Is there a more praiseworthy virtue than courage?
When you think of the archetypes that inspire respect, courage is inextricably attached.
Think of protectors.
In real life: firemen, police, soldiers.
In the movies, we pay to watch Batman, James Bond, and countless other vigilantes risk their lives and put themselves in danger for the common good.
Think of every character you’ve ever admired.
They either were courageous through and through or they gained the trait of courage over the course of the book, TV show, or movie.
We watch movies about courageous heroes doing courageous things because we wish we could do those same things.
But it’s time to leave the comfort of our own home. It’s time to leave the realm of fantasy behind.
The most virtuous people who ever lived have all come to the same conclusions about fear.
Nelson Mandela said:
I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.
Franklin D. Roosevelt said:
Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear.
Having said that, these two juggernauts of history and virtue are talking about fear when moving towards a noble end.
Aristotle points out that it is correct to fear some things, it’s even noble and right to fear certain things, but the brave man does not fear everything.
Some evils like disgrace, poverty, disease, friendlessness, and death are worthy things to be afraid of.
This week when you’re learning and applying the virtue of courage, learn to fear the correct things – learn to fear disgrace.
What is bravery exactly? What is courage?
Aristotle defines the courageous as those who act in the face of a noble death or act nobly in emergencies that involve death.
The motive of courage is always noble.
The opposite of courage, the vices, is either cowardliness or rashness.
Of course, there are plenty of things that you fear that don’t, won’t, or can’t result in death.
If you are courageous, Aristotle says, you will face these fears as reason directs for the sake of noble causes.
So this week you’ll spend some time thinking…
- Analyse WHAT scares you
- Analyse WHY it scares you
- And figure out if it’s NOBLE to face these fears.
Aristotle warns us that we are at fault when we fear what and when we should not.
The man, then, who faces and who fears the right things and from the right motive, in the right way and at the right time, and who feels confidence under the corresponding conditions, is brave.
Again, this is more art than science here.
You’ll be learning about yourself in unique situations.
There isn’t a guidebook for how to be courageous.
So much depends on the specific situation and time and people and conditions involved.
It is up to you to designate what the right things to fear are.
It is up to you to figure out the right motives, the right ways, and the right times.
Ask yourself: is the end noble?
it is for a noble end that the brave man endures and acts as courage directs.
Here’s the kicker:
It is NOT courageous if you act in the face of fear for an end that is not noble.
This is where the ART (not the science) of virtues really kicks in – you designate what’s noble, because you are virtuous according to your truth, your righteousness, your center, your sense of self.
This is ultimate self-accountability.
High-school students often flounder when they get to university because they’re not used to directing their own studies. Following a virtue program is like that, but a million times more.
This is the most intensely personal mission you could ever undertake.
You are on your own here.
The man, then, who faces and who fears the right things and from the right motive, in the right way and at the right time, and who feels confidence under the corresponding conditions, is brave; for the brave man feels and acts according to the merits of the case and in whatever way reason directs.
It’s important to keep in mind that courage does not mean blindly running into the path of danger every moment you can. That’s actually a vice and it’s called being reckless.
Aristotle points out that you would be either a madman or insensitive to pain if you feared nothing. Not fearing earthquakes or tsunamis is crazy and rash.
On the other end of the spectrum, one who fears everything is a coward.
Courage is composure.
Composure and readiness in the face of fear to achieve a noble end – not blindly rushing in, and not shying away.
The courageous man “chooses or endures things because it is noble to do so, or because it is base not to do so.”
Choose or endure.
If the end is not noble, do not endure it and do not choose it.
Remember than inaction is as sinful (no religious connotations here) as the wrong action.
Standing by and watching an old lady get mugged when you can do something about it is a cop-out and it is base.
You would have failed to be courageous because you failed to act courageously.
But rushing in to save the old lady might also not be the right thing to do.
Just say there are four large men wielding baseball bats and knives. You intervening is rash and idiotic and will only get you killed.
Getting yourself killed for a stranger’s handbag (which won’t even be saved) is not noble.
But what could you do in that situation?
You could call the police. You could be with the lady to make sure she is okay.
Now if the situation were a little different, your actions might be different too. If it were one guy, unarmed with their back to you and you were trained in how to restrain people – attacking and securing the man could be the courageous thing to do.
