essay on courage is in yielding to desire

Essay About Courage: Top 5 Examples and 6 Prompts 

Courage covers a range of topics and meanings. Here are examples and prompts to help you write your essay about courage.

Many believe bravery and courage mean the same thing and even use them interchangeably. However, though both describe heroic acts, they are not the same. Where bravery is the lack of fear, courage is taking action despite it. 

Some argue that courage takes more strength because it means sharing your story even though you may be ridiculed, rejected, and misunderstood. It takes courage to admit when you’re hurt or feel lost, vulnerable, and need help. 

If you’re having problems channeling and describing what courage is, here are examples that will assist you in connecting with this subject:

1. My Opinion About Courage by Gary Collins

2. moral courage by fernando wood, 3. courage by benjamin patrick, 4. the importance of courage by saloni, 5. essay on courage by manasi shewale, 1. what does courage mean to you, 2. your most courageous act, 3. a courageous hero, 4. things you are most afraid of, 5. what creates doubt, 6. a time when you failed to show courage and regretted it.

“And even then, she had no grudge against the world. She doesn’t think the world owes her. She never takes money or even grains that she hasn’t earned.”

In this essay, Collins shares his experience with courage through someone named Sunita. Sunita told Collins about her life and what made her who she is. Such as at a very young age, she fought to support herself because no one would have done that for her, and many other tales. 

Her stories made Collins realize how lucky he is and how he should be grateful for the many opportunities that come his way without the need to suffer as she did. He also includes that Sunita lives on to inspire others with her courage.

Check out these essays about beliefs .

“Moral courage is standing up for values such as honesty, fairness, compassion, respect, and responsibility but just having these values are not enough we have to try to put them into practice, and we have to commit to moral principles as well…”

Moral courage is doing what’s right and following what your conscience dictates. Wood has three significant elements of moral courage: principle, endurance, and danger.

He explains moral courage through Geoge Norris, Nelson Mandela, and Malala Youssafzai. These people took risks even if their lives were in danger to follow their conscience and do the right things. Wood instills that moral courage is essential in making a critical move, especially when choosing the greater good.

“Courage is the only thing that gets us through the hard times, and the tempting opportunities. Courage is vital to the evolution of the human population. It is also an essential quality to becoming a successful person.”

Patrick discusses how courage helps a person succeed in life. He mentions that we all have courage, but some use it differently than others.

He gives an example of a girl who plays hockey, where the other members are all boys. They looked down on her because of her gender. But instead of giving up, she took it as a challenge and courageously showed them she could play at their level. She became friends with most of the team, but there was one boy who kept on bullying her. The boy misused his courage, but the girl used her courage to fight him off.

“Courage is mental and moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty. It is the firmness of mind and will in the face of danger or extreme difficulty.”

Saloni’s essay shows two kinds of courage: physical and moral. People who depend on physical strength show physical courage. They can protect and help others. If a person is weak, they are not physically courageous. 

On the other hand, one’s honesty connects to their moral courage. They are the ones with convictions and don’t support evil works. Even if you are a weak person, you can still be morally courageous. Unfortunately, this courage is rare nowadays because people are afraid of being attacked mentally and emotionally. To be morally courageous means to be a fighter to go against wrong-doings.

“It is very difficult to keep up your morals and therefore, gather up the necessary courage to fight against the wrong situations. Therefore, in today’s date, it is even rarer to find a person with the proper morals required to live a satisfactory life.”

Shewale shares little acts of courage in our everyday lives – such as a girl who loves to dance but is afraid of the stage or a person who’s readying themselves for a job interview. Courage is not only shown in grand scenes but in small acts that help us survive our daily lives.

The author further discusses events where courage helps in more controversial fields, such as injustices to farmers and students’ bullying. 

If you want to upgrade your writing style, check out these top essay writing tips to level up your essay.

6 Prompts on Essay About Courage

After reading relevant examples in essays about courage, it’s now your turn to try your hand at creating one. Below are prompts that can guide you in your essay writing:

There is no one definition of courage. It differs from each individual, and its meaning is affected by our experiences and knowledge. In this prompt, share the word “courage” and discuss what courage means to you. When do you feel courageous, and why? Then, describe personal experiences of being courageous or stories of courageous people who inspire you.

