Originally Posted by
Cleretic
Here's the thing, though, which is actually related to the topic at hand: the Ancients reacted so horrifically poorly not just 'because of trauma', but because to them it was unprecedented trauma. They'd spent so long completely without any kind of suffering that when it inevitably came (as it inevitably does, no matter what), they had absolutely no experience in how to deal with anything like it, and so no framework in how to make a good decision.
The second sacrifice was tragic and completely understandable, but that doesn't mean it wasn't a mistake made by people who just didn't have the life experience required to do things right.
And us? We learn from that, and try to avoid making the same mistakes. Because that's how life is: we experience suffering, be it first or second hand, and try to not fall in the same holes.