“Survival of the Fittest”
Survival of the fittest(適者生存）
The principle that animals and plants suited to the conditions they live in are more likely to stay alive and produce other animals and plants than those that are not suited.

適者生存
生存競争で環境に最も適したものだけが生き残って子孫を残しうること。スペンサーの造語で、ダーウィンが「種の起源」で自然選択（natural selection/自然淘汰)より的確な語であると。
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明後日は、英検の筆記テスト…皆さん頑張ってください。 英検のリーディングにたびたび登場する”Survival of the fittest”に関して興味深い学説をみつけました。

要約すると、Survival of the fittest（適者生存）は、自然淘汰と同じような意味で使われますが、本当に生きていくためには、”生存競争”ではなく、”協力する事である”(Survival of the kindest/cooperation/compassion)という考え方です。

“Science is showing that mindful participation in a compassionate human life positively affects our bodies’ molecular dynamics. Our very cells know whether we feel lonesome or connected to others. And a pivotal determinant of our health and happiness is our subjective perceptions of isolation or connection which amazingly translates into actual biochemistry in the body that flips on or suppresses the activity of particular genes! Our cells are listening and our genome responding to how we receive the world.

And how extraordinary it is that even a genome marked by history of adversity, can be healed. Our cells are always awake, fluid, permeable…And it turns out that what’s most transformative is having a real sense of meaningful connection to the rest of humanity. The qualities we practice and cultivate at InsightLA — mindfulness, generosity, caring — have the power to transform gene expressions and change the very cells of our being.

Current research on longevity shows survival of the fittest actually turns out to be survival of the kindest. The best gene therapy may be to live a mindful, heartful life — for everything blossoms in the light of tenderness and understanding. The cells in your body, your relationships, your garden, your children, your business, your work — all the things you care about on this earth, all respond to the same spirit of generous loving awareness.”

”One Percenters”について、私なりの意見をまとめてみました。

One Percenters
“米国で２０１１年に起きた、銀行や大企業の利権に抗議するOccupy Wall Streetの運動参加者が、”We are the 99 perecnt”と訴えたことが発端でこの表現が広がりました。現在、アメリカでは、トップ１％が全資産の約４０％を保有するといわれ、下の９０％の人たちが所有する資産全部より大きいのです。”　（”日本からは見えないアメリカの真実” PHP) と、いうことから、一般的に富裕層と訳されています。　特にアメリカでは、大会社のＣＥＯの給与は、最低１０億円を超え、一般従業員との格差が広まっています。　今、話題となっている日産のカルロス・ゴーン元会長も、“One Percenters” を代表する存在だと考えられます。　東京地検特捜部が徹底的に会社法違反（特別背任）に関わる調査を進めるなかで、ゴーン氏の取り扱いについて国内外から批判もありますが、ゴーン氏が潔く非を認め、横領した金額の全額を返済してほしいものです。特に、ゴーン氏の祖国フランスは、正義、平等のための抗議活動が盛んな国。この機会に、富の再配分についての是正が、グローバルに進む事を期待します。

The word, “One Percenters,” was often referred to during the time of the “Occupy
Wall Street” movement   when the protesters (“We are the 99%”)  claimed
that “Only 1% of the people (One Percenters) take 99 percent of the wealth of the country.”   The unfair distribution of the income created a huge gap between the rich and the poor in our ostensibly democratic society.   One Percenters include entrepreneurs, investors, lawyers, doctors, and CEOs who make at least US$ 10 million a year.  Mr Carlos Gohn, ex-president of Nissan, of course belongs to this category and is now alleged to have stolen a significant amount of money from the company claiming that Nissan’s compensation for CEOs is far below the global average.  A Japanese team of prosecutors are being criticized by the foreign media for badly treating Mr Gohn by confining him in prison for a long time to prevent him from destroying evidence once he is released. I hope that Mr. Gohn who came from France, a country known for protests and revolutions, for equality and fraternity, will admit his wrongdoing and return the amount he stole from the company. He once became a hero by turning ailing Nissan around, but became so greedy and arrogant and ignoring the hardship of employees who work hard only to make the ends meet.  I hope this occasion will serve as a springboard for people (“We are the 99%”) to pursue a more equal society.