Think about a time when you were courageous. Create an essay based on this event and describe in detail what happened. Convey your thoughts and feelings, and show why you were courageous. 

Write an essay about a hero in your life. This could be a celebrity you admire, a relative or friend, or a teacher in school. Describe why this person is courageous, why you look up to them, and how they inspire you. Make sure to include fine details of their personality and how they act. This will make for an exciting and compelling essay.

The first step to being courageous is acknowledging you are afraid. Then, to get your fears out of the way, you need to identify what and why they exist. This prompt lets you connect with your readers who have the same worries. 

For example, you can share that you’re afraid of rejection, being alone, etc. Then, discuss why and what you plan to do to overcome them. You can also write about how you plan to be courageous while still afraid.

Our greatest challenge to succeeding in something is doubting ourselves. When we doubt ourselves, we start to think of all the things that can go wrong. So we show our courage by being afraid of these negative consequences but still trying and hoping for a good result. 

Share an experience when you still tried, even when you’re unsure. It doesn’t need to have the best ending. You only have to prove that it’s better to try and fail than fail without trying at all. 

There will always be times when we desperately want to be more courageous but fail to do so due to various factors. Write about that experience, share your feelings, and what you’ll do if you have the chance to repeat that situation. 

Do you want to write about another topic aside from courage? Check out this list of best writing topics for students !

Maria Caballero is a freelance writer who has been writing since high school. She believes that to be a writer doesn't only refer to excellent syntax and semantics but also knowing how to weave words together to communicate to any reader effectively.

View all posts

Courage: the Essence of Inner Strength and Bravery

This essay about courage explores its multifaceted nature beyond heroic tales, delving into its essence in everyday life. It defines courage as the strength to confront fear and make choices aligned with one’s values, emphasizing its subjective and personal dimensions. The essay highlights how courage involves both external actions and internal struggles, shaping individuals and inspiring others. Ultimately, it argues that courage is essential for personal growth, authenticity, and societal progress, challenging us to act despite fear and adversity.

How it works

Courage is often celebrated as a grandiose, almost mythical quality that elevates mere mortals into the realm of heroes. From the valiant charges of knights in folklore to the steadfast resolve of modern-day whistleblowers, the concept of courage permeates our cultural and personal narratives. But what truly defines courage? Is it the absence of fear, or the decision to act despite it?

At its core, courage is the mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.

This definition, however, only scratches the surface of what courage means in everyday life. Unlike the dramatic depictions we see in movies and literature, real-world courage often manifests in quieter, more personal ways.

One of the fundamental aspects of courage is the confrontation with fear. Fear is a universal experience; it does not discriminate by age, strength, or intelligence. Courage, therefore, isn’t about not feeling fear, but about recognizing it and choosing to move forward in spite of it. This could mean speaking out against injustice, standing up for oneself in a difficult personal relationship, or even pursuing a new career path that seems daunting but fulfilling.

Moreover, courage is context-dependent. What requires courage for one person might not be the same for another. For someone with social anxiety, attending a large gathering can be a profound act of bravery. For others, it might be returning to school later in life, or moving to a new country. This subjectivity is what makes courage so personal and respected; it is tailored to individual challenges and adversities.

Courage also involves a moral dimension—it often requires making choices that align with one’s values, even when those choices are unpopular, difficult, or dangerous. It can mean standing alone, going against the grain of societal expectations, or making sacrifices for the benefit of others. This type of courage is evident in people who blow the whistle on corruption within their organizations, despite the potential personal and professional repercussions.

In addition to facing external challenges, courage also encompasses the internal struggle to overcome personal limitations and self-doubt. This inner battle often goes unseen, but it is just as significant as any physical act of bravery. It involves the resilience to keep going when faced with setbacks or failures, and the strength to be vulnerable. Brené Brown, a researcher and thought leader on vulnerability, argues that showing our true selves requires courage because it exposes us to judgment and rejection.

The transformative power of courage is evident not only in how it changes situations but in how it changes individuals. Acts of courage can lead to a greater sense of self-confidence and a reaffirmation of personal values and beliefs. They can also inspire others to act bravely, creating a ripple effect that promotes more courageous actions within a community or society.

