We have often heard the stories of cunning wolves in our childhood. A wolf is typically an animal from a family of dogs. The typical attribute of wolves is that they are low in capacity like dogs and unlike lions and tigers. Dogs realize their capacity and therefore live in human colonies and survive on whatever is offered to them (though it is a different thing that some dogs get better treatment than many human beings get from society). However, the wolves have high ambitions, which are often not commensurate with their capacities, and therefore, cunningness is their winning formula. That's why wolves are more dangerous than lions and tigers. If a tiger or lion is not hungry, it will not attack us. But the same is not true about the wolves. Because they are so low in capacity, they made cunningness their winning formula and may attack for no reason.
In a society that is full of cunning foxes, jackals, and wolves, the poor deers and rabbits too have to find ways and means to survive. The deer decide to stay in a herd so that the wolves do not dare to attack them. So many of us decide to stay in herds so that the cunning wolves do not attack us. However, staying in a herd has its own cost, especially for people who have a free-thinking. Herd mindset does not allow space for excellence. Suppose 3 people are walking in a park. Suppose they decide to walk together, they will be able to walk together at the speed of the slowest of them. Suppose 3 people decide to have discussions, the tone of the discussions will naturally be set at the level of awareness of the one who is least aware. Herds are not for excellence. Similarly, the people who try to get into the herd mentality get suffocated sooner or later, if they have a drive for excellence.
Rabbits dig burrows and try to shield themselves inside the burrows. Many people lay down their own burrows as a survival strategy. they keep their excuses ready to avoid the work so that no extra work is assigned to them. In the critical moments of the fight, they just disappear into their burrows. However, the life inside Burrows is full of darkness. Moreover, rabbits have to be quite attentive to know when a wolf is going to attack to that they can run inside their burrows. One moment of unawareness may cost life.
There is no option to leave the jungle. Probably the only option available to a person who does not want to hide inside the dark burrows and does not want to live life at a very low plane of existence in a herd is to increase his capacity like elephants and bears. That is what the Pandavas did when they were again and again being attacked by the Kauravas. They were cheated and sent to the forest and Pandavas used that opportunity for capacity building. Arjuna learned so many new weapons which he could use during the battle of Kurukshetra.
In a society that is full of cunning wolves, we will have to tell our kids to build capacity so that they are not forced to stay in herds like deer or stay inside the dark burrows like rabbits. They should have the courage to walk free. No doubt, they still will have the threat of being attacked by the tigers and lions. But they can give a good fight even to the tigers and lions if they have capacity. Capacity building has two elements. Arjuna acquired many mighty weapons by praying to different Gods. However, even after having all those powerful weapons and the most powerful bow called Gandiva, he could not fight the battle of Kurukshetra unless he got the second element "wisdom". Despite all the powers, he had a mental conflict because he did not have the capacity to see the larger purpose of life. It was when Krishna gave him the message of Geeta, that he realized the larger purpose of life all his conflicts were resolved and he could fight the battle of Kurukshetra. Whatever education and resources we provide to the kids, they will not be able to fly to their dream-world unless they have both the wings being "skill" and "wisdom". Once they have both the wings, the cunning wolves can't even touch them.
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