Laurence Gonzales 'Is Survival Selfish?'
Traits Needed To Survive
Many people react to being in a life or death situation in a variety of different ways.
For example, “According to Leach, 10 percent of people facing an emergency control their fears and act rationally. Eighty percent find themselves stunned and relatively unprepared to respond.
The last 10 percent, Leach concluded, become hysterical, unable to cope with the situation at hand.” (Fitzpatrick) There are many responses to a survival situations, some traits are better than others. Throughout Laurence Gonzales’ selection, “Deep Survival,” and Lane Wallace’s article,
“Is Survival Selfish?” the most important traits for survival can be concluded as using one’s head and having a positive mental attitude.
Maintaining a positive …show more content…
The point Gonzales tries to get across is how the positivity of one person can spread to others and help everyone get through the difficult situation everyone is facing. “...the number one determining factor for survival is simply whether people hold it together in a crisis or fall apart” (Wallace 318). The excerpt shows how when someone holds it together with positivity they are more motivated to do whatever it takes to survive rather than breaking down and giving up on life. One method for staying alive during a life or death situation is to always keep a positive mental attitude.
Using your head during a situation in which death calls can halt death. “...You have only so much stored energy (and water), and every time you exert yourself, you’re using it up”
(Gonzales 331). Since resources are limited, this means have to think wisely about when to use these resources in order to ensure survival. “In Yates’ case, he had time to think hard about the odds, and the possibilities he was facing, and to realize that he couldn’t save anyone but himself” (Wallace 319). Thinking a situation through like Yates is a good idea because if one were to think the situation through they could find the best solution to the problem that helps them survive. To stay alive in a situation where someone may die they would need to use their head and think about the factors to find the best
Many people react to being in a life or death situation in a variety of different ways.
For example, “According to Leach, 10 percent of people facing an emergency control their fears and act rationally. Eighty percent find themselves stunned and relatively unprepared to respond.
The last 10 percent, Leach concluded, become hysterical, unable to cope with the situation at hand.” (Fitzpatrick) There are many responses to a survival situations, some traits are better than others. Throughout Laurence Gonzales’ selection, “Deep Survival,” and Lane Wallace’s article,
“Is Survival Selfish?” the most important traits for survival can be concluded as using one’s head and having a positive mental attitude.
Maintaining a positive …show more content…
The point Gonzales tries to get across is how the positivity of one person can spread to others and help everyone get through the difficult situation everyone is facing. “...the number one determining factor for survival is simply whether people hold it together in a crisis or fall apart” (Wallace 318). The excerpt shows how when someone holds it together with positivity they are more motivated to do whatever it takes to survive rather than breaking down and giving up on life. One method for staying alive during a life or death situation is to always keep a positive mental attitude.
Using your head during a situation in which death calls can halt death. “...You have only so much stored energy (and water), and every time you exert yourself, you’re using it up”
(Gonzales 331). Since resources are limited, this means have to think wisely about when to use these resources in order to ensure survival. “In Yates’ case, he had time to think hard about the odds, and the possibilities he was facing, and to realize that he couldn’t save anyone but himself” (Wallace 319). Thinking a situation through like Yates is a good idea because if one were to think the situation through they could find the best solution to the problem that helps them survive. To stay alive in a situation where someone may die they would need to use their head and think about the factors to find the best