We hear a lot about sacrifice these days. Everyone is making a sacrifice. Seems to me, sacrifice is trending, as they say these days about the popular thing. Well that and empathy. We are all empathizing these days as well. What I question in all of this is, when do we abandon sacrifice in favor of self preservation? Is there a proper time for that?
It does seem like a contradiction. The right and noble action is to make a sacrifice. Things is, sacrifices are made for gain. At the least the hope is for a gain of some sort. Whether that is something for yourself, or for another isn't the point, the reason for that sacrifice is an expectation of return. Additionally that sacrifice is supposed to be costing you something. A sacrifice is the surrender of one thing in exchange for another. How much should we sacrifice? What is the limit? I would say the limit is when the expected gain will not exceed the sacrifice offered. In other words, when the worth doesn't exceed the price paid. It is at that point self preservation kicks in.
I find myself thinking about this quite often. My conscience nags at me. We often think of conscience as a bad thing, but that isn't true at all. Let your conscience be your guide is an old axiom. It is one I don't hear used often these days. The establishment of your own self worth is paramount to this equation. I say that because when we make that sacrifice, on a personal level, we are offering a piece of ourselves. It is in that, that my conscience speaks. The difficulty lies in discerning the truth. When it comes to my own self worth I admit to being a bit biased. I call it self confidence, others may use different terms for that. But whatever the case may be, the value is what is being measured. Self worth and self preservation are equal partners. At least I believe that they should be. The trouble lies in measuring the worth of the expected return. That return is often tragically measured in disappointment. Our conscience determines worth. The question is what determines our conscience? Just how is that established?
Our conscience is formed by the society in which we were raised. That is my thinking on the matter. It begins with what we are told and expands as we learn for ourselves. We subconsciously accept and reject matters of conscience. It is something I find myself examining, this consciousness. Conscience can be overruled by emotion, often with very bad results. I know that but emotion plays an important role in sacrifice and self preservation. So when do we reign in emotion? Attachments can be very powerful things, especially old attachments. Attachments can become so strong they become an obligation. Just how far does that obligation extend? Is that solely a matter of conscience? A familiar phrase to describe that is, the ties that bind. That tie would be a shared conscience. If the one that you are making the sacrifice for does not share the same conscience as yourself, the sacrifice will never provide the expected return. It is at this point self preservation is an acceptable choice.
All of this is quite vague and that was my intent. I have no desire to hurt anyone's feelings. But what I am examining here is justification for my actions. Do I need to justify them? Yes, I believe I do, if only to satisfy myself. I do believe there comes a time when you have to quit making sacrifices in hopes for a return that is not forthcoming. I believe that is true even when the person may be incapable of that return. It is a matter of belief. Would you sacrifice to a God that you didn't believe in? I can see no reason to offer further sacrifice to someone that can not provide a return. Of course, this all may be a reaction to emotion, something to be considered. For now it's self preservation and I'm entitled to that much.
It does seem like a contradiction. The right and noble action is to make a sacrifice. Things is, sacrifices are made for gain. At the least the hope is for a gain of some sort. Whether that is something for yourself, or for another isn't the point, the reason for that sacrifice is an expectation of return. Additionally that sacrifice is supposed to be costing you something. A sacrifice is the surrender of one thing in exchange for another. How much should we sacrifice? What is the limit? I would say the limit is when the expected gain will not exceed the sacrifice offered. In other words, when the worth doesn't exceed the price paid. It is at that point self preservation kicks in.
I find myself thinking about this quite often. My conscience nags at me. We often think of conscience as a bad thing, but that isn't true at all. Let your conscience be your guide is an old axiom. It is one I don't hear used often these days. The establishment of your own self worth is paramount to this equation. I say that because when we make that sacrifice, on a personal level, we are offering a piece of ourselves. It is in that, that my conscience speaks. The difficulty lies in discerning the truth. When it comes to my own self worth I admit to being a bit biased. I call it self confidence, others may use different terms for that. But whatever the case may be, the value is what is being measured. Self worth and self preservation are equal partners. At least I believe that they should be. The trouble lies in measuring the worth of the expected return. That return is often tragically measured in disappointment. Our conscience determines worth. The question is what determines our conscience? Just how is that established?
Our conscience is formed by the society in which we were raised. That is my thinking on the matter. It begins with what we are told and expands as we learn for ourselves. We subconsciously accept and reject matters of conscience. It is something I find myself examining, this consciousness. Conscience can be overruled by emotion, often with very bad results. I know that but emotion plays an important role in sacrifice and self preservation. So when do we reign in emotion? Attachments can be very powerful things, especially old attachments. Attachments can become so strong they become an obligation. Just how far does that obligation extend? Is that solely a matter of conscience? A familiar phrase to describe that is, the ties that bind. That tie would be a shared conscience. If the one that you are making the sacrifice for does not share the same conscience as yourself, the sacrifice will never provide the expected return. It is at this point self preservation is an acceptable choice.
All of this is quite vague and that was my intent. I have no desire to hurt anyone's feelings. But what I am examining here is justification for my actions. Do I need to justify them? Yes, I believe I do, if only to satisfy myself. I do believe there comes a time when you have to quit making sacrifices in hopes for a return that is not forthcoming. I believe that is true even when the person may be incapable of that return. It is a matter of belief. Would you sacrifice to a God that you didn't believe in? I can see no reason to offer further sacrifice to someone that can not provide a return. Of course, this all may be a reaction to emotion, something to be considered. For now it's self preservation and I'm entitled to that much.
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