Sacrificial Animals

The Zodiac of One
Jul 23, 2017 · 2 min read

A psychological phenomenon

You are classified in one of two ways.

You’re blessed with a high self esteem which allows you to live your life based on objective facts, bringing you to a closer relationship with reality. You stay true to who you are and don’t let others come in the way of your healthy connection with your mind. You are psychologically matured because you focus on principles over emotion, rather than being overwhelmed by the moment and loosing sight of the broader picture. You have true ambition that guides your actions and allows your mind to be at peace. You are not under constant stress nor are you persistently agonized.

OR

You are cursed with a low self esteem which prevents you from seeking true happiness. Canadian psychologist, Nathaniel Branden, calls such people “social meta-physicians”. Social meta-physicians are classified as the polar opposites of people who are consummated with self-satisfaction. Their entire philosophy of life is guided by others and they lack self-awareness. Let me put it this way. Imagine you are an animal who has knowledge that the sole purpose of their existence is to be utilized as a sacrifice. You live your whole life with low confidence because you know your fate doesn’t rest in your hands. You succumb to your chosen destiny and fall into depression. People who let others guide their actions for them don’t differ in their life’s purpose from these animals. They are sacrificing themselves for the acceptance of others. Their minds are degrading from the despondency others have pushed onto them. They are so haunted by rejection and failure that they spurn their own goals to welcome what others have planned for them.

But here’s the difference: you are not an animal. You possess the ability to change your fate. You are gifted with a mind suitable to mold yourself into who you want to be, rather than who others want you to be. The hardest part of changing your mindset is accepting that this is who you are and trying to formulate ways to reassert yourself, assess your values, and boost your morale. Acceptance doesn’t come easily. Most people who fall under the category of social meta-physicians find excuses to their way of life by convincing themselves that they are being practical, as if self-sacrifice is rational.

Push yourself to take the risk to become a better you and further yourself from outer influences. Because if you don’t, what makes your fate different from that of a sacrificial animal?

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