Sacrifice = opportunity cost

Wilson Gray hwgray at GMAIL.COM
Fri Aug 3 00:04:45 UTC 2012


On Wed, Aug 1, 2012 at 6:03 PM, Joel S. Berson <Berson at att.net> wrote:
> All of these examples bother me a bit, as being very passive
> sacrifices -- in contrast to the sons of Abraham and Jehovah, nothing
> was at risk of life or limb.  What exactly happened to the cafe latte
> when it was sacrificed?  "Surrender" rather than "destruction" (to
> use the OED's words)?  The cafe latte was not surrendered (or even
> offered) to someone else.  And not even "forfeited" -- it had no existence.
>
> "Forgo" would be my choice* --
> 5. To abstain or refrain from (some action or procedure);
> 6. To abstain from, go without, deny to oneself; to let go or pass,
> omit to take or use; to give up, part with, relinquish, renounce, resign.

What Joel said.

> But I suppose we couldn't find anyone today who could say
> "forwent".  Or "I had forgone my caffe latte yesterday, but I'm
> having withdrawal symptoms today".

I'm glad that you mentioned that, Joel. I nearly forwent a chance to
demonstrate that I can say it. ;-)
--
-Wilson
-----
All say, "How hard it is that we have to die!"---a strange complaint
to come from the mouths of people who have had to live.
-Mark Twain

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