaotic past. To use an old metaphor that everyone knows; on one shoulder we have a cloven hoofed devil encouraging us to allow our instincts to satisfy our most basic needs, and on the other is a lighted angel trying to convince us to make conscious choices that move us closer to the people we wish to become. Which one we choose to listen to is how we can effect our own evolution, as well as the evolution of humanity and all life on Earth.

Every single choice we make, or don’t make, on any given day means more than any political or economic philosophy. Even something as simple as how we get our coffee in the morning. Do we make the effort to bring our own reusable cup, or do we shrug it off with a rationalization of why we cannot be bothered.

Any system we choose will be undermined by those who allow their basic instincts to make their choices for them. Whether they be male or female, black or white, rich or poor. No matter where we start, no matter what socio-political system we had at the moment, if we could ensure that people were making choices rather than allowing reactions, we would slowly evolve forward to a better place. And that slow movement would be far healthier and more sustainable than any quick radical change.

P.S. If you are still focused on the dog and how it was treated, that is your primal instincts looking for a vulnerability to exploit instead of considering the argument as a whole,.. because this principle also applies to how we debate and interact politically.