Progress, as it is currently defined, is no more than an all-out eradication of everything that existed before. Statues are being brought down, history books are changing to fit the current narrative, concepts that have been fundamental in constructing the western world are being perverted and desecrated, and ancient religions are being ridiculized and made fun of, all in the name of progress. Progressives push for the destruction of whichever social structure they consider outdated and offensive, without discriminating whether said structure is fundamentally good or bad, deeming it unnecessary simply because it's old. Physical structures and spiritual practices that have served countless generations of men are being pushed aside. Their utility is not considered, nor the danger of replacing them with something unknown, dishonest and dangerous.
The constant and indiscriminated pursuit of progress has led us to a point where even objectively good virtues are being killed, sacrificed to the new gods of individualism, science, sex and money.
Secularism
Sacrifice is a virtue that is impossible to justify rationally, at least under the light of individualism. Who in their right mind would put himself in harm's way or do something that they didn't want to for the sake of someone else? Those that have been sold the lies of modernity believe this is unjustifiable. If your desires are the only thing that matter, then why would you ever do anything besides pursuing them at all costs?
Secularism is, not in a small part, to blame for the dissappearance of the virtue of sacrifice. Every honestly religious man understands the value of sacrifice: Jesus Christ made the ultimate selfless sacrifice, dying for the sins of humanity. Christians look at that and follow the example of their most important role model, understanding that sacrifice is something that a man must be prepared to do, even if it means giving your life for something greater.
If, however, you convince someone that the Holy Scriptures are nothing more than a fairy tale, you can sell them any virtue or vice that you want, because a Godless man will worship anything. Which is exactly what is happening.
In favour of mindless pleasure and easy entertainment, governments and authority figures separated religion from day-to-day life, and what we are living right now is a consequence of that. Having lost God's way, men look to other false deities for guidance, and none of those deities preaches sacrifice as a virtue to be sought.
As a result, men forgot the value of sacrifice. Of giving something up for the good of someone that you care about. Not many men are willing to subdue their own interests and desires for the good of other people, or simply to follow an established moral code. If individualism rules, egoism, arrogance, materialism and selfishness will rule as well.
Not all sacrifices are good
In a practical sense, and so as to avoid any misunderstanding, the call I'm making is not for you to become completely selfless and let everyone else's desires dictate your actions. That would make you no more than a pushover and a doormat. I am calling for you to remember that sacrifice plays a big part in a man's life. Sometimes you'll have to be willing to not get what you want, in favor of something greater or more important. Maybe you feel a certain way, but you know that letting your emotions dictate your actions will cause more harm than good. Maybe the thing you want is not worth putting someone that you care about in harm's way. A good man can discriminate and decide rationally when he should sacrifice his wants for the sake of an ideal.
Restoring the virtue of sacrifice
Modernity has many wonderful things. But none of those things matter if we do not stay true to the virtues and values that have made it possible for everything that is good to exist. A man must be willing to make sacrifices in order to truly live life as it was meant to be lived. Don't expect to have everything that you want, all the time. That is immature, selfish, and unrealistic. Instead, be ready and willing to let some things go, especially if they are not of too much importance.
You exist not merely as an individual, but as part of a family and a community. Your job is not merely to make your life better, but also the life of those around you. And sometimes, the way to make the life of those around you better is to make some concesions and accept that you can't always get what you want. My father worked his whole life to support my family. Had he been an individualistic man, he probably would have spent his money on entertainment and other meaningless things, and his time doing some other things that he enjoyed. But he didn't, and I love him and respect him greatly for always being willing to sacrifice some things that he perhaps wanted for the sake of our family.
There is great meaning in sacrifice, in being able to push aside your desires and interest for the wellbeing of someone that you love. Life isn't meant to be always enjoyable. Life is a complicated thing, and one of the reasons why God created us was so that we could make this journey easier for those around us.
Accept your calling! Sacrifice! Remember that meaning isn't found in idle pleasure but in pursuing higher things, such as a healthy family and community. And those would never exist if it wasn't for the people that sacrificed some of their selfish desires to create them.
The virtue of sacrifice will not be restored in full without the religious structures of old being restored as well. Men, you must return to God.
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