Once you have found what you are willing to die for, you have found your ultimate purpose. 

That’s a scary thought. Regardless of whether or not you believe in altruism, most economists and psychologists think that we operate on the premise that humans act in their self-interest. Most decisions in our life must benefit us in some way, either physically, or mentally. We pursue interests that give us pleasure. We volunteer at organizations that make us happy. We marry a partner that complements us. We acquire resources to provide a comfortable life for us and our family. 

Yet, what happens when we find something for which we’re willing to die? Does that bypass the traditional decision-making process? Is it illogical? 

This “thing” for which we’re willing to die could be a person, an object, a concept, or an idea. We could decide that justice is all-important, and that we’re willing to die in order to push it forward or defend it. We may decide that justice is more important than my individual life, and either want to die for justice, or simply push so hard for justice that if we die in the process, it’s justified.

I believe that this mindset could be considered a form of mental illness, because if we value justice, do we not value it because it protects the innocent and punishes the wicked? Do we not value it because it saves the lives of innocent people? If we decide to give up our life for a concept, isn’t the concept now a disease that causes death? It is a circle with no end, so we shall move to a concrete example. 

A mother with a child is willing to sacrifice her life for her baby. This is not limited to humans, but rather extends to many other creatures. It often seems to be a requirement for many offspring to survive. In fact, some mothers are genetically designed to die after they give birth, intentionally ending one’s life for another. In this view of survival, death is somewhat essential for continued life. 

But aside from mothers, if a person decides that he is willing to die for his country, what else matters? Should he not enroll in the army and fight in the fiercest of battles? Should he not become a kamikaze soldier and risk his life in order to protect his country? We saw this already in World War Two with the Japanese, of course,  and it disgusted Americans. President Truman felt compelled to utilize nuclear weapons in order to end needless deaths due to this sacrificial mindset of the Japanese soldiers. 

The willingness to die for a person or idea is extreme, and it certainly allows us to push through normal obstacles and barriers that were previously impassable. It allows us to endure suffering and overcome fear that normal fear of death would have prevented. It imbues us with an unerring sense of direction, allowing us to pursue this purpose like a tiger hunting its prey. 

There are some people who find this purpose, which overrides their desire for life. It may be a genetic instinct to preserve their offspring, tribe, or their race. It may be a form of mental illness that has been glorified. It may be something truly noble. But it exists, almost as an oddity that’s rarely mentioned, and it can lead to dramatic and extreme human behaviors towards the defense of abstract ideas like religion, god, or justice. 

I think the desire to die for abstract concepts may be unique to humans, as the ability to understand abstract concepts seems to be a prerequisite. But perhaps there will come a time when we can’t all survive. A time when we’ll need humans who are willing to sacrifice their life for something greater than themselves. And if that is a form of mental illness or a genetic design, it just might be what we need to save the human race one day.