>> You seem to be taking a highly individualistic view here
I don't believe in an afterlife. I also don't believe that the most effective way to accomplish something is to take yourself out if the equation. And I also don't place all my money on bets that I'll never know the results of. So remaining in the world is, among other things, the only rational way an individual can know whether their efforts bore any fruit.
>> which is not an appropriate framework
According to whom? From an individual's perspective, it's actually the only rational framework.
>> You do care about things outside yourself, don't you?
People or movements? I don't consider jumping on a grenade to protect your friends to be suicidal. I don't consider pushing someone you love out of the way of a train to be suicidal. But to set yourself on fire or blow yourself up to make a statement on behalf of an ideological group? Whose leaders are too cowardly to blow themselves up? Yeah, I have more respect for my own individuality, and more respect for life than that.
I don't believe in an afterlife. I also don't believe that the most effective way to accomplish something is to take yourself out if the equation. And I also don't place all my money on bets that I'll never know the results of. So remaining in the world is, among other things, the only rational way an individual can know whether their efforts bore any fruit.
>> which is not an appropriate framework
According to whom? From an individual's perspective, it's actually the only rational framework.
>> You do care about things outside yourself, don't you?
People or movements? I don't consider jumping on a grenade to protect your friends to be suicidal. I don't consider pushing someone you love out of the way of a train to be suicidal. But to set yourself on fire or blow yourself up to make a statement on behalf of an ideological group? Whose leaders are too cowardly to blow themselves up? Yeah, I have more respect for my own individuality, and more respect for life than that.