This feels like a bit of an obscure question to ask, so I will try to explain the context somewhat. What I’m calling “Christian martyrdom thought” (CMT for brevity) relates to what Jones Manoel calls the “fetish for defeat” in revolutionary struggle and Christian culture.
The glorifying of David vs. Goliath, even if David loses terribly (perhaps all the more glorious in CMT if he does lose). The glorifying of sacrifice more generally, even if the sacrifice yields less material gains for a cause than steady work that is more sustainable and fair.
Then there is learned helplessness, which is the idea of, through conditioning, reaching a point where you essentially cease trying to change your circumstances because you believe that no matter what you do, it won’t work and will be painful (or that is my rough understanding of it anyway).
So the question is, do these intersect and in what ways? Or are they completely separate?
Mmm, I’m not well versed enough on Christian theology or the social influence of Christianity as opposed to other world religions.
However I would say that if we are supposing Christian teachings are at play here, it would more likely be the Christian “reward for adversity and prayer” doctrine [I’m not sure what the proper name for this is].
I’m stealing this from a liberal show [the west wing] but I think it encapsulates the point we’ll enough. “A man lives in an area plagued by storm. The man prays every day for safety. First, he hears on the radio that there is a storm coming and that he needs to evacuate, but he stays put and prays for God to protect him. Then, a fireman comes and tells him he needs to evacuate, but the man doesn’t and says God will protect him. Then, as the storm approaches, a helicopter arrives and the man is once again implored to evacuate, and once again he says no because God will protect him. The storm comes and the man drowns. When he arrives in heaven he asks God ‘Why didn’t you save me?’ And god replies ‘I tried, I sent a radio broadcast, a fireman, and a helicopter.’”
I think it’s more that kind of thinking that you’re looking for rather than martyrdom
Maybe so, “martyrdom thought” is tbf a tentative way of putting it to get at the kind of thing Jones Manoel was talking about, but a bit more broadly. I just know some have pointed out (I think accurately) a tendency of learned helplessness in the west and I’m wondering if it has overlap with the Christian culture in some way.
The idea of praying and hoping for better is an interesting point. It seems to me that it plays into the idea of saviors and being saved, and it makes me think of those people who predict the rapture and stuff like that. Like divine intervention is going to step in and put an end to things in one way or another. And Christianity certainly has its narratives of savior and sacrifice, with the story of Jesus “sacrificing himself for our sins so that we can go to heaven.” Notably, Jesus does not end those who are trying to oppress him and others, but instead dies horribly. This is glorified as the ultimate sacrifice because [religious belief reasons relating to Christianity that are not super important here]. Anyway, point is, that narrative does promote the next world over this one and associates sacrifice with divinity.
But then, is the prayer outlook the same as learned helplessness if there is as genuine belief that praying will make a difference? I’m not sure.
Maybe the connection I’m looking for is less to do with learned helplessness and more to do with a rejection of the importance of this world over the next one. Thanks for your thoughts on it either way. That’s why I wanted to ask. Hoping to form a clearer picture of this. I think Manoel’s essay is really the tip of the iceberg urging to understand how Christian culture influences things in the west and the subject needs a lot more attention.