Hi tyc!
Its not that 'life' is a pyramid, but CAPITALISM is. The parental policy is share share share until about 18 years old, and then it reverses to fight fight fight when the kids are forced into the competer's church called capitalism (forced to get a job)... and that's done with OR STARVE, OR DIE, OR ELSE felony extortion. Nations/societies who are bought-into rat-racing get-a-leg-up pyramid schemes such as capitalism... do not offer their 18 yr olds a cooperators church.
And if any reader believes that the cooperation seen in everyone rat-racing and doing nation-unto-self capitalism... is ANYWHAT similar to the cooperation seen in all-on-the-same-team communes such as that seen in the US military members, they are sadly mistaken. Actually, the only cooperation seen in capitalism... is a cooperation with the programming that insists that everyone should join capitalism... and a SINGLE kind of currency in THAT, as well. Offering multiple kinds of survival coupons (money) is a competition that capitalism just does not allow... and if you join capitalism, be it forced-in or volunteer joiner, you WILL cooperate with that 'one kind of coupon from one org' policy... and do something called cope'n'deal. Pretty sad.
Truth is, you find a pertinent kind of cooperating in capitalism. Even 'teams' bill each other cross-department these days... so its dog-eat-dog even within capitalism's so-called team, and pyramid climbing get-a-leg-up is rampant within capitalism's teams (mini pyramids called businesses who try to wipe out competing businesses). Capitalism is CYA (cover your axles) all the way. Even the love sometimes seen for clients... its just sales schmooze, of course.
Its all caused by using economies... (money, owership, price tags) which is a rat-racing/tug-o-warring device... not used by ANY other living creatures on the entire planet. Its a man-made-up thing... and a society killer. Racing doesn't work... and neither does get-a-leg-up pyramiding, as was/is blatantly seen by the sure-to-collapse ones tried (and failed-at) in the playgrounds as kids. Capitalism's pyramid is sure to collapse as well... too much weight of the world on the bottom layers, and to much lack of taking notice by the heads-in-the-clouds upper layers. Take care, and good luck in pyramid land.... not life... man made.