Courage, therefore, is not a one-size-fits-all attribute, nor is it confined to acts of heroism that make headlines. It is deeply woven into the fabric of everyday life, influencing how we face our fears, stand up for what we believe in, and continue to strive towards personal growth and fulfillment. The essence of courage is in the choice to act, the persistence through fear, and the commitment to live authentically in accordance with one’s principles.

In essence, understanding courage gives us a lens through which to view not just our actions but our motivations and fears. It invites us to consider not only how we act when faced with a challenge but why we act in the ways that we do. It challenges us to grow, to be better, and to inspire the same in others. This dynamic and multifaceted nature of courage makes it one of the most admired and essential qualities in human life.

Cite this page

Courage: The Essence of Inner Strength and Bravery. (2024, May 12). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/courage-the-essence-of-inner-strength-and-bravery/

"Courage: The Essence of Inner Strength and Bravery." PapersOwl.com , 12 May 2024, https://papersowl.com/examples/courage-the-essence-of-inner-strength-and-bravery/

PapersOwl.com. (2024). Courage: The Essence of Inner Strength and Bravery . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/courage-the-essence-of-inner-strength-and-bravery/ [Accessed: 3 Jun. 2024]

"Courage: The Essence of Inner Strength and Bravery." PapersOwl.com, May 12, 2024. Accessed June 3, 2024. https://papersowl.com/examples/courage-the-essence-of-inner-strength-and-bravery/

"Courage: The Essence of Inner Strength and Bravery," PapersOwl.com , 12-May-2024. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/courage-the-essence-of-inner-strength-and-bravery/. [Accessed: 3-Jun-2024]

PapersOwl.com. (2024). Courage: The Essence of Inner Strength and Bravery . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/courage-the-essence-of-inner-strength-and-bravery/ [Accessed: 3-Jun-2024]

Don't let plagiarism ruin your grade

Hire a writer to get a unique paper crafted to your needs.

Our writers will help you fix any mistakes and get an A+!

Please check your inbox.

You can order an original essay written according to your instructions.

Trusted by over 1 million students worldwide

1. Tell Us Your Requirements

2. Pick your perfect writer

3. Get Your Paper and Pay

Hi! I'm Amy, your personal assistant!

Don't know where to start? Give me your paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert.

short deadlines

100% Plagiarism-Free

Certified writers

Courage and Craft in Wanting: Women Writing About Desire

“I could never publish a nonfiction essay on that. My family/children/partner/parent might read it!” is what co-editors Margot Kahn and Kelly McMasters repeatedly heard during brainstorming sessions for Wanting: Women Writing About Desire . In the introduction to the anthology, out today, the co-editors acknowledge the vulnerability, difficulty, and even danger involved in voicing desire. “Ultimately, there is nothing more personal than one’s desire,” they write, “except sharing it.” The book’s thirty-three contributors risk sharing their experiences with desire in personal essays that explore what it is to hunger, to lust, to crave, to fantasize, to long for, to want.

Some of the contributors write about objects of desire. A wished-for pair of cowboy boots leads Rena Priest to consider the costs of buying a home built on land settlers stole from her ancestors and to declare her desire for Land Back. An SUV with tan seats and a sunroof prompts Jennifer De Leon to recount growing up in a working-class immigrant household and her gratitude for the vehicle that carried her into adulthood and the realization of her desires. The purchase of a dildo invites Amy Gall’s reflections on the fluidity of gender and the desire to give and receive pleasure. A set of encyclopedias coveted in childhood opens Jane Wong’s entry on wanting to steal and wanting to be wanted. Houseplants teach graphic memoirist Teresa Wong about the desire to live. Held within the gaze of these essayists, these objects become touchstones that are transformed by desire.

Some write of their desire for lovers past and present. Sonora Jha recalls a girlhood of striving toward goodness and what she learns when she reconnects with a first crush. Historian Keyanah B. Nurse takes an archivist’s approach and traces how sex as a Black polyamorous woman has “turned [her] body into a way of asking questions about history.” Molly McCully Brown writes of disability and negotiating the pleasure and pain of desire in her search for a partner. And, in “There is a Name for This,” Joanna Rakoff reunites with the love of her life and chooses to leave her marriage to be with him.

