Sacrifice itself can generate the value of its goal

Evidence

There is in fact a whole range of cases known to the untrained psychological observer in which sacrifice not only heightens the value of the goal, but even generates it by itself. What comes to expression in this process is the desire to prove one’s strength, to overcome difficulties, indeed often to oppose for the sheer joy of opposition. The detour required to attain certain things is often the occasion, often the cause as well, of perceiving them as values. In human relationships, most frequently and clearly in erotic relations, we notice how reserve, indifference, or rejection inflames the most passionate desire to prevail over these obstacles, and spurs us to efforts and sacrifices which, without these obstacles, would surely seem to us excessive. — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 242

Categorization

• XREF: Directly relevant to the reader’s ‘On Sacrifice’ article — this is Simmel’s account of how sacrifice generates value ex nihilo. — connects to: Two-person exchange is a subspecies of the individual’s internal sacrifice-and-gain. — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 226; Sacrifice is the inner condition of value, not merely an obstacle to it — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 231; Extreme acts of self-sacrifice can function as argument rather than abandonment of it — Jamal Awil, The Whispering Archive: The Complete…, 569 (+11 more)
• ADDENDUM: Supports ‘On Sacrifice: The Real Kind, with Corpses’ — Simmel gives a psychological mechanism for why costly sacrifice intensifies perceived value.

Related

• Sacrifice is the inner condition of value, not merely an obstacle to it (similarity 0.91)
• Two-person exchange is a subspecies of the individual’s internal sacrifice-and-gain. (similarity 0.87)
• Economic value arises only through sacrifice and exchange (similarity 0.83)
• Ethical merit requires the conquest of contrary impulses (similarity 0.82)
• Exchange creates value as genuinely as production does. (similarity 0.79)
• Exchange value is always judged relative to the moment’s circumstances (similarity 0.79)

Broader Connections

• Extreme acts of self-sacrifice can function as argument rather than abandonment of it #expands (0.70) — Jamal Awil, The Whispering Archive, 569
• Economic value arises only through sacrifice and exchange #expands (0.65) — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 245
• Giving something away can make it grow rather than diminish #corroborates (0.60) — , A Year of World Stories, 11790
• Economic value emerges through the distance exchange creates between self and object #expands (0.55) — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 250
• Consciousness must lose itself in the absolute to attain self-consciousness #exemplifies (0.55) — Frantz Fanon, Constance Farrington, Black skin, white masks, 508
• Ethical merit requires the conquest of contrary impulses #expands (0.50) — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 243