People constantly fight, they’ll rarely call it like that though.

Instead of fighting, it receives a variety of names, like being invested or engaged in a cause, resisting or challenging a change, wanting something from others or disciplining themselves, etc.

Fighting simply is one of the words used to describe the way people deal with the difference between what is and what they expect, want, fear or hope for. These fights can be internal, that is within us, or external, that is with others.

The dynamic of such a fight is ruled by our ability to decide what the fight is for or our inability to do so and thus finding ourselves fighting against something. It may help to note, that the dynamic is independent of how the action comes about. Take for example aggression which can just as well be for as against something. An animal that feels trapped will attack to survive. Others will be aggressive to fend off the enemy and protect the herd.

When the dynamic happens to be against something, it is the force of despair, anxiety, and the will to survive that guides the actions. This also means that it doesn’t matter how destructive the actions are. Technically one could say, that surviving is for something, however, what is missing is what can come out of surviving.

When the dynamic is based on being for something instead, the power of purpose, curiosity, and creativity will serve the actions.

Between both, there is passivity and the struggle to figure out if it is for or against that can be chosen. It’s an internal struggle that is needed as it establishes a space within which trust and commitment to one’s own or someone else’s cause can mature.

It’s easier to be against as there already is something or someone representing what one is against or doesn’t want to lose.

It requires more work to define what it is one is for, as that still has to be reached and thus built.

This might explain why “for” is more powerful but less frequent.