Others write of hunger. Michelle Wildgren tells how her appetite for travel and culinary experiences has shifted over the years. Torrey Peters describes the last meal she ate with her wife as their marriage was ending: fried tilapia caught fresh from the shore of Lake Victoria and served with lime and piri-piri sauce. And still others write of their dreams—for themselves, for their children, and for humanity. Elisa Albert surrenders to her unmet desire for a second child. Aracelis Girmay longs for her children to have a space for dreaming in a country structured by white supremacy. Domenica Ruta names the feeling of control she discovered by having an abortion and dreams of a country where choice is a right and a power.

What holds these wide-ranging essays together, say the editors, is the relationship between “wanting and the body, wanting and the brain, wanting and the heart.” In other words, the relationship between desire and selfhood. In “Leaving the Palace,” Ann Tashi Slater revisits the myriad ways her adolescent desires were met with disapproval and considers her evolving understanding of the Buddha’s teaching that desire causes suffering. She attends a showing of Nora: A Doll’s House —Scottish writer Stef Smith’s adaptation of the Ibsen play—and witnesses as three women who have lost themselves to marriage and motherhood reclaim their selfhood onstage. They chant in unison, “My heart beats for me, my heart beats for me.” In this rallying cry, Slater hears the “desire that’s always roared in [her] heart” and afterward reflects on the difference between the compulsive striving the Buddha cautioned against and the drive for selfhood. She writes, “If we stifle our desire for selfhood, the urge may, in time, disappear. Then we, too, may vanish, spiraling into the schism between how we are and the self we present to the world.” Slater’s essay underscores what’s at stake when women write about desire: self-determination and the realization of their full humanity.

If the desire for selfhood is the beating heart of this collection of personal essays, the anthology also pulses with the relationship between wanting and writing, demonstrating how desire propels the urge to create. Trappist monk Thomas Merton’s struggle to vanquish desire—the pull between wanting and not wanting—is at the heart of “How I Got Over,” an enumerated essay by Amanda Petrusich. Petrusich tells how Merton’s creative and sexual impulses complicate his monastic vocation, and in the process reflects on her own desire to drop out of society and to write: “I recognized a similar impulse in Merton’s journals…an urgent need to chronicle, to exorcise, to transmute the chaos and ambiguity and boredom of life into clean, ordered sentences. To harness and then to make sense of the dizzying whims of the human heart. To turn desire—which is so inherently nonsensical—into a logical process, a wish and its fulfillment. And then to be done with it entirely.” Susan Shapiro compares her desire to write to addiction. When asked by her therapist what she most wants, she says, “I want to publish my book.” She becomes sober, in part, so that she can chase the thrill of writing and publishing. In “Song of Songs,” Melissa Febos investigates the musicality of her own vocalizations during sex and finds it difficult to listen to the recordings she makes. A friend comments, “It’s odd that you can write so explicitly about sex, your sex, but can’t listen to it.”

In her book A Braided Heart: Essays on Writing and Form (2021), essayist Brenda Miller describes the experience of giving a reading and becoming self-conscious that her words are revealing to the audience intimate, personal details about her life, perhaps even more than she’d intended to say. In “A Case Against Courage in Creative Nonfiction,” she asks if the act of writing a personal essay requires bravery and courage. Reflecting on years of teaching and editing creative nonfiction, Miller writes, “Honesty, authenticity, bravery: all these qualities emerge under cover of form, voice, metaphor, syntax.” She argues that the courage to break silences, the courage to risk revelation on the page, emerges in part through a passionate, sometimes playful, engagement with writing craft.

The thirty-three contributors to Wanting risk sharing their desires on the page in empowering personal essays that demonstrate astonishing courage, but also craft, making it an anthology that reveals the relationship between wanting and body, mind, and heart, yes, but also between wanting and voice. “Our desires,” write the editors“—and speaking them aloud—make us powerful.”

