We all have aspirations that we try to accomplish, but there is likely a limit to how far we are willing to go. However, according to nature, there is one goal worth every risk and sacrifice: the passing of genes to the next generation.
There are many species that show what they’ll go through to guarantee their chances of having prosperous offspring. For example. Pacific salmon give all their might to go through a long and difficult journey upstream back to their birth place to spawn. The process is nowhere near glamorous or easy. The salmon will have to overcome many obstacles, including harsh currents, and predators like bears and eagles. If the salmon succeeds, it will have completed it’s purpose and wait for death to come.
Another example of how having offspring is above any other priority can be seen in the risk that male praying mantises make each mating season. Every time a male praying mantis decides to mate with another of the opposite sex, it gambles with the chances of the encounter resulting in its brutal termination. It is fairly common that female praying mantis will dismantle and eat their mates, often by biting off their heads, but that is a risk that each and every male praying mantis is willing to take to ensure a next generation with its genes exists.
Thus, the importance of having prosperous offspring can be seen in almost every species on the planet. You don’t have to look far to see that it is the one thing that is worth fighting for, and in extreme cases, even dying for.
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