on the meaning of sickness in my former culture/s

In my original culture, being sick was hardly rewarded. Rather the opposite was the case. My culture was very right wing and only valued anything that was sturdy. Even right down to the underlay of the (black) African culture, being sick was more a sign that one had been dabbling in witchcraft than anything that deserved pity. The most common response directed at someone who had become sick was anger that they had betrayed Christian decency. That is why it is hard for me to imagine any trade offs existing for illness.