Man's basic instinct

What essentially is man's most basic instinct? Though that question lies there, bland in form and seemingly dead and cliched in it's presence, I am burning in pain and anguish in it's intensity. What IS man's most basic instinct?

I think that question could partly be answered by what is the most you can give for it? That being the absolutely last bit that you shall relinquish. And hence, what is the most valuable 'thing'(for clutching-the-throat-want of a better word) that you do possess? For a long time, I unthinkingly thought 'life'! I would disagree now. Death ends your consciousness, your ability to perceive and hence to ascertain your loss. One does flinch and run from it at every possible ins..

Oh wait. I think I am taking the wrong route here. Let me just dispense with trying to keep to generalities and switch to an "I" mode. I can conquer that primal instinct to survive. Like most people who willingly face death, in garbs of martyrdom, trying to save a loved one, or even a deglamourised suicide. Perhaps I could do that. Because I cannot quite understand the value of life. Living minus my life could tell methat but I couldn't do that.Hence, I do not quite appreciate that.

Loyalty? But that dies the minute I read a flicker of disinterest in the eyes of the person. In that aspect, I start as a loyalist to every...

(publishing old drafts)