Morality and sacrifice

“ Sacrifice” is the resignation of a greater value for the interest of a lesser one or of a non value. Thus. selflessness gauges a man’s virtuousness by the grade to which he surrenders. renounces or bewray his values ( since aid to a alien or an enemy is regarded as more virtuous. less “ selfish. ” than aid to those one loves ) . The rational rule of behavior is the exact antonym: ever act in conformity with the hierarchy of your values. and ne’er give a greater value to a lesser one. “ Sacrifice” does non intend the rejection of the worthless. but of the cherished.

“ Sacrifice” does non intend the rejection of the immorality for the interest of the good. but of the good for the interest of the immorality. “ Sacrifice” is the resignation of that which you value in favour of that which you don’t. If you exchange a penny for a dollar. it is non a forfeit ; if you exchange a dollar for a penny. it is. If you achieve the calling you wanted. after old ages of battle. it is non a forfeit ; if you so abdicate it for the interest of a rival. it is. A forfeit is the resignation of a value.

Full forfeit is full resignation of all values. If you wish to accomplish full virtuousness. you must seek no gratitude in return for your forfeit. no congratulations. no love. no esteem. no self-esteem. non even the pride of being virtuous ; the faintest hint of any addition dilutes your virtuousness. If you pursue a class of action that does non defile your life by any joy. that brings you no value in affair. no value in spirit. no addition. no net income. no reward—if you achieve this province of entire nothing. you have achieved the ideal of moral flawlessness.

If you wish to salvage the last of your self-respect. make non name your best actions a “ sacrifice” : that term trade names you as immoral. If a female parent buys nutrient for her hungry kid instead than a chapeau for herself. it is non a forfeit: she values the kid higher than the chapeau ; but it is a forfeit to the sort of female parent whose higher value is the chapeau. who would prefer her kid to hunger and feeds him merely from a sense of responsibility.

If a adult male dies contending for his ain freedom. it is non a forfeit: he is non willing to populate as a slave ; but it is a forfeit to the sort of adult male who’s willing. If a adult male refuses to sell his strong beliefs. it is non a forfeit. unless he is the kind of adult male who has no strong beliefs. Sacrifice could be proper merely for those who have nil to sacrifice—no values. no criterions. no judgment—those whose desires are irrational caprices. blindly conceived and lightly surrendered.

For a adult male of moral stature. whose desires are born of rational values. forfeit is the resignation of the right to the incorrect. of the good to the immorality. The credo of forfeit is a morality for the immoral—a morality that declares its ain bankruptcy by squealing that it can’t impart to work forces any personal interest in virtuousnesss or values. and that their psyches are cloacas of corruption. which they must be taught to give. By its ain confession. it is impotent to learn work forces to be good and can merely subject them to changeless penalty.