Answer:
1. Because everything is contaminated with radiation and Richard needs to ensure that he has clean water to survive. Richard's act is justified seeing that the resources for survival are scarce and that each person has to fight to stay alive.
2. "Survival of the fittest" is a term that refers to the survivability of individuals most adapted to a particular environment. In this term, strength is not considered as an element that promotes survival, but versatility with reality presents itself as the best way to survive. In the current times we are living in, we can say that this term fits people who have maintained social isolation, used masks and washed their hands frequently.
Step-by-step explanation:
Brother in the Land is a dystopic novel that presents an inhospitable environment where Great Britain becomes radioactive polluted due to the results of a nuclear war.
With the environment full of radioactivity, the resources necessary for human survival such as food and water are scarce, since many are contaminated. For this reason, we can say that Richard's attitude is justifiable, although selfish. This is because in situations like this self-preservation and survival must be prioritized.