Similar Posts

Attention in Every Day We Get More Illegal

Juan Felipe Herrera’s 2020 poetry collection suggests that to sustain the kind of attention that leads to embodied care, to structural justice and community support, we will need both rage and dancing, ranting indictments and ancestral wisdom. Outrage and tenderness are not competing forces but mutually sustaining.

Cassandra at the Wedding ’s Economies of Sisterhood

The relationship between Cassandra and Judith, in Dorothy Baker’s 1962 novel, shows the ease with which siblings in general, and sisters in particular, continually create roles for each other—roles that are difficult to escape.

Jenny Erpenbeck’s Lost Edens

Erpenbeck’s 2008 novel, centered on the history of a small parcel of land on the edge of the German lake known as the Märkisches Meer, is a sophisticated retelling of the Creation and Fall stories from the biblical book of Genesis.

Charles W. Chesnutt’s The House Behind the Cedars ’ Black Medievalism

Limiting the scope of medievalism to white narratives, characters, and authorship keeps us from seeing the far more creative and capacious sets of stories that medievalism might tell. That it has, in fact, already told.

The Artist as Writer

In 1973, Kusama Yayoi returned to Japan from New York and began experimenting with poetry and fiction.

Tracking Time in Kate Zambreno’s Drifts

Kate Zambreno’s 2020 novel explores the self that comes into being through an ongoing “dynamic contemplation” and co-creation with the surrounding world, and the idea that all that ever happens is our understanding of what happens to us, and how we filter that through our minds, mediated by our bodies.

Review Cart

No products in the cart.

• Entertainment
• Environment
• Information Science and Technology
• Social Issues

Home Essay Samples Life Courage

Courage as One of the Most Important Virtues

*minimum deadline

Cite this Essay

To export a reference to this article please select a referencing style below

• Coming of Age

Related Essays

Need writing help?

You can always rely on us no matter what type of paper you need

*No hidden charges

100% Unique Essays

Absolutely Confidential

Money Back Guarantee

By clicking “Send Essay”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement. We will occasionally send you account related emails

You can also get a UNIQUE essay on this or any other topic

Thank you! We’ll contact you as soon as possible.

You have exceeded your limit for simultaneous device logins.

Your current subscription allows you to be actively logged in on up to three (3) devices simultaneously. click on continue below to log out of other sessions and log in on this device..

Hungry Hearts: Essays on Courage, Desire, and Belonging

Get Print. Get Digital. Get Both!

Comment Policy:

• Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
• Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
• Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
• Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
• If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.

First Name should not be empty !!!

Last Name should not be empty !!!

email should not be empty !!!

Comment should not be empty !!!

You should check the checkbox.

Please check the reCaptcha

Betty Hartman

Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book.

Posted 3 hours ago REPLY

Ethan Smith

Posted 6 hours ago REPLY

Jane Fitgzgerald

Posted 6 hours ago

Michael Woodward

Continue reading, get digital and print.

Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's.

Added To Cart

Related , ian fleming: the complete man, the vanishing of carolyn wells: investigations into a forgotten mystery author, zora neale hurston, dear readers and riders: the beloved books, faithful fans, and hidden private life of marguerite henry, the vanishing of carolyn wells, the design of books: an explainer for authors, editors, agents, and other curious readers, advertisement, subscribe today, get print, digital editions, and online all in one..

LJ, where and when you need it.

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER? LOG IN

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

Thank you for visiting.

We’ve noticed you are using a private browser. To continue, please log in or create an account.

CREATE AN ACCOUNT

SUBSCRIPTION OPTIONS

Already a subscriber log in.

Most LJ reviews are exclusive to subscribers.

As a subscriber, you'll receive unlimited access to all reviews dating back to 2010.

To access other site content, visit our homepage .

5 Inspiring Essays on Courage

Courage is a value held in high regard. There are countless quotes and explanations of what “courage” is. Some believe it’s the same as being fearless, while others say that courage is doing the right thing even if you’re afraid. Brene Brown says that “You can choose courage, or you can choose comfort, but you can’t choose both.” Courage is about stepping outside of what’s familiar and comfortable. Here are five essays exploring what courage looks like:

“The Gift and Power of Emotional Courage” (2017) – Susan David

While technically not an essay, the transcript from this 2017 TEDTalk (and the speech itself) is a powerful exploration of emotional courage. Dr. Susan David, who lost her father when she was 15, describes how she dealt with grief. Societies often encourage people to suppress these types of emotions. She talks about a “radical acceptance” of every emotion, even the hard ones, and how this acceptance is necessary for true happiness. This acceptance isn’t easy. It takes courage. She has an especially poignant way of describing courage: she calls it “fear walking.”

