Brave people are apparently paranoid about communism, terrorism and any rogue regime we're not personally arming - those we're arming are ipso facto assumed to be all right.
So how did fear become a synonym for courage?
Whatever happened to America's proverbial optimism?
Is this yet another Orwellian dichotomy?
Fear is courage.
2007-11-22 00:53:54 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Politics
Twisting language for political purposes is a characteristic of Fascism. The fear produced by 9/11 has, obviously, been used as a political tool for those already in power to solidify that power.
People of faith--and those on the Right make a great show of their supposed Christianity--don't live in fear. So obviously, that's another contradiction.
We are certainly threatened, and have been for a long time, but there is no reason why we have to defend ourselves by becoming world bullies and terrorists.
I agree, however, that on an individual level, one cannot display courage if one does not feel fear. Courage is not the absence of fear; courage is right action, despite fear.
But there is such a thing as moral courage and our leaders have failed in that regard.
2007-11-22 01:18:44 · answer #1 · answered by Silver 3 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Humanity should be more afraid of the monster inside because the monster inside is the one that gets shown to the public. Very few people have met a monster. Charles Whitman was the kindest man I had ever known. He was not a monster. The monster inside is much more frightening than any monster one might find out side. Yes.
2016-05-25 00:19:20 · answer #2 · answered by doris 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your premise is incorrect. All people have fear and anyone who tells you they don't is either lying to you, themselves, or both. Unnecessary and overwhelming fear leads to bad decisions, but a healthy respect for danger is necessary for survival. Bravery is being able to recognize threats and overcome the natural fears which exist. The things you mention Communism, Terrorism, etc. are dangers in the world. To deny this basic fact is folly. Failure to react to threats of this nature only invites an increased level of danger.
2007-11-22 01:09:43 · answer #3 · answered by Bryan 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Bravery is the conquest of fear, just as virtue is the conquest of temptation. Where there is no fear or temptation, there is no courage and no virtue. Your statement about the right is invalid.
One question I ask sometimes is, "When did America become a nation of cowards?" I first asked this after Reagan failed to lead in the recovery from the Challenger disaster. Leadership would have said, We have another launch date in one month. Its going and I'm going to be on it." Cowards, unwilling to pay the price, over and over and over.
2007-11-22 03:12:27 · answer #4 · answered by balloon buster 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You already got your best answer from Silver, I'm just weighing in because your avatar is a cat and you used the word 'dichotomy', one of my favorites! The concept of irony has fascinated me since I first learned the word... college history classes taught me dichotomy. The other dichotomy of the "Post-911 USA" is that 'morality' and 'values' are used to justify actions that are anything but moral. Lies, treason, torture... it's all supposed to be OK now because "the ends justify the means". The resulting reality is that the more 'morality' and 'values' are trumpeted, the more that true INTEGRITY is lost. You bring up a very sad, yet salient, point!
2007-11-22 01:49:58 · answer #5 · answered by sagacious_ness 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
the dog that fear bites is the scariest of all... because it's random, and they are much more likely to bite someone that shows fear back to them... so the more you try to be reasonable with the modern day "war fan" the more they bite back, and when you get a group of them together they form a pack...
but these same "dogs' scramble at the first sign of "TRUE" opposition, their strength is based on "our" weakness, so in fact we have created the fear biting warrior class that swears by Faux News and the 9/11 myth... and above all else, a white and angry Jesus....
2007-11-22 01:19:01 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Bravery is being afraid of something and doing the right thing anyway. I can understand why this would confuse a true liberal.
2007-11-22 00:58:24 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 1⤋
Oliver Cromwell said "put thy trust in God, but keep thy powder dry". To me, that says go on with life, but be prepared.
2007-11-22 11:11:00 · answer #8 · answered by neil k 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
you mean, as in the bush administration's campaign to label a contained, demoralized and nearly powerless iraq as an imminent threat to the united states in order to justify an illegal invasion and occupation? now, it's iran...the boy is crying 'wolf' yet again, i fear...
2007-11-22 02:32:23 · answer #9 · answered by spike missing debra m 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Yes.
Many Americans may fear, but they will Fight.
They don't just Surrender like Democrats do.
Liberals seem to believe that Surrender is Courage.
2007-11-22 01:01:06 · answer #10 · answered by dinamuk 4 · 3⤊ 3⤋