417 How much should you sacrifice for another person?
Denying self does not mean risking human life to save the family dog, or deliberately undertaking fatal high-risk pregnancy because there is a chance the newborn might survive. More reasonably, denying self means giving up a night of sleep rendering essential healthcare to a child.
On an individual scale, answering the question requires personal evaluation based on principles and values. Each of us finds a unique balance of personal expectations and empathetic sensitivity. My example is that I used my parents’ resources to attend a top line university that enabled me to deliver a greater benefit to society than spending the same amount for funding a local soup kitchen. All my life I ask myself whether I am being a good investment. It is a sobering responsibility.
Other criteria apply on a social scale. Prohibition and tobacco advertising bans are examples of giving up individual pleasures to facilitate a benefit to the greater society. In the case of prohibition, the evils it brought on were evaluated to be greater than the health and financial benefit of decreased inebriation in the populace. In the case of tobacco glorification, the loss of questionable pleasure has been evaluated to be less important than the demonstrable public health results of the imposed restraints. A tobacco-free environment has been a long time coming, requiring long-range, thoughtful planning and implementation.
Discussion: Without throwing your life in turmoil, how much are you letting go of your preferences (sacrificing) so that your life blends more happily with your community?
15 July 2024
