# What Do You Think Courage Is? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 20, 2006, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-courage-is/340903 "2006-01-20T22:02:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mr.Goob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c77e96/32.png) [@Mr.Goob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Goob)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2006, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-courage-is/340903/21 "2006-01-21T14:20:35Z")
As a firefighter I’ll say that training in controlled situations takes most of the edge off. It doesn’t eliminate the _Holy Shit Run Away!_ feeling, but makes it manageable. Whatever your fears, try to do little incremental things to chip away at it. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2006, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-courage-is/340903/22 "2006-01-21T18:39:43Z")
What makes a king out of a slave? Courage! What makes the flag on the mast to wave? Courage! What makes the elephant charge his tusk in the misty mist, or the dusky dusk? What makes the muskrat guard his musk? Courage! What makes the sphinx the seventh wonder? Courage! What makes the dawn come up like thunder? Courage! What makes the Hottentot so hot? What puts the “ape” in apricot? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2006, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-courage-is/340903/23 "2006-01-21T20:37:15Z")
To be, courage is different to bravery. My definition of courage is when you can choose to do nothing, but you choose to do something. My definition of bravery is more along the lines of dealing with difficult situations which you couldn’t opt out of (such as illness). ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2006, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-courage-is/340903/24 "2006-01-22T18:47:08Z")
Ooh, that’s good, **sandra**. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2006, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-courage-is/340903/25 "2006-01-22T18:57:17Z")
i think “bravery” and “courage” have different connotations. i think “bravery” connotes some imminent danger. one can be brave in the face of danger, or be brave at the dentist’s office, or be brave in the battle lines…or be brave when in a burning building. “courage” is deeper. it’s not so dependent on the external as it is by the internal. also, because of that, you CHOOSE whether or not to be courageous. comething courageous might be standing up for an old person on the subway that’s getting picked on, when you could just jam your nose back in the paper, or facing your demons and slaying them, or, in the same vein, undergoing some kind of positive metamorphosis. one could make a case that madonna would be courageous, at least in the musical sense, because she adapts to the times when she doesn’t have to do a god damned thing. it’s courageous to put your career and credibility and risk everything you’ve done when the possibility of falling flat on your face exists. these be my two cents. we’ll just call them “commandment number 11” ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2006, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-courage-is/340903/26 "2006-01-23T12:56:08Z")
> [@](#): > > My definition of courage is when you can choose to do nothing, but you choose to do something. This is awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Scoundrel\_Swanswater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@Scoundrel\_Swanswater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scoundrel_Swanswater)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2006, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-courage-is/340903/27 "2006-01-23T13:52:51Z")
I thought courage was this : [http://www.scottish-newcastle.com/sn/beer/scottishcourage/](http://www.scottish-newcastle.com/sn/beer/scottishcourage/) ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2006, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-courage-is/340903/28 "2006-01-23T15:48:23Z")
> [@Scoundrel Swanswater](#): > > I thought courage was this : > [http://www.scottish-newcastle.com/sn/beer/scottishcourage/](http://www.scottish-newcastle.com/sn/beer/scottishcourage/) That is courage all over the world. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2006, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-courage-is/340903/29 "2006-01-24T02:05:23Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > Maybe _becoming_ a fireman or police officer is courageous, because of what the jobs entail, but I wouldn’t call a fireman going into a burning building courageous. I’ll assume you mean “necessarily courageous”. I disagree completely. The fireman/officer can choose to quit. Therefore courage is required not just to take the job, but to continue it. Anybody who chooses to put their life in danger for someone is courageous. ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2006, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-courage-is/340903/30 "2006-01-24T02:23:35Z")
[Ahem.](http://www.beercollections.com/Breweries-Europe/England/Images/IM657125.gif) ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2006, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-courage-is/340903/31 "2006-01-24T15:11:39Z")
> [@rowrrbazzle](#): > > I’ll assume you mean “necessarily courageous”. I disagree completely. The fireman/officer can choose to quit. Therefore courage is required not just to take the job, but to continue it. > > Anybody who chooses to put their life in danger for someone is courageous. If they worked for free, I might agree with you. Fire and police officers get paid for going into danger. Do some go way above and beyond what they get paid for? Absolutely. I have nothing against fire and police workers. I just don’t think courageous is the right word to describe what they do. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2006, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-courage-is/340903/32 "2006-01-24T22:34:13Z")
