Righteous or Sacrificial? | Report by Preesha E

The question posed by Ms. Anupriya Beck on Day 2 of our class discussions, is -

‘Which of the following should one prefer – to be righteous or be sacrificial?‘

Gladson responded that he would prefer to be sacrificial for the ones that he loves and cares about.

Cathlin stated that self-respect can be compromised at times. In one’s own personal circle, self-respect can take a backseat but when things go over the line, relationships take a toxic turn, it is better to distance from the other rather than hurting their own selves and the other because anybody who hurts others is hurting him/her own self.

Bhavya remembers the sacrificial love of her parents during her tough days and remarked that being sacrificial is the highest form of love.

Preethi highlighted the saying ‘where there is love, there is sacrifice’.

Abishek said that, Righteousness does not come into picture when he recalls the umpteen sacrifices of his parents. All the efforts taken and hardships endured by parents to fulfill their child's need is unfathomably huge.

Ganesh put forth his views on love by borrowing the thoughts of multifarious literary geniuses. “Compassion is the chief law of human existence”.  C. S Lewis, in his 'The Four Loves' asserts that ‘there is no safe investment in love’. “Love is a sacrament that should be taken daily” (Oscar Wilde)

In Kafka's Letters to Milena, he describes the woman as the knife that he would turn inside himself, ultimately suggesting that suffering is an inevitable part of loving. 

Only by the wounds caused by pain and suffering, do we know that we are truly loved. S. Ramakrishna indicates that ‘the magic of life lies in who loves whom’. In conclusion, being right does not matter in a relationship built on the foundations of love, opined Ganesh.

Angela looks at the dichotomy as a conflict between logic and emotions and makes note that every individual possesses the freedom of choice to choose what one wants to his/herself be. Personally, she chose to be sacrificial as far as her people-pleasing nature is concerned.

Pinky raised a secondary question.

“Is it important to be honest with our own self by confronting the person who hurts us or keep the information to ourselves and do nothing about it?”

To which Abhishek answered that it is better to deal with the issue which concerns oneself rather than to let it settle in his/her heart which finds ugly ways of expression at a later time. If one is hurt by his/her friend, it’s better to resolve it with him/ her to avoid cracks and friction in our relationships.

Gladson came up with the point that one can be sacrificial only with his/her close circle. Righteousness, as an attribute, surfaces at a larger level, for example, in a society or an institution.

Cathlin believes that confrontation is better with closed ones as one knows that just a 'sorry' would not suffice in the context of a rift and so extra efforts are taken to make sure they are retained in our lives. 

Gladson responded in the negative by saying that 'sorry' or any form of apology should or need not be expected from our close ones and that defines the level of understanding and affection that one has for the other.

Tejaswini preferred being righteous and narrated a story in which a mother failing to edify her son's mistakes led him to commit heinous crimes that eventually resulted in his death penalty. And so, in the act of raising children, parents should know that they are raising humans and impart virtues like righteousness in them.

Preethi put forth her point with a spiritual connotation. In this world of binaries, one tends to be both at different points in time. The very same God who delivered Israelites out of slavery in Egypt decided upon condemning them when they disobeyed his commandments.

She chose to be sacrificial as God himself rather than being righteous judge to the innumerable sins one commits very casually every other day, He chose to sacrifice his own self for our redemption.

Bhavya highlighted the effects of toxic parenting and how vast the role of parents is, in raising disciplined and virtuous human beings.

Sankey gave the final words that the place and person that one is with determine whether we would be sacrificial or righteous. For example, with friends we maintain a degree of righteousness for their good by correcting their mistakes, guiding them in the right path.

If Thomas Alva Edison's mother had read out to him the sad truth in the letter given by his teacher, the world would not have witnessed him as the genius of his times. In some cases, being sacrificial helps oneself and those around to reap benefits.

Teacher’s Note: Thank you dear Preesha for these lovely, precise and amazing inputs – preserved for posterity! And thank you dear II MA kids for your spontaneous, lively and vibrant interactions. It was yet another literary high for all of us in class today!