Give Ground Grudgingly

Biological Parallel

Territorial animals like wolves defend boundaries through graded escalation: scent marking, then howling, then displays, then combat—only if necessary. Giving ground too easily signals weakness and invites invasion; fighting every intrusion wastes energy. The optimal strategy is costly resistance that makes territory expensive to contest, while preserving resources for fights that matter. Biology solves this with ritualized aggression: maximum deterrence, minimal expenditure.