Predators and Cannibals in the Human Animal

When we use the words "cannibal" and "predator" we think of extremes, hunting, killing and consuming.

There are plenty of examples practically every day of human making prey of other humans. From the extremes of John Joubert, the Gemini killer and the "Grim Sleeper" to John Wayne Gacy and the highway snipers on the east coast.

Are these the only examples of predatory behavior and cannibalism we can see? What about the businesspeople who seem to take satisfaction in taking every bit of money and resources from others? The ones that hold out no mercy for those in bad situations. These are the people who will use every means, both legal and illegal to get what they want, be it land, money, power whatever it is they are after and they will stop at nothing along the way.

These are the people who want to build a new mall or business center and buy all the outstanding mortgages from banks in the area simply to foreclose with little warning on people who do not have the means to fight back. Isn't that predatory behavior?

Perhaps there is little blood, but many lives have been cast into misery and pain due to these predators. How do these people reply when confronted about their actions? "It's only business.", "It's survival of the fittest.", " It's a dog eat dog world out there." All comments and attitudes that pull into context predators and cannibalistic thinking. Whether literal or figurative.

So, do we really oppose predatory and cannibalistic behavior among ourselves or is it just double speak and hypocrisy in our society?

We seem to tolerate and even celebrate these behaviors, even referring to them as signs of success and progress. Until there is blood involved. Then the police come out because the predators have gone too far. They have stepped out of bounds when the blood is drawn and bodies are found.

Up until then though, is it really okay to be a predator among your own? To take others down, strip them of everything and consume their possessions and their pride.

Is the only line drawn in the dirt really a line of blood or are we capable of seeing the fin above the water coming at us regardless of whether it seeks our flesh or our spirit?