Is Survival Selfish?

Survival is not just a matter of life or death. It is the ability to sustain oneself through physical, mental, and emotional hardships. Every day, all around the world, people are facing undocumented stories of survival. Those fortunate enough to recall their experiences can be found through memoirs such as Elie Wiesel’s “Night”, the speech “Truth at All Costs” by foreign correspondent Marie Colvin, and the argument “Is Survival Selfish?” by Lane Wallace. Although these texts vary in context, they all share the topic of survival. When facing adversity, people should utilize their instincts in the most effective way possible. The characteristics one must possess in order to survive include staying strong-willed in spite of the danger they may face, as well as the ability to think and react quickly.
Wiesel describes his time during the Holocaust by recalling, “It was my turn. I ran without looking back. My head was spinning: you are too skinny… you are too weak… you are too skinny, you are good for the ovens… The race seemed endless” (Wiesel 310). When in a threatening situation, humans often panic or become petrified. Later on in “Night”, Wiesel asks himself, “Were there still miracles on Earth? He was alive. He had passed the second selection” (Wiesel 312). As Wiesel puts it, one must keep these “miracles” in mind, as to not lose faith and hope in what is to come. In like manner, the argumentative essay “Is Survival Selfish?” presents the characteristics one must have to