Signum Damnationis

It is often said that a person's true nature only reveals itself when they're pushed into a corner, with nowhere to go and nothing left to lose. That when the chips are down, a desperate individual is no different from a wounded animal. Despite the "intelligence" that people pride themselves on—the supposed line that differentiates them from lowly beasts—in the end, we're all just base creatures with more cowardice than sense.

Based on what I've witnessed, I must concede that those who hold this belief have a valid point. The desperate actions I've seen people take when pushed to the edge often confirm this view of human nature, leaving me to wonder about the fragility of our so-called "civility."