Sociology: Why is self sacrifice an example of a deviant behavior?

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Self-sacrifice in war is often viewed as deviant behavior by some, primarily because it contradicts the instinct of self-preservation. This perspective is influenced by societal norms, which dictate what is considered acceptable behavior. While many people may see self-sacrifice as noble, others perceive it as aberrant, especially if they lack understanding of the biological and evolutionary motivations behind such actions. The discussion highlights that behaviors deemed deviant can vary significantly across different cultures and contexts, and that judgments about these behaviors are often based on personal beliefs rather than objective analysis. Additionally, the complexity of human motivations, which intertwine biological imperatives with social norms, complicates the categorization of self-sacrifice as deviant. Ultimately, the classification of such actions depends on societal perceptions and the context in which they occur.
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Why does self sacrifice on war is an example of a deviant behavior. It's not an absolutely fact but a lot of people hold this view but i'm not and i don't have An opportunity to talk to them.

I have heard that it's so because of recognition this as deviant behavior by non military people (idk how to say it). That's because This behavior Is not comply with the law of self preservation And like yeah it is but at the same time it complied with many other biology laws Such as if you killed my brother i'll kill you and your family But if you want to kill my brother now i'll kill you even if i'll feel pain even if i will be dead with you.

You know If zebra or someone else See that There are a predator In front of a sister which can be pregnant in the future a brother will Die for her if she will be okay. But it's only my opinion i'm not a biologist.

So If a large percentage of People don't know this can we say that they are True and it's a deviant behavior? And no it's not about if you don't know principles of constitution you don't have to follow them.But Because aberrant behavior Determined relative to norms and how can norms can be Based on things that people don't know. Or i think in completely wrong. help

(english is not my native language, sorry about mistakes and i also dont know how to say it in different form)
 
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yo yo said:
...a lot of people hold this view but i'm not and i don't have An opportunity to talk to them.
How do you know a lot of people hold this view?
The only way to now why they hold this view is to ask them. Have you asked them why they think this way?
Otherwise, you are simply in an echo chamber.

It is futile to put words into the mouths of murky, nameless, hypothetical "people out there" and then try to dismantle and argument that you created yourself. This is called a "strawman".
 
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DaveC426913 said:
How do you know a lot of people hold this view?
The only way to now why they hold this view is to ask them. Have you asked them why they think this way?
Otherwise, you are simply in an echo chamber.
my friends think so, but they dont want to discuss so I'm asking for an opinion on this position here
 
yo yo said:
my friends think so, but they dont want to discuss so I'm asking for an opinion on this position here
That would require us pretending we know why your friends think the way they do.

What if we decide they are simply insane? Would following that assumption result in a valid explanation for you?

Do you see the problem? We need to hear the rationale from the horse's mouth, as it were.
 
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DaveC426913 said:
That would require us pretending we know why your friends think the way they do.

What if we decide they are simply insane? Would following that assumption result in a valid explanation for you?

Do you see the problem? We need to hear the rationale from the horse's mouth, as it were.
oh right, thanks
 
yo yo said:
Why does self sacrifice on war is an example of a deviant behavior. It's not an absolutely fact but a lot of people hold this view but i'm not and i don't have An opportunity to talk to them.
A lot of people may hold this view, but a lot of people also hold the opposite view, that self-sacrifice in war is a noble thing and worth doing if necessary. The exact proportion of people on each side is going to vary significantly by region and through time as people and their world change.

yo yo said:
You know If zebra or someone else See that There are a predator In front of a sister which can be pregnant in the future a brother will Die for her if she will be okay. But it's only my opinion i'm not a biologist.
The reasons why people do or believe something is incredibly complex and not something that a biologist would really ever comment on. It would be like explaining why someone goes to work every day using chemistry. It's just not the right profession to use, even if it might ultimately be correct (since our bodies run on chemical reactions).
yo yo said:
So If a large percentage of People don't know this can we say that they are True and it's a deviant behavior?
If it falls outside of accepted social norms then generally it can regarded as 'deviant behavior' by that society.
 
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Drat. My post via phone did not take.

I presented an example in wartime of a soldier throwing himself on a grenade.
Consider the outcomes:
He throws himself on the grenade and eleven of his company of twelve survive.
He dives for cover insteadm, saving himself but eleven are killed or wounded.

Would you describe this as deviant behaviour?
 
Drakkith said:
If it falls outside of accepted social norms then generally it can regarded as 'deviant behavior' by that society.
Sure, but self-sacrifice has a high correlation with situations that are outside social norms, so the extenuating circumstances must needs be considered.
 
yo yo said:
Why does self sacrifice on war is an example of a deviant behavior.
This is a science forum. You are asking about philosophy. You would be better off finding a philosophy forum.
 
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According to sociobiology, self sacrifice can be optimal gene-preserving behavior. It seems quite scientific to me. If your friends think differently, so they do.
 
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For example, your siblings share half your genes. Suppose you have three siblings. You have a choice : die and they live, or live and they die. If they live and you die then 3*1/2=150% of your genes survive. If you live and they die then only 100% of your genes survive.

[If everyone somehow gets out of this dilemma unscathed then 250% of your genes survive.]
 
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  • #12
yo yo said:
Why does self sacrifice on war is an example of a deviant behavior
In general, individual coping strategies somebody can consider and apply does vary depending on the individual (and the situation). Outside the situation it is easy to judge an extreme solution as 'deviant'.

Another solution for the same problem is to grab somebody and keep him between you and the grenade.
While I see this solution even more 'deviant', I'm in no position to judge this.

Honestly, what I feel about this is that the situation itself is what is 'deviant' and I don't know which solution would I choose (well, likely a third one).

In short, my answer: because people are fast to judge and often consider themselves the very essence of 'normal'.
 
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