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“Each for himself” is a medieval proverb from England meaning people try to save themselves without considering others. It has been used in situations of danger and hope of salvation, such as criminals trying to escape the police. The phrase has been used in various types of media and is also associated with extreme libertarianism in America.
The phrase “each for himself” is used when people try to save themselves without considering others. It is a fragment of a larger medieval proverb from England. Dating back to around the 16th century, the proverb, according to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), said it was “Every man for himself and the devil takes the last.”
This term has been used in situations where there is danger, but also hope of salvation. It comes with the idea that helping other people will lead to everyone, or at least the individual, also getting caught. The idea can be applied to criminals trying to escape the police, after, for example, a bank robbery. By invoking the idea, fleeing individuals hope that someone else will be captured and that they will survive. In this sense, it’s similar to the joke where a person doesn’t need to outrun a bear in the woods, he just needs to outrun his friends.
The origin of such an idea or phrase probably predates the 16th century proverb. The resolution of most ancient, medieval and modern battles resulted in one army fleeing and the other trying to bring them down. In turn, this is deeply related to the Greek hoplites and the Anglo-Saxon shield wall. During battle, as both shield walls push against each other, it’s a team or group effort, but that all changes when one side breaks down. “Each for himself” in this sense are the men on the run trying to save their lives as the victorious army runs over the losers.
Various types of media have used the proverb as a title, including a novel by Beryl Bainbridge. It is also the title of an album by Hoobastank. Jean-Luc Godard used the title for his 1980 film about love and it was the title of a 1924 short film. It was also the title of the fourth episode of the third season of “Lost”.
Media pundits on television and in newspapers have also used “every man for himself” as a term for extreme libertarianism in America. This includes the policies of politicians like Ron Paul of the Republican Party. Believers in minimalist government range from right-wing Republicans to anarchist-communists. Most disagree on how much influence a minimalist government should retain, but some believe it should be zero.
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