You must also consider what is influencing your actions.
As Aristotle says:
even asses would be brave when they are hungry; for blows will not drive them from their food; and lust also makes adulterers do many daring things. Those creatures are not brave, then, which are driven on to danger by pain or passion. The ‘courage’ that is due to passion seems to be the most natural, and to be courage if choice and motive be added.
You need choice and motive along with action in the face of fear for a noble end.
Face pain, face fear, face discomfort in pursuit of what is noble.
death and wounds will be painful to the brave man and against his will, but he will face them because it is noble to do so or because it is base not to do so.
Think of a boxer taking blows. No one wants to get hit in the head, but for a boxer the end is noble and they will endure because of that.
Let’s get into the virtue assignment for this week.
Virtue Assignment for Courage:
THIS WEEK:
– Monitor your actions with a wristband.
Are you being reckless or cowardly?
Switch wrists whenever you catch yourself straying towards the vices.
Becoming aware of when you’re slipping is the first step involved in stopping slipping.
– Analyse WHAT scares you, WHY it scares you, and figure out if it’s NOBLE to face these fears.
Journal on this. Ponder about it.
Come up with a list of your fears and immediately figure out ways to face the fears that have a noble end.
Again, remember that you designate what is noble – you’ll feel it in your gut.
This challenge is all about learning to become more in tune with your own inner compass.
– Attach yourself to a cause that you feel passionately about, or an issue that you feel passionately about, that you have shied away from or an opinion you have shied from expressing in public.
Rigorously examine the end result and see if it is noble. Then step courageously towards it, in favour of it.
Example: it doesn’t matter what side of the political fence you sit on, you must agree that Kanye coming out with the Trump hat took courage. Whether he did so because he felt it was noble or because it was a commercial move is another argument.
– Examine your impulses and feelings in public.
When you feel fear stirring, would it be noble to act towards it?
For example, this is really a silly example but just say you have social anxiety. According to Aristotle it’s not noble to fear talking to other people. But just say you see someone has dropped something valuable. But your anxiety prevents you from telling that person and helping them – act in a way that helps that person despite whatever fears you feel.
– Practice exercising courage for noble ends in small doses.
As this is an art not a science, you’re going to have to find your small doses for yourself.
But if you can find at least three this week, you’re doing good.
– What are your three biggest fears right now?
Start working to overcome them.
Need help?
Pick a fear for each of the three main domains in your life: health, wealth, relationships.
Think creatively/outside the box.
Fears can come in all shapes and sizes and often we don’t even understand them as fears.
E.G. I fear I can’t go a week without drinking wine in the evening – or fear social engagement without that lubricant (act courageously for your health).
Relationships – I fear telling a family member “I love you” – why do you fear that? It doesn’t matter as much why, all that matters is you feel the anxiety around that particular thing and you act courageously to resolve it.
Wealth? I fear taking this next move in my business because competition might think I’m stupid – take the move, stride boldly towards it.
Again, is the end noble? If it’s not a noble end, you can forget about fearing it or doing it. But if the end is noble (and we often feel hesitance, anxiety, and fear around anything that could have a noble outcome) then you have to do it.
GENERAL ASSIGNMENTS
Throughout the course of this virtue challenge try to do at least the first one of these suggestions:
- Keep a journal. This could be a paper journal, it could be a video journal. It is confusing figuring out what the right thing to do is sometimes – how do we know if we are fearing the right thing? How do we know if the end is noble? By self-reflection. The more you examine and meditate on these issues, the more you refine your ability to be virtuous.
- Find a virtue buddy. No stress if you can’t, but in the same way that keeping a journal forces you to hone your thoughts, your belief system, and your sense of right and wrong, having a friend who is following along in this journey with you will be of immense help. Together you can discuss what you’re going through. You can help guide each other and offer support to figure out the right and wrong things. At the end of the week, in the same way that football teams will analyse tapes of their games, go over your week and the different things that challenged you with your friend.
READING HOMEWORK
That’s this week.
Make sure you’re signed up for the virtue newsletter if you want to get some food-for-thought each day during the challenge.
And if you haven’t read the introduction to the Virtuous Life Challenge, you can do so here.
Next week, we’ll be diving into the virtue of temperance.