Chapter 15
Meeting the Castaway

When survival is at stake, we form partnerships with people we'd normally avoid. Ben Gunn—wild, eccentric, abandoned—becomes Jim's potential lifeline not because they're compatible, but because their desperate circumstances align their interests. This is the pattern of crisis bonding: extreme situations strip away social norms and force unlikely collaborations. The mechanism works through shared vulnerability. Ben has been isolated for three years, desperate for human connection and escape. Jim faces mortal danger from Silver's crew. Neither can survive alone, so they override their natural caution. Ben's madness becomes irrelevant; his knowledge becomes everything. Jim's youth becomes an asset; his ship connection becomes Ben's salvation. Crisis creates temporary equality—the marooned sailor and the cabin boy suddenly need each other equally. This pattern appears everywhere in modern life. In hospitals, you'll bond with the stranger in the waiting room facing the same terrifying diagnosis. At work, you'll team up with the colleague you barely tolerate when layoffs threaten both your jobs. During divorce proceedings, you'll find yourself confiding in your lawyer's secretary who's been through it herself. In financial crisis, neighbors who've never spoken will share resources and information. The more desperate the situation, the faster these alliances form. When you recognize this pattern, evaluate carefully but act quickly. Crisis alliances can save you, but they're built on temporary shared need, not lasting compatibility. Use them: accept help, share information, coordinate efforts. But don't mistake survival partnerships for permanent relationships. Once the crisis passes, natural differences often resurface. The key is maximizing the alliance's benefits while it serves both parties, then gracefully transitioning when circumstances change. When you can name the pattern, predict where it leads, and navigate it successfully—that's amplified intelligence.