The strong die, the weak survives.

[RayleighScatter]

In a lot of web novels with strength-based hierarchies, you would be highly likely to come across this phrase/idiom:

“The weak die, the strong survive.”.

But would happen if the strong are the ones destined to die, whilst the weak live to fight another day?

 

[StarEis]

like a curse that kills the one that a stronger than a limit?

 

[Farok]

I can totally see a world where those who increase their power to a certain level get killed by a god (or a demon, or something else) to prevent them from going any higher, in this case, the weak would survive because they aren't a danger.

 

[Nahrenne]

like a curse that kills the one that a stronger than a limit?

I can totally see a world where those who increase their power to a certain level get killed by a god (or a demon, or something else) to prevent them from going any higher, in this case, the weak would survive because they aren't a danger.

You mean like the tribulations cultivators must survive through in order to advance to the next stage in cultivation?
'-'

X

 

[Vaxel00]

Nothing really, if every strong being dies and the weak live then the hierarchy changes.

There are strong among the weak and weak among the weak so there will just be new management, unless there's an unnatural way of culling the strong after a certain threshold.

Although it also depends, let's take the hell pig as an example, big and voracious, it was an apex predator; however, size is very costly to maintain, so it needed to kill and eat a lot, temperature didn't help either as the planet was warming up, its prey went extinct and its size became detrimental now. So it went extinct.

Now the closest beings that exist related to the hell pig are boars, hardly apex predators but very successful on their own.

 

[Chaos_Sinner777]

The strong ones catch the attention of even stronger things that kill them while the genuine weaklings slip under their radar? Or perhaps a system where the candle that burns twice as bright burns half as long? As in, a limited life force that gets burned through faster the higher level you are?

 

[atgongumerki]

In a lot of those hierarchies, the strong die and are replaced by other strong ones, while the weak are ignored.
So they are themselves examples for what you are searching for.

 

[mostlyharmfulll]

If the strong get killed off, then being weak would be the new strong. Or people would just make sure not to get too strong.

 

[Yurekli_Kedi]

In a lot of web novels with strength-based hierarchies, you would be highly likely to come across this phrase/idiom:

“The weak die, the strong survive.”.

But would happen if the strong are the ones destined to die, whilst the weak live to fight another day?

The race that is most adaptive is usually the one to survive the most. So I can totally see a novel with the premise of the weak protagonist living, while the strong characters die because they are too inflexible

 

[Discount_Blade]

Realistically? Would never happen. The definition of strength would just change and it would still be a certain group of people on top because of some sort of area they were stronger than others in. The only thing that would change is what would define someone's strength.

The weak will never be on top. The former weak might be the new strong when the parameters are suddenly changed, but there will always be a hierarchy of strength with the strongest in whatever necessary category on top and the weak on the bottom. Its nature. Even humanity is not above nature, especially our own.

Even if by some sheer chance things did or even could become a place where the weak were dominant, which is impossible by that very definition, but theoretically, even if possible, it wouldn't last long because human nature would kick back in and corrupt that shit. Humans can't accept accept the answer no to anything unless their is a significant amount of force backing up that "no". Sure, you could argue the average person would follow the letter of whatever law is being set up, but their will inevitably be people who recognize that glaring weakness and their "strength" will see to it that they capitalize upon it.

Thus the hierarchy of strong and weak is once again, placed back into its natural form. I don't believe the weak will ever reign, but hypothetically, if it happened somehow anyway, human nature wouldn't allow it to persist for long. We ourselves are what will prevent something like what you describe from ever happening.

 

[BenJepheneT]

Realistically? Would never happen. The definition of strength would just change and it would still be a certain group of people on top because of some sort of area they were stronger than others in. The only thing that would change is what would define someone's strength.

The weak will never be on top. The former weak might be the new strong when the parameters are suddenly changed, but there will always be a hierarchy of strength with the strongest in whatever necessary category on top and the weak on the bottom. Its nature. Even humanity is not above nature, especially our own.

Even if by some sheer chance things did or even could become a place where the weak were dominant, which is impossible by that very definition, but theoretically, even if possible, it wouldn't last long because human nature would kick back in and corrupt that shit. Humans can't accept accept the answer no to anything unless their is a significant amount of force backing up that "no". Sure, you could argue the average person would follow the letter of whatever law is being set up, but their will inevitably be people who recognize that glaring weakness and their "strength" will see to it that they capitalize upon it.

Thus the hierarchy of strong and weak is once again, placed back into its natural form. I don't believe the weak will ever reign, but hypothetically, if it happened somehow anyway, human nature wouldn't allow it to persist for long. We ourselves are what will prevent something like what you describe from ever happening.

TL;DR: Weak becomes the new strong and strong becomes the new weak.

Need an example, just look at current society. Back then it's the spear chuckers and muscular giants who can't rub two brain cells together rule society. Now's the big brained and aristocratic bureaucrats and accountants who can't run a marathon without sweating half a bucket.

 

[PandaSempai]

Isn't this exactly like No Game No Life? The strong being such as Gods perished while the weaker beings like the Imanity(Humanity) managed to survive even though they were one of those races who got caught in the crossfire of the war. After that, a one true god emerged and created a set of rules. (These rules basically crippled the stronger beings. They had to use their wits more in order to win and survive.)

The rules were absolute and everybody, even the Gods, have to follow it. Everything was decided by a game and the participants of the said game has to bet something of equal value. It was definitely a really great novel that I enjoyed reading.

Here are the 10 Pledges:

1) All murder, war, and robbery is forbidden in this world.

2) All conflict in this world will be resolved through games.

3) In games, each player will bet something that they agree is of equal value.

4) As long as it doesn't violate pledge three, anything may be bet, and any game may be played.

5) The challenged party has the right to decide the rules of the game.

6) Any bets made in accordance with the pledges must be upheld.

7) Conflicts between groups will be conducted by designated representatives with absolute authority.

8) Being caught cheating during a game is grounds for an instant loss.

9) In the name of god, the previous rules may never be changed.

10)Let's all have fun and play together!

Oh, and, by the way, the God of Games was the one who won the war and obtained the 'right' to become the One True God. After his ascension, he immediately set this 10 Pledges as a kind of rule that everyone should follow. All the conflicts are decided by games. There's also the fact that every races were given a single chess piece as the kind of thing that represents the fate of their whole race. That's why it is called as the Race Piece. If they were to bet that race piece and lose, the fate of their whole race will be under the mercy of the winner.

BTW, Imanity got the King piece. The most useless and most important piece.