Then we fundamentally disagree. I think denying them the description of “courageous” is overly picky, for want of a better term. You say you have nothing against them, but I think you (and most people) don’t fully understand the risks they are subject to every day. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2006, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-courage-is/340903/33 "2006-01-24T22:51:29Z")
I vote for all of the above. It’s one of those things which you can’t really define but you know it when you see it. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2006, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-courage-is/340903/34 "2006-01-24T23:19:01Z")
Ag! I’m so OCD that I deleted my thread subscription when I thought it had died. ☹ Sorry y’all. Everything that’s been mentioned though (even the humorous), has given me a broader perspective. I will definitely, no doubt, continue to see it in other people. Moi? Not so much. Thanks everyone. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-courage-is/340903/35 "2006-01-25T01:57:13Z")
> [@rowrrbazzle](#): > > Then we fundamentally disagree. I think denying them the description of “courageous” is overly picky, for want of a better term. You say you have nothing against them, but I think you (and most people) don’t fully understand the risks they are subject to every day. Okay, I’m willing to look at this further. Would you call miners courageous, too, by your definition? How about nurses? Soldiers? Volunteer soldiers, or conscripted ones? Oil rig workers? Teachers in violent inner-city schools? Kids in violent inner-city neighbourhoods? People in abusive relationships? (And no, I’m not trying to be difficult or glib - I really would like to discuss this. Um, with your permission, of course, **faithfool**.) ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-courage-is/340903/36 "2006-01-25T12:46:38Z")
I don’t mind at all **featherlou**. This is rather more interesting than my original question. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-courage-is/340903/37 "2006-01-25T13:03:15Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > If they worked for free, I might agree with you. Fire and police officers get paid for going into danger. Do some go way above and beyond what they get paid for? Absolutely. I have nothing against fire and police workers. I just don’t think courageous is the right word to describe what they do. Soldiers get paid for what they do as well. They can (and sometimes do) chicken out in certain situations (see Saving Private Ryan). I definitely put policemen and firemen are courageous any time they put themselves in harm’s way. After all, a paycheck isn’t going to make much of a difference once you have a broken back or a sucking chest wound. The decision to act is split-second, and all the courageous guys have to make the decision to go for it. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-courage-is/340903/38 "2006-01-25T15:15:50Z")
If it’s not about the paycheque for firefighters or police choosing to put themselves in dangerous situations, maybe we shouldn’t pay them at all, then. They can be all kinds of courageous without costing municipalities money. But what about conscripted soldiers, who would not be in harm’s way if they had a choice? Are the actions they take courageous, too, the same as the soldiers who volunteered? And what about my example of miners? They choose to go into dangerous situations every day (for a paycheque), but are they not courageous because they’re not doing it to save lives? ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-courage-is/340903/39 "2006-01-25T15:45:38Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > If it’s not about the paycheque for firefighters or police choosing to put themselves in dangerous situations, maybe we shouldn’t pay them at all, then. They can be all kinds of courageous without costing municipalities money. > > But what about conscripted soldiers, who would not be in harm’s way if they had a choice? Are the actions they take courageous, too, the same as the soldiers who volunteered? And what about my example of miners? They choose to go into dangerous situations every day (for a paycheque), but are they not courageous because they’re not doing it to save lives? You’re not courageous by title. You’re courageous by action. No, a soldier who sits in an office typing reports is not courageous. He hasn’t decided to take the step to endanger himself for the benefit of another person. Same with cops and firemen. Until they actually put themselves in harm’s way, they’re not courageous. If we didn’t pay them, we’d have a volunteer force. It works on a small scale (we had two volunteer firemen on my block when I was a kid) but it’s hard to get enough guys who have the time and inclination to volunteer service while they’re trying to hold down a day job. As it is (in this area, anyway) most of the firemen are part time employees and they work at more than one municipality at a time to make ends meet. Miners are definitely courageous. It’s scary every time they enter the mine. It’s a real threat. No, you don’t have to be saving lives to be courageous. But you have to be doing it for the welfare of others, whether it’s mining, saving, whatever. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2006, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-courage-is/340903/40 "2006-01-25T17:06:45Z")
There’s an old joke about a college philosophy course. The instructor said there would be only one exam, and that would constitute their entire grade for the semester. So, the final exam rolls around, and the instructor pulls up the projector screen to reveal the Exam Question written on the chalkboard. “What is courage?” The students begin writing busily, but the only A+ was awarded to one student, who turned in his paper in under 30 seconds. He had written This is. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-courage-is/340903.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-courage-is/340903.md?page=3)