Darwinism: A theory of biological evolution developed by the English naturalist Charles Darwin, stating that all species of organisms arise and develop through the natural selection of small, inherited variations that increase the individual’s ability to compete, survive and reproduce.
In a number of his letters to the editor, Mr. Thomas Oatway has cited Darwinism as the reason conservatives will die out due to the manner in which they are dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. He stated that they would do so by reducing their chances of survival, but is that what Darwinism is all about? I think not. Darwinism doesn’t deal with short-term events like pandemics, it deals with long-term events like evolution.
In the broadest sense, zoologists view bacteria, viruses and other pathogenic parasites as being necessary to the continuance of stronger and healthier characteristics in the species they invade and attack. Take, for instance, a pack of big cats or hyenas stalking a herd of wildebeest. What are they looking for? What specific members are they targeting? Why? They are targeting the old and the “frail” mainly because they are an easier “kill,” and yet by doing so they are simultaneously, but quite unintentionally, strengthening the rest of the herd by removing its weakest members. Without getting personal, as this is merely a zoological observation, I would submit that Mr. Oatway falls into both of those categories, and as such presents himself as a prime target for a predatory species, and it would seem that he’s painfully aware of it. He has revealed as much in his own letters.
It thus amused me when I read Mr. Oatway’s first letters wherein he cited Darwinism as the cause of the extinction of “stubborn” conservatives as he himself was in a struggle with Darwinism in an attempt to spare and extend his own existence. At some level I actually found the notion humorous due to its outright absurdity. Mr. Oatway found himself in a world that was fast becoming hostile to his continued survival and his gut reaction was to blame someone else for it while nearly hoping for their own similar demise as punishment for their “selfishness” and apparent disregard for people like him. Now that’s selfish.
Arthur Saginian
Santa Clarita
