Evolution of the concept "Strength"

Mankind has been evolving over the millennia. So are the ideas, concepts and perceptions. But one thing has remained constant. In fact, it has remained so unchanged that I think that may be a fundamental building block of the society. Something as important as a column or pillar in a structure. Which is "To achive your goals, you need Strength". I dont think anyone shall argue with me on this.
But the meaning of strength has undergone a gradual change. There was a time when strength meant brawn. Pure physical strength. Be it grabbing the woman you want or clinching the kingdom you covet. Physical strength ruled. I dont think an example is needed for this. This observation is still valid in the animal kingdom where the stronger male leads the pack and courts the females. A new male needs to prove his strength and beat the existing male to win the female. This has come into existense and acceptence before homosapiens ever evolved.

But in the civilized human world, the concept of strength gradually changed. By a strange quirk of nature, the species of homoerectus developed a larger brain and gave way to homosapiens. They used this organ and birthed great civilizations. As a result of better and comfortable lives, more complicated social structures, and innumerable other factors, physical strength got relegated to a lesser importance than in the animal kingdom.

As mankind began walking away from its parental world i.e. the animal kingdom, there was a need to review and redefine various concepts which were fast being rendered obsolete. And in course of that has the meaning of strength changed.
Though the word strength still means brawn, it no longer enjoys the status of being the exclusive meaning. The comparatively bigger brain made its own impact on the perceptions. Strength in todays world also means Intellect. This is something invisible at large in the animal kingdom. For humans, an intelligent person is to be equally feared as a strong one. A person need not be the most macho to be called successfull. Using his brain "the right way" can bring him succcess. There are many world leaders who never fought in a war. And many of them are am much feared as they are respected.

But the interesting question is this. How is the concept of strength going to change in future? From physical strenght, we have moved or leastways moving to pshychological strength. But is it the end of it? I think not. I can think of the next possible step. The concept of strength is going to tilt towards spiritual. The spiritually stronger person will become the hero and the person who can guide others spiritually shall be hailed as a seer.
Stopping the blog post here. Cant think of any words further...

As I was reading something he other day, I suddenly got a thought regarding performance appraisals and other such HR functions. Just like in software development where we maintain a QA group to ensure quality, why isn't there a QA group for HR functions?


How can the quality of HR functions be ensured? Not by "awareness", definitely. Awareness is necessary but by no means sufficient. A QA group is needed to review each and every HR function to assess and ensure quality.

And when we think of QA groups, there are a huge range of ways to ensure Quality. Either by an external QA group or the eXtreme Prorgamming way of two-minds-on-the-same-task. While the ways of ensuring Quality are as many as they are controversial, the undercurrent of ensuring quality is undeniable.