This expression is normally used to decribe an intense love for someone. A common way to say this is "I love you so much I would die for you." But is that really an expression of your love? Is it good to die for someone? Dying for a country isn't too bad. But a country cannot cry for you. A country cannot love you back. I would admit that dying for someone is a show of loyalty but is it the ultimate expression? I believe there is one better.
If I were to say to someone, 'I would die for you," I'm not sure if that person should be too impressed. I am on record in my book that I do not fear death. In fact, I consider myself on borrowed time already so is it really much to say "I would die for you"? There are many people I can say that about, which makes me believe it's not that strong of a connection.
People also look at dying for somoene as the ultimate act of selflessness. I would argue it's very selfish but I'll give my replacement before getting back to this.
This theory came to me this year when I was with one of my closest friends. She was voluntarily putting herself in a potentially dangerous situation. I followed her knowing that it wasn't too much safer for me either. The moment the journey started I got this rush of feeling come over me that I have never experienced before. For lack of a better description, it was a murderous rage. I followed her with the intent to kill someone. Since I had a knife on me at the time, I kept one hand on the knife ready to draw it and strike at the slightest indication of someone trying to hurt her. As she approached people, I did nothing but stared at them. Despite speaking with her, they all made eye contact with me before pursuing the conversation. I'm glad nobody tried anything because I would have overreacted. When we got back to safety, it hit me what had happened....I was ready to kill for her.
The reason people don't do things is because they fear the consequences. When you're dead, there's no repercussions, you're just dead. No more suffering, no fall out that you have to atone for. Perhaps judgment day is something but hey you just sacrificed your life for someone, must religions look kindly on that in the afterlife so you're good there. This is especially true for people like me who really wouldn't mind if I died. The people you leave behind, however, that's a whole different story. It is quite possible that the person you died for would feel guilty that you did that. That guilt would eat him or her up, especially if you didn't do it because it was your job (Secret service furthering my point that it doesn't mean you love someone if you would die for them). If someone died for me, I'd be extremely upset and most likely would have what psychologists call "Survivor guilt." That term normally is for people who cause the fatal incident but I will generalize it to when someone dies for you. I would admit it's a very noble way to die. Dying for someone close to you is a pretty good way to go out. If I had to choose how I would go out, that may be it. But this is my point, the value serves the deceased, not the protectee. Yes, they get to live and they'll probably be appreciative of that but they live with the guilt that you had to die for them to live. That's not nice.
Killing for someone, you are around for the repercussions. Take my incident, I'm convinced that given how easily I felt I'd be able to be set off, I would not be able to argue defending a friend or self-defense, which legally would allow me to kill. I could very likely end up in jail. Or, the person I killed may have people who want revenge so come and kill me. I would constantly have to live my life thinking that maybe someone that would kill for that person would come and kill me. Thus, even if I wasn't in jail, I wouldn't really be safe. I don't think I'd do well in jail, it's a messed up place. I've talked to inmates and they say, "You can get by in jail, just don't let anyone fuck with you,but don't fuck with anybody and stay out of people's way." How exactly do you balance that out? That's a different topic though.
Since my act of loyalty, killing for someone, doesn't end there because I have to deal with the fall out; and I wouldn't have to if I died for someone, I think killing for someone is a much better way to show your loyalty. This is even true for country as well. Afterall, General Patton said, "The point of war isn't to die for your country, it's to make the other son of a bitch die for his."
No comments:
Post a Comment