Dr. Susan David is a world-leading management thinker and Harvard Medical School psychologist. She’s also an author and contributor to publications like The Harvard Business Review, New York Times, and more. David lectures around the world for clients like the United Nations, Google, and the World Economic Forum.

“Profile in Courage” (2004) – Dana Calvo

The photo of a single protester facing off a line of tanks is one of history’s most iconic images. In this essay from Smithsonian Magazine, readers learn the story behind it. In 1989, students from over three dozen universities gathered in Tiananmen Square to protest government corruption, joblessness, and attacks on free speech. The government declared martial law, sending tens of thousands of troops to the area. Violence erupted. Several hundred protesters were killed, thousands wounded. The story of the photograph, taken by 33-year old Jeff Widener of the Associated Press, is a story of courage.

Dana Calvo is a former national and foreign journalist. She now works in television.

“This Is A Crisis of Civil-Military Relations” (2020) – Eliot A. Cohen

In this piece, author Eliot Cohen examines what’s going on with military leadership in the age of the Trump administration. While these people are willing to “take a bullet” for America and take on responsibility for the “gravest decisions anyone can make,” they must now show a different kind of courage. Under President Trump’s leadership, the military brass must stand up and risk getting fired. While this essay describes a specific situation between two incredibly powerful branches of American society, it taps into the essence of courage. Courage comes with risks. It often requires people to risk something they didn’t anticipate losing.

Eliot A. Cohen is the dean of The John Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. He served as the Counselor of the Department of State from 2007-2009. A contributing writer at The Atlantic, he’s also the author of The Big Stick: The Limits of Soft Power and the Necessity of Military Force.

“How To Find and Practice Courage” (2020) – Manfred F. R. Kets de Vries

This essay opens with a story of a CEO who went against shareholder advice to do what he believed was right, even as he feared the consequences. What gave him courage? Had it always been there under the surface? If you’re interested in brain science and the psychology behind courage, this is a great piece. At the end, it offers techniques on how to “practice courage,” such as going out of your comfort zone and taking care of your body when it’s afraid.

Manfred F.R. Kets de Vries is a psychoanalyst, management scholar, and executive coach. At INSEAD in France, Abu Dhabi, and Singapore , he is the Distinguished Clinical Professor of Leadership Development and Organizational Change. He wrote Down the Rabbit Hole of Leadership: Leadership Pathology in Everyday Life (2018).

“The Six Attributes of Courage” – Melanie Greenberg

What is courage? It’s something most people recognize when they see it, but there are different kinds of courage. In this essay, Dr. Greenberg briefly describes six defining characteristics of courage. She uses quotes from people like Nelson Mandela, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and others. Attributes include following your heart and letting go of what’s familiar and comfortable. The piece concludes with a courage-building exercise.

Dr. Melanie Greenberg is a psychologist, speaker, author, and coach. Her book The Stress-Proof Brain is an Amazon bestseller. She travels the world giving talks to non-profits, businesses, and professional organizations. Active on Twitter, she has been featured in media like CNN, Forbes, BBC Radio, and more.

• Skip to main content
• Skip to header right navigation
• Skip to site footer

Everyday Psych

The Desire to Be Courageous

Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently. — Maya Angelou

If you could ask a genie to improve just one of your personal traits, there’s a good chance you’d wish for more courage.

Indeed, in one study, researchers examined the major religions and philosophies of the past 3,000 years to see which virtues were most valued. Across nearly all of the texts they analyzed, the virtue ‘courage’ was praised almost universally. In fact, some researchers have even argued that courage is the most desired virtue of all the virtues!

So, if you’re like most people (and definitely if you’re like me ), you’re probably wondering (1) “What does it exactly mean to be courageous?” and (2) “How can I get some more of that stuff?”

THE COURAGEOUS FIRST QUESTION

Much of the research on courage initially tried to deal with the pesky question of defining it. And according to years or research, courageous acts are defined by three qualities:

• Acting even though one feels afraid
• Acting to achieve a meaningful purpose
• Acting voluntarily (or of your own accord)

In other words, to exhibit courage, your action must work toward a higher-order value (e.g., helping someone, improving yourself). You must have some concern/fear about the potential negative consequences of your action (i.e., courage is NOT fearlessness). And you yourself must have chosen to act (i.e., your action must have been done of your own free will).

Importantly, acting courageous is not the same as acting foolhardy. Whereas foolhardy actions undertake a lot of risk for comparatively little reward, courageous acts have a more equal balance of risk and reward.

For example, if a cat were stuck in the lower branches of a tree, climbing up the tree (even though you’re afraid of heights) would be a courageous act. In contrast, if the cat were stuck on the very highest branches, climbing that high would be foolhardy. (Especially when you consider how ungrateful cats are — or at least how ungrateful mine were 😉).

COURAGE ON DISPLAY

One of the reasons that courage is so valued is because it’s not that common.

In general, people are “risk averse.” Or in other words, people tend to fear the risk of losing something more than they desire the reward of gaining something.

Thus, in order to be courageous, we often have to desire to be more courageous as it’s against our natural inclinations. But here, it’s important to note that people can be courageous in one of two broad ways.

People can exhibit “ small acts” of courage (e.g., advocating one’s social justice beliefs to people who disagree with them) or “ big acts” of courage (e.g., taking a career path that satisfies ones dreams but might not ultimately be lucrative).

And although you might think people tend to be more courageous for small (vs. big) acts, when people want to be courageous, they’re actually more likely to be courageous for big (vs. small) ones!

With small or unimportant acts, these choices often lack one of the three traits of courage described earlier. Or, similarly, it’s easier to convince ourselves that one of those traits is missing.

For example, you might convince yourself that disagreeing with someone’s belief won’t cause any lasting change (i.e., you’re no longer working toward a meaningful cause), and so the act is no longer perceived as a “courageous” one.

However, when it comes to big or important decisions, it is harder to argue that those elements of courage don’t exist in the decision (i.e., fear, purpose, and free will), and so, we feel even more motivated here to act and make the courageous decision!

BECOMING MORE COURAGEOUS

Just because we might be more inclined to exhibit courage when it comes to big decisions, it’s also important to try practicing your courage on the small acts, too.

Not only will this help “strengthen” your courage overall, but these small opportunities to demonstrate your courage come up much more frequently than the big acts, meaning your courage could likely have a broader impact for more people.

Wants to Be More Courageously, Jake

Everyday Psychology : In previous research, I have talked about how we can use psychology to improve our performance when competing in “ the clutch ” or when we’re trying to make a comeback. After today’s post, though, we can also use these instances as opportunities to practice courage. Th a t is, the next time you’re in a situation where it’s coming down to the wire or you’re behind schedule on doing something, try to frame this as a test of your courage — and take charge of the challenge! These are good examples where you might be a little afraid, where you’re working toward a meaningful cause, and your own free will dictates your participation. Whether you’re successful or not (though here’s some extra research to help support your success ), you can praise yourself for courage well demonstrated!

Gal, D., & Rucker, D. D. (2020). Act boldly: Important life decisions, courage, and the motivated pursuit of risk.  Journal of Personality and Social Psychology . Advance online publication.  https://doi.org/10.1037/pspi0000329

Reader Interactions

March 25, 2021 at 8:54 am

Back to reading your blog after quite a while and now this is the most I have disagreed on a post of yours…because of your comment about cats being ungrateful! JK 😀

I really liked your last bit about the courage (though we convince ourselves it’s small) involved in bringing oneself up from personal downturns like being behind schedule or after a wave of demotivation. Takes this post home.

March 25, 2021 at 2:52 pm

Sobia, thank you for the great comment! haha You know, I actually went back in there amended the article slightly in response to your comment about the cats 😉 That said, I’m glad you enjoyed the post, and I’m grateful for your thoughts. I hope you have a good day!

Sobia Bushra

March 26, 2021 at 8:27 am

lol I didn’t expect you