What is Courage?

[Just Jim]

How can we best define courage?

I’m going to see what responses appear and respond as we go along. Specifically, I am using Laches by Plato as the main text.

 

[Jarhyn]

The ability to operate Authority (often while Adrenaline active in the system) so as to overcome all sources of Hesitation and other sources of authoritative push.

 

[Incognitus]

Courage is having the balls to face something, even if there's a good chance things won't work out in your best interest. I don't need adrenaline to have courage. I do have to have resolve.

 

[Incognitus]

I didn't edit fast enough. Instead of "best interest", I guess I'd rather say even if there's a good chance things won't work out the way you went them to (since we know, you can have courage to do things that aren't in your best interest).

 

[Jarhyn]

I didn't edit fast enough. Instead of "best interest", I guess I'd rather say even if there's a good chance things won't work out the way you went them to (since we know, you can have courage to do things that aren't in your best interest).

Hence why I used the term "often", as adrenaline really just makes certain competing sources of Authority on actions much louder, notably the fight/flight/panic group.

Courage is, in total, the ability to wrangle those guys no matter how much of idiots they're being in the moment. Maybe they're being idiots because of adrenaline but maybe they're throwing hesitant authority for other reasons.

The worst part is that usually when I start arguing with those pieces THEY trigger an adrenaline dump so that they can speak over me. It doesn't usually work out for them, but they still do it and it's still annoying.

 

[ballade]

I think the best way to determine that is if we first look at what cowardice actually is and what it means in itself.
Courage must be there when it is needed. I myself am rather cautious. Because people see courage as a threat. You have to watch out for that. And because people are afraid, you can support them in this by acting humanly that calms people down. This is called perfect self-control. And for that you need life experience but also knowledge of life that you gain by thinking about it.

I imagine courage as a necessity for all in politics. To say and dare to say what you want to say. I think that's important sometimes. And politics proves that it is. Courage is not a game to brag about. But necessity simply requires an explanation. And that takes courage. Courage gives us that we know what to say in order to talk correctly and formulate it correctly. Because courage takes effort that we muster when something is important.

Apart from that, you should never play courage to impress someone because that is counterproductive. In a relationship, you have to be honest and be yourself.

You don't have courage. Courage must be courageous. People don't say anything for too long.

You must choose the right words before you speak and before you say anything.

Overconfident is also nothing.
Without thinking what you do.

We pretend with words we are courageous.
But in reality we are not.

When we need to put the deeds to the word, we walk away or do nothing.

Courageous is not something what you are.

But must be told to yourself to be as a trained habit that needs to be practiced first.

It is not something to brag about.

Like if I am afraid to hurt somebodies feelings I must consider what I say.
I must find a good reason to say it anyway.

I am careful and therefore sometimes come to nothing. That is why courage is sometimes a necessity such as for a breakthrough because otherwise nothing actually happens. That's how I see it. I tested it. So I don't see any progress with caution until I determine the moment that it is important and time for a breakthrough and still take the courage. I want to be very sure of that.

But one in turn takes advantage of that and therefore also of your good intention which is then dismissed as weakness. Sometimes you're faced with that dilemma.

My gut, in turn, says that I have a feeling that courageously is very stupid again.
I don't immediately throw that feeling away. But think about why it feels this way. And give it a chance.

Then it strikes me that we actually brag too much about the word courage. Like it's a good thing because you seem good. Also, people feel safe with you, but then they only use you for that. And not because it is necessarily wise or wisdom.

Courage is clearly an abstractism and nothing more that we have to be careful not to make it too important because other things are more important and take precedence. You shouldn't have to constantly show your courage.

People let themselves be challenged too much and too easily by this and they should not really go into that. But don't forget what's important at that moment. Your status or the truth. And sometimes you have to drop your status. For example, you may have to go home to be with your children who see you too little. And then it's good that you remember that. In fact, it takes courage. But then you are admirable again and therefore not stupid.

 

[Roma]

Courage can be physical, emotional, mental and heart courage.

Each body needs to be brought under control. Perhaps courage is greatest while establishing that control

 

[Diluculo_DelFuego]

Couage is facing hell to make things right in your life.

 

[pixel_fortune]

Courage is the virtue that enables all other virtues

It doesn't matter how egalitarian you are, for example, if you don't have the courage to speak up when your workplace puts in place a racist (or whatever) policy. (Don't get caught up in whether egalitarianism is a virtue, it's just an example)

That's Aristotle's idea I'm pretty sure (the courage thing, not egalitarianism) but I've internalised it, i think it's on the money.

I've also heard, from a much later speaker, "dishonesty is the sin that enables all other sins" - after all, you won't be a very successful thief or adulterer if you admit it to anyone who asks "what did you get up to on the weekend?"

 

[Pyrokar]

@1:20

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

 

[Xenophon]

Courage is the virtue that enables all other virtues

It doesn't matter how egalitarian you are, for example, if you don't have the courage to speak up when your workplace puts in place a racist (or whatever) policy. (Don't get caught up in whether egalitarianism is a virtue, it's just an example)

That's Aristotle's idea I'm pretty sure (the courage thing, not egalitarianism) but I've internalised it, i think it's on the money.

I've also heard, from a much later speaker, "dishonesty is the sin that enables all other sins" - after all, you won't be a very successful thief or adulterer if you admit it to anyone who asks "what did you get up to on the weekend?"

Why on earth would I want to be egalitarian? The gods themselves never were. "Few the excellent; many the mediocre."

Post automatically merged: Nov 9, 2023

Not to get "caught up." But the example is deplorable.

The bit about Aristotle is great. He hints (in the Nichomachean Ethics) that courage is the root of the virtues. In Greek, of course, virtue---"arete"---originally meant courage in fighting, as the name Ares testifies.

 

[pixel_fortune]

Haha I dunno what to tell you man, it was an example to get the broader point about courage across; you understood what I was saying about courage, so my use of the example resulted in a successful piece of communication, no regrets

 

[Roma]

I recall a woman that was at the point of learning to control the intelligence of her physical body - the nature spirit operating the sacral chakra.

The prime issue for her was fear of death/injury - as is standard at that stage.

We were climbing a peak and there was a steep scree slope to cross, where slipping could result in a long drop. She managed her fear and crossed it.

That constituted her final requirement for the first inner initiation - control of the physical body energies and intelligences

Her test there was physical courage.

The second inner initiation required courage to manage internal emotions. That took her quite a lot longer as she came from a difficult family

 

[Xenophon]

Haha I dunno what to tell you man, it was an example to get the broader point about courage across; you understood what I was saying about courage, so my use of the example resulted in a successful piece of communication, no regrets

Actually I homed in on the Aristotle. I'm a sucker for the Stagyrite, I am.

 

[JMPtD]

One can benefit much by to keep knowing it is the reasonable and logical perseverance and relentlessness through strenuousness. this can accustom one to the dominating attribute.

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

courage helps one grow overall and specifically by the strength of growing while it is key to remember courage is somewhat very plain in its analysis in a way as it helps one being wise though growth when in the natural organic realm of common sense.

Post automatically merged: Nov 10, 2023

Courage might be a flashlight, sometimes heavy, of the to be explored and internal wisdom of what has already been experienced. Courage might mean, sort of beware one there is in greater complexity which can mean within greater room of chaos, so even cautiousness is 1:1 in a way or around the corners

 

[Taudefindi]

Courage is, in my opinion: doing, saying or being something, despite feeling afraid or being one of the few to do, say or be so.
It takes courage to go against the mainstream, the usual, the ones accepted by society's hidden rules.

Though courage can be something bad in certain people, such as having the courage to kill(to go against society's teachings of not killing another human).That isn't something to be praised.

 

[Xenophon]

Courage is, in my opinion: doing, saying or being something, despite feeling afraid or being one of the few to do, say or be so.
It takes courage to go against the mainstream, the usual, the ones accepted by society's hidden rules.

Though courage can be something bad in certain people, such as having the courage to kill(to go against society's teachings of not killing another human).That isn't something to be praised.

The courage is praiseworthy; the ends it is used for, deplorable. One is reminded of the old quote by I forget who: "If a man shot his grandmother at 500 yards over open sights, I should say he was a good shot; I should not say, perhaps, that he was a good man."

 

[byte007]

How can we best define courage?

I’m going to see what responses appear and respond as we go along. Specifically, I am using Laches by Plato as the main text.

It is doing something regardless of the fear of the consequences of the action of doing it. That is my own thought on it based on experience. Of course chemical changes in the body based on the fear such as adrenaline when we choose to respond with courage...