Being Selfish

What makes a martyr? Martyr, stemming from the Greek word for witness has long been a part of human history, tracing its origins through much of the history of the three principle Abrahamic religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Throughout much of history, a running definition of the concept of martyrdom and martyrology has been developed, often taking the shape of that of the dominant beliefs of an era and morphing to suit historical context. Martyrdom has been primarily a religious or philosophically driven concept as it has strong ties to the concept of suicide discussed so frequently in those types of circles. However, the rate of secularization in leading societal values has pushed the concept of martyrdom to be considered more broadly

is often used and abused to manipulate the people around the perpetrator. When talking about

Despite the fact that human beings are oftentimes reluctant to admit it, it is a fact of life that one of the most fundamental aspects of human nature is self-interest. Selfishness pervades everyday life, no matter what efforts are made to deny and rationalize its existence. In the novel As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner, the unique method handling the death of Addie that each character uses exemplifies the inherent selfishness apparent in human nature and outlines the various emotions that accompany the death of a loved one.

expectations on what a “happy life” should be but even after doing so, they are not truly happy.

When John Wilkes Booth assassinated President Lincoln at Ford’s Theater in Washington on April 14, 1865, people almost immediately deemed Lincoln a martyr. Although, no one even began to question whether Booth was one. A martyr is said to be a person who is killed for their beliefs, in the case of Booth, his hatred towards the president. Yet, with such a vague definition, martyr becomes very subjective. Aren’t those who are promised Paradise and eternal worship if they strap bombs to their chests considered martyrs too? Of course not! Not in the eyes of Americans at least. More often than not, martyrs are people who are willing to die for the cause in hopes that it will bring change. However,

This is important for us as human being to realize how our action can affect others. The person who wrote it

A martyr is someone who has laid their life down to hold on to their faith. Examples of martyrs are the twelve disciples, but I chose to research the mouthiest of the disciples, Peter. Peter was the odd disciple out in every story. Who tried to follow Jesus’ lead by walking on the water? Who refused the feet washing, then asked for a whole body washing? Who denied Jesus 3 times? The answer to all of these is Peter. I chose Peter because he has obviously been at fault before, but he knows that it is not about what he has done, but what God has done. I know that I am not perfect, but I want my life to be focused on God’s strength and not my weakness.

A martyr is a Changemaker who dies for protecting their beliefs or morals. Martyrs are remembered as people who stood up for what they believed in and were willing to die for their cause. Often times martyrs were murdered due to their hate towards faith, whereas a modern martyr is centered around where someone chooses to stand with or for. A modern martyr is a Changemaker who dies for their beliefs or morals, but fights for their cause because they are fighting in the image of God.

Aristotle does not give a name to this type of person, so we shall call him the moral martyr. Moral martyrs abandon worldly pleasures such as friendship, food, and entertainment for the apparent benefits of self-restraint. Therefore, they are deficient in their enjoyment of worldly pleasures and excessive in their use of self-restraint.

They sit and pity themselves because they are experiencing a few hardships or they feel as if they have no control over their lives. What these people don’t realize is that they don’t have to struggle or be unhappy, they can choose to focus on something greater. I believe that when a person focuses all their energy on a certain goal then the universe will align and give them greater opportunities.

The meaning of martyr is: One who chooses to suffer death rather than renounce religious principles.

What is a saint? A saint is a person of great holiness, who has performed miracles for God’s cause. What is a martyr? A martyr is someone who dies for what they believe in, just like Maximilian Kolbe.

"The origin of suffering is attachment to transient things and the ignorance thereof… The reasons for suffering are desire, passion, ardour, pursue of wealth, prestige, striving for fame and popularity" (The Big View).

by feelings of jealousy, insecurity and resentment. The person wants to possess or be possessed

Selfishness. A personality trait that only bad people have. Incorrect. Selfishness is part of the nature of every living human being. Despite what all humans may believe selfishness is a part of all of us and is the driving force behind everything we do. In order to survive humans must be selfish and think of their own needs above other peoples. We must be selfish to our surrounding environment by using the resources essential to humans that our environment bears. Strangely enough it is often considered an insult to be called selfish.