Very interesting viewpoint, especially that we value sacrifice more than the result. It reminded me of the concept of hard work. According to my values, I admire hard work more than the actual result of that hard work... which, now that I type it, it doesn't sound so wise. But somehow, just like with sacrifice, we seem to value the difficulties we pass in order to get somewhere. It's similar to the story arc in a work of fiction.
Yes, sacrifice and hard work are very linked. The effort tells us something very important about a person — but it’s easy to get caught up in the effort alone and lose sight of what it’s meant to achieve. I think this tendency is so interesting — I’m glad you did, too!
Sacrifice is at the heart of so many novels and films. Witness one of my favorite movies "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" and its iconic line: "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few ... or the one." There's been much written about Spock's logic in that scene.
I think part of the reason we value the amount of sacrifice more than the outcome of the actions is because the outcome is uncertain almost by necessity. When you make a sacrifice you never know whether the rewards for the that sacrifice will even be worth it. If I sacrifice my time to go volunteer time and effort to help a struggling student, there is no guarantee that the help I am offering will be effective and have a positive effect on the academics of the fellow student but I make the sacrifice despite this uncertainty. I think this is why we value sacrifice, it is a leap of faith at great cost with no guarantee of success. This is why we respect those who sacrifice. They gamble that which is valuable trying to attain a better world without being sure of a positive outcome. We as humans have therefore been programmed to respect such people so as to ensure that there is a reward for altruistic behavior outside of the stated goal.
P.S. Love the voice over. You have a very calm voice.
It’s true that the outcome is often obscure to us when we first decide to make a sacrifice, so in some cases, we might as well make the sacrifice. But I’m also curious about the cases where a sacrifice really isn’t necessary, yet people still respect those who “suffered through” more than those who took the perceived easier route (like the weight loss and pain relief cases in the essay). Here, the outcome is much less obscure, and it’s more a question of social perceptions and the moral value we place on self-abnegation and the sacrificial journey. I think teasing out these examples is so interesting, and I’m so glad you enjoyed the voiceover. Thank you for listening!
'We might not care about the outcome, but we care quite a bit about how much you’ve given up.'
It's interesting what factors we use to judge and value people; the greater someone's sacrifice, the more we find it somewhat heroic and admirable, thus we view that person more positively.
Really insightful article and thought-provoking points, Rose!
One meaning of sacrifice is “prioritizing what sacred.” I think society today is more interested in killing sacred cows rather than prioritizing them and it’s led to a lot of dysfunction, sadness and loss of meaning.
Sometimes the mind gets stuck on one thing, at the expense of all the others. I think this is one of those cases. Some reorganization of our priorities is often needed. Thanks for reading and sharing this neat insight 🤍
The 7 deadly sins are not personal failings they are society driven based on the struggle each person has to fit in their box.
Sacrifice only hurts when you give it up and probably should not.
If you have compassionate empathy you will be fine with sacrifice. Because you can mental model the value of that outcome. What is good for them is also good for you, in healthy relationships.
Honestly this article made me sad. I get the feeling very few have healthy relationships.
Very interesting viewpoint, especially that we value sacrifice more than the result. It reminded me of the concept of hard work. According to my values, I admire hard work more than the actual result of that hard work... which, now that I type it, it doesn't sound so wise. But somehow, just like with sacrifice, we seem to value the difficulties we pass in order to get somewhere. It's similar to the story arc in a work of fiction.
Yes, sacrifice and hard work are very linked. The effort tells us something very important about a person — but it’s easy to get caught up in the effort alone and lose sight of what it’s meant to achieve. I think this tendency is so interesting — I’m glad you did, too!
Sacrifice is at the heart of so many novels and films. Witness one of my favorite movies "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" and its iconic line: "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few ... or the one." There's been much written about Spock's logic in that scene.
Good quote — I should have included it!
I think part of the reason we value the amount of sacrifice more than the outcome of the actions is because the outcome is uncertain almost by necessity. When you make a sacrifice you never know whether the rewards for the that sacrifice will even be worth it. If I sacrifice my time to go volunteer time and effort to help a struggling student, there is no guarantee that the help I am offering will be effective and have a positive effect on the academics of the fellow student but I make the sacrifice despite this uncertainty. I think this is why we value sacrifice, it is a leap of faith at great cost with no guarantee of success. This is why we respect those who sacrifice. They gamble that which is valuable trying to attain a better world without being sure of a positive outcome. We as humans have therefore been programmed to respect such people so as to ensure that there is a reward for altruistic behavior outside of the stated goal.
P.S. Love the voice over. You have a very calm voice.
It’s true that the outcome is often obscure to us when we first decide to make a sacrifice, so in some cases, we might as well make the sacrifice. But I’m also curious about the cases where a sacrifice really isn’t necessary, yet people still respect those who “suffered through” more than those who took the perceived easier route (like the weight loss and pain relief cases in the essay). Here, the outcome is much less obscure, and it’s more a question of social perceptions and the moral value we place on self-abnegation and the sacrificial journey. I think teasing out these examples is so interesting, and I’m so glad you enjoyed the voiceover. Thank you for listening!
'We might not care about the outcome, but we care quite a bit about how much you’ve given up.'
It's interesting what factors we use to judge and value people; the greater someone's sacrifice, the more we find it somewhat heroic and admirable, thus we view that person more positively.
Really insightful article and thought-provoking points, Rose!
Thank you so much for the kind words, Raveen. I find this topic endlessly interesting, too. More to come!
One meaning of sacrifice is “prioritizing what sacred.” I think society today is more interested in killing sacred cows rather than prioritizing them and it’s led to a lot of dysfunction, sadness and loss of meaning.
Sometimes the mind gets stuck on one thing, at the expense of all the others. I think this is one of those cases. Some reorganization of our priorities is often needed. Thanks for reading and sharing this neat insight 🤍
Lovely piece. I like how it makes you expand your thinking.
Thank you for such kind words — that is my biggest goal for my writing.
You found some really meaningful sentences and phrases here. Very nice piece.
Thank you — I really appreciate the compliment 😊
The 7 deadly sins are not personal failings they are society driven based on the struggle each person has to fit in their box.
Sacrifice only hurts when you give it up and probably should not.
If you have compassionate empathy you will be fine with sacrifice. Because you can mental model the value of that outcome. What is good for them is also good for you, in healthy relationships.
Honestly this article made me sad. I get the feeling very few have healthy relationships.