The Art of Self-Preservation and How Little Talent it Requires

Friendships trounced.  Family ties undone.  Devastation wrought.  Merriam-Webster defines self-preservation as such: preservation of oneself from destruction or harm OR a natural or instinctive tendency to act so as to preserve one's own existence.  I was thinking about self-preservation and its implications in my life as well as the lives of every other person on this giant, blue orb today and had so many questions and thoughts.  It is true, we are all of us born straightaway with the instinct to "preserve...[our]...own existence", however, as Newton said, there will be an "equal and opposite reaction".  In most instances, somebody will most certainly get hurt, least of all the preservasionist him/herself.  Throughout history, there are numerous examples of self-preservationists that are infamous on the grandest scale.  What about all of us seemingly insignificant self-preservationists?  Are our actions, though not likely to be recalled in historicity, still proving to be selfish on the grandest scale to those reaping the consequences?  At an early age, we begin to learn the ways of self-preservation via lying, cheating, and stealing - just to name a couple of the top offenders.  These things will, as children, save us from getting punished by a parent, or perhaps manifest in ill-gotten gains.  The consequence upon discovery of our transgression would be, in most instances, equal to the crime and delivered solely to the incriminated.  As adults, the implications of committing any of those "crimes" against your friends or family, (whether inadvertently or not), in an effort to self-preserve, are substantially larger and infinitely more devastating.  How can any relationship survive in the face of said selfish and childish behavior?    And what would have been preserved?  Pride?  Dignity?  Good conscience?  Without prejudice, time and truth prevail, and all of those things are invariably stripped away, leaving you.  Alone.  If you are a proponent and lover of truth and seeker of wisdom, you will not distress.  I'm so overcome with conviction at these thoughts swimming in my small mind, so I put them out there to share.  If I've overwhelmed you, please check back another time for more light-hearted chatter on Disneyland or my babies.  Today, I weep.