If self-forgetfulness is the secret of happiness and true freedom, then we can expect that, with time, humankind will outgrow the obsession with the egocentric concepts of ``I'' and ``mine,'' etc. Indeed, a nonviolent civilization can only be built upon the foundation of self-sacrificing individuals, certainly not egocentric and arrogant people. It may take centuries for such drastic changes to take full effect, since it necessarily involves altering the very structure of language, the way we think, old habits and traditions, etc. But there are many reasons to bet that such changes must eventually come. Just as infants slowly become less self-centered as they develop into adults, similarly humankind will give less importance to ``selfishness'' and focus more on service. Regarding the path of sacrifice that leads from self to service, `Abdu'l-Bahá writes:
Until a being setteth his foot in the plane of sacrifice, he is bereft of every favour and grace; and this plane of sacrifice is the realm of dying to the self, that the radiance of the living God may then shine forth. The martyr's field is the place of detachment from self, that the anthems of eternity may be upraised. Do all ye can to become wholly weary of self, and bind yourselves to that Countenance of Splendours; and once ye have reached such heights of servitude, ye will find, gathered within your shadow, all created things. This is boundless grace; this is the highest sovereignty; this is the life that dieth not. All else save this is at the last but manifest perdition and great loss
Let us, like candles, burn away; as moths, let us scorch our wings; as the field larks, vent our plaintive cries; as the nightingales, burst forth in lamentations. Even as the clouds let us shed down tears, and as the lightning flashes let us laugh at our coursings through east and west. By day, by night, let us think but of spreading the sweet savours of God. Let us not keep on forever with our fancies and illusions, with our analysing and interpreting and circulating of complex dubieties. Let us put aside all thoughts of self; let us close our eyes to all on earth, let us neither make known our sufferings nor complain of our wrongs. Rather let us become oblivious of our own selves, and drinking down the wine of heavenly grace, let us cry out our joy, and lose ourselves in the beauty of the All-Glorious.[8]Gandhi shared similar views:
So long as man remains selfish and does not care for the happiness of others, he is no better than an animal and perhaps worse. His superiority to the animal is seen only when we find him caring for his family. He is still more human, that is, much higher than the animal, when he extends his concept of the family to include his country or community as well. He climbs still higher in the scale when he comes to regard the human race as his family. A man is an animal or imperfect to the extent that he falls behind in his service to humanity.[10]
If we could erase the `I's' and `Mine's' from religion, politics, economics, etc., we shall soon be free and bring heaven upon earth. [11]
It may be challenging to understand the nature of what is being asked of us. After all, the path of sacrifice that leads from the valleys of self towards the heights of service very much remains the road less traveled, the straight and narrow path. Nevertheless, the underlying concept is simple enough: to think less of ourselves and more of others. Certainly, it is not a new concept. How well has it been eloquently explained in ages past, by such as John Donne (1572-1631):
Please God, as we advance in forgetting ourselves in service to humanity, we will blossom into radiant spirits, and a new, nonviolent civilization will effloresce.