Betrayal - an exploration

Be·tray·al n.

-A form of deception or dismissal of prior presumptions, the breaking or violation of a presumptive social contract (trust, or confidence) that produces moral and psychological conflict within a relationship amongs individuals, between organizations or between individuals and organizations.

In Dante's "Inferno", He writes that the deepest circle of hell is reserved for those who betray. In essence putting it at the top of the ladder of sin.

To quote an author whos written quite abit on the subject, Rodger L. Jackson.

"Betrayal is both a "people" problem and a philosopher's problem. Philosophers should be able to clarify the concept of betrayal, compare and contrast it with other moral concepts, and critically assess betrayal situations. At the practical level people should be able to make honest sense of betrayal and also to temper its consequences: to handle it, not be assaulted by it."

So what are your thoughts on betrayal?

Have you ever had someone close to you violate your trust? A friend who turned on you? A lover who cheated on you and broke your heart?S

Someone whom you trusted with a secret let it out?

What is it about betrayal that hurts us so much?

Can you forgive betrayal?

Have you ever betrayed someone?

What makes us betray?

No matter the type of relationship, without trust it can' t flourish. Unfortunately, people don' t always cherish trust the way they should. Trust is a gift. It should never be taken for granted.
The sad reality is that once trust has been damaged it can' t simply go back to they way it was, no matter how much both parties might want it to.

Originally posted by Storm
No matter the type of relationship, without trust it can' t flourish. Unfortunately, people don' t always cherish trust the way they should. Trust is a gift. It should never be taken for granted.
The sad reality is that once trust has been damaged it can' t simply go back to they way it was, no matter how much both parties might want it to.

I know...I learned that the hard way.

Although in rare cases, when Forgiveness is strong enough, and maturity reaches a peak, Trust can be reborn.

I've had a special freind who I never trusted before, because of her maliciousness...

We both have changed, and now we trust each other more than anyone else in this world.

It doesn’ t mean that trust cannot be rebuild, it just means that the new trust will be different. While trusting a person who has hurt you isn’ t impossible, it will never be the same kind of wide-eyed trust we give to people when we first let them in.

Storm is right, treason is the act of betraying trust. That hurts more then just hurting somebody. When a random person hurts you that is bad, when a friend somebody you love and trust it it's even worse. It's just the way it is.

yeah, i always betray people by that definition in small ways.

i will never trust anyone again.

Originally posted by ~Forever*Alone~
yeah, i always betray people by that definition in small ways.

i will never trust anyone again.

That is one very boring and very empty life you have ahead of you then.

Originally posted by Fishy
That is one very boring and very empty life you have ahead of you then.

i plan on it being a very evil life.

Originally posted by Eclipso
[B]Be·tray·al n.

-A form of deception or dismissal of prior presumptions, the breaking or violation of a presumptive social contract (trust, or confidence) that produces moral and psychological conflict within a relationship amongs individuals, between organizations or between individuals and organizations.

In Dante's "Inferno", He writes that the deepest circle of hell is reserved for those who betray. In essence putting it at the top of the ladder of sin.

To quote an author whos written quite abit on the subject, Rodger L. Jackson.

"Betrayal is both a "people" problem and a philosopher's problem. Philosophers should be able to clarify the concept of betrayal, compare and contrast it with other moral concepts, and critically assess betrayal situations. At the practical level people should be able to make honest sense of betrayal and also to temper its consequences: to handle it, not be assaulted by it."

So what are your thoughts on betrayal?

Have you ever had someone close to you violate your trust? A friend who turned on you? A lover who cheated on you and broke your heart?S

Someone whom you trusted with a secret let it out?

What is it about betrayal that hurts us so much?

Can you forgive betrayal?

Have you ever betrayed someone?

What makes us betray? [/B]

The problem as I see it is that people change and should communicate it, if one is to do that, then there would not be anyone who you would betray because you are open and up front with it in the first place which would take out the whole scenario.

Well I am in a simlair situation, someone I trusted even stuck up for on occassion has betrayed me. So what does everyone still think on the subject of betrayal. Feel free to share stories.

Betrayal is sour like lemon

This should be analyzed in a sociologic perspective.

I think betrayal is a symptom of hypocrisis. There are so many social contracts and social rituals used to mantain what is politicaly right that people don´t know the value of things anymore. So people betray because they don´t know values like loyalty anymore in the middle of so many illusions created by society today.

Originally posted by Eclipso
What makes us betray?

Originally posted by Tangible God
Ultimately, to better ourselves personally.

👆

That's exactly it...our need for victory, our need to feel superior to another in some way shape or form.

Originally posted by Eclipso
[B]Be·tray·al n.

-A form of deception or dismissal of prior presumptions, the breaking or violation of a presumptive social contract (trust, or confidence) that produces moral and psychological conflict within a relationship amongs individuals, between organizations or between individuals and organizations.

In Dante's "Inferno", He writes that the deepest circle of hell is reserved for those who betray. In essence putting it at the top of the ladder of sin.

To quote an author whos written quite abit on the subject, Rodger L. Jackson.

"Betrayal is both a "people" problem and a philosopher's problem. Philosophers should be able to clarify the concept of betrayal, compare and contrast it with other moral concepts, and critically assess betrayal situations. At the practical level people should be able to make honest sense of betrayal and also to temper its consequences: to handle it, not be assaulted by it."

So what are your thoughts on betrayal?

Have you ever had someone close to you violate your trust? A friend who turned on you? A lover who cheated on you and broke your heart?S

Someone whom you trusted with a secret let it out?

What is it about betrayal that hurts us so much?

Can you forgive betrayal?

Have you ever betrayed someone?

What makes us betray? [/B]

Have I let someone down? Yes many times. We all have, it's part of being human. But I don't think that really represents betrayal. To me, real betrayal begins when one makes a concious decision to exalt one's own needs above all others.

Betrayal is when you go against someone to whom you made it seem you would not do so.

If I stole a TV from someone I don't know, I didn't betray them. I robbed them sure, but did not deceive or stab them in the back.

If that someone gave me the the keys to their house, believing that I wouldn't abuse that trust, then stole their TV... that's betrayal.

Originally posted by Tangible God
Betrayal is when you go against someone to whom you made it seem you would not do so.

If I stole a TV from someone I don't know, I didn't betray them. I robbed them sure, but did not deceive or stab them in the back.

If that someone gave me the the keys to their house, believing that I wouldn't abuse that trust, then stole their TV... that's betrayal.

I wouldn't catogorize that as betrayal, I'd call it acting selfish and stupid though. When one gets themselves to a point where they have no remorse for acting selfish and stupid, or as I stated before - exalts their own wants/desires completely above the needs of all others, that's when I would call it betrayal.

Originally posted by Thundar
I wouldn't catogorize that as betrayal, I'd call it acting selfish and stupid though. When one gets themselves to a point where they have no remorse for acting selfish and stupid, or as I stated before - exalts their own wants/desires completely above the needs of all others, that's when I would call it betrayal.

To steal somebody's TV from their house when they have given you the key to that house is betrayal...

You essentially destroy the trust that somebody has given you. That's the difference between being betrayed and being robbed or attacked or whatever. In one you just get hurt or lose some stuff, in the other you get hurt lose some stuff and end up losing the most important aspect in any relation with anybody, trust.

You can no longer trust a person and that makes it betrayal and that's also what makes it so bad. Trust is the most important part in any meaningful relationship whether it's between lovers or friends. If you lose that you have nothing left, get betrayed enough times and eventually you will have a hard time trusting anybody anymore.

Originally posted by Fishy
To steal somebody's TV from their house when they have given you the key to that house is betrayal...

You essentially destroy the trust that somebody has given you. That's the difference between being betrayed and being robbed or attacked or whatever. In one you just get hurt or lose some stuff, in the other you get hurt lose some stuff and end up losing the most important aspect in any relation with anybody, trust.

You can no longer trust a person and that makes it betrayal and that's also what makes it so bad. Trust is the most important part in any meaningful relationship whether it's between lovers or friends. If you lose that you have nothing left, get betrayed enough times and eventually you will have a hard time trusting anybody anymore.

The bottom line is that people make mistakes. If they earnestly are trying to correct these things and are remorseful for their actions - then I don't see the behavior as a betrayal, I just see it as immature and foolish behavior.

Real betrayal only comes into play when one is no longer repentant for their behavior, and continues to do whatever pleases them, despite whatever harm they cause to others.

Originally posted by Thundar
The bottom line is that people make mistakes. If they earnestly are trying to correct these things and are remorseful for their actions - then I don't see the behavior as a betrayal, I just see it as immature and foolish behavior.

Real betrayal only comes into play when one is no longer repentant for their behavior, and continues to do whatever pleases them, despite whatever harm they cause to others.

Of course feeling sorry and trying to make up, can be done. It doesn't change the fact that somebody betrayed somebody, nor the feeling that comes from it. The person that did it, is just nice enough to make up for it.

If you would for instance steal nuclear secrets of your country then give them to Iran and tell them how to make nukes, and then a month later feel guilty, confess and try to make up you would still be called a traitor. You would still have committed treason.