When I first broached the subject of things Bigger than Oneself on the Anthro-l email list, the first response I received was a link to a song by Georges Brassens, Mourir pour des idées. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1h2po_mourir-pour-des-idees_music There is one verse in particular that resonates with me in regards to "causes". An english translation:

The Saint John Chrysotoms who preach martyrdom
Usually manage to hang around on earth.
Dying for ideas, let's be clear about it,
That's their reason for living, so they're not going to lose it.
In all the different camps you can see people who take the place
Of Mathusalah when it comes to longevity.
I conclude from this that they must say to themselves, aside,
"Die for ideas, OK, but just make it a slow death,
OK, a slow death."

http://www.projetbrassens.eclipse.co.uk/pages/transmourir.html
© 2000 Dr. Ted Neather

During my last year in high school I went from being a believer in our government and the many organizations and causes professing to altruistic goals to being rather skeptical about such causes. It had occurred to me that those asking for sacrifice were themselves unwilling to sacrifice. This was the time of the Viet Nam war. Since that time I have yet to be convinced of the sincerity of any organized causes or the sincerity of any governments (regardless of political party).

I need to mention here that I do have hopes for some causes and those for the most part relate to environmental protection issues.