What does “survival of the nicest” mean?

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In Stefan Klein’s book; Survival of the Nicest: How Altruism Made Us Human and Why It Pays to Get Along, Klein takes the well known phrase survival of the fittest and changes it to survival of the nicest.
 
 
He uses this phrase to show the altruistic and selfless nature of human beings and how selfless people can prosper in the long term.
 
 

Let’s take a look at the well known phrase survival of the fittest first. The scientist Herbert Spencer used this phrase to explain evolution and how only the fittest evolve and survive. When Spencer says fittest he is referring to the ability to reproduce and to continue the family line.
 
 

People often associated this term with fierce and brutal competition, fighting for limited resources to survive and reproduce. The Hunger Games may even come to mind for some people.
 

 
However, Klein believes that in order to survive and thrive, humans need one another.
 

 
We need to cooperate with one another, share resources with each other and be considerate to other people’s needs. In the book, Klein has an optimistic view of human beings and believes that if humans work together the world will be a better place.
 

 
Klein states that survival of the fittest is effective in the short term but survival of the nicest has better influence in the long term. He believes that the future belongs to people who are selfless, humanitarian and overall altruistic.
 
 

In conclusion, according to Klein the nicest will outlast the fittest and they will survive, persist and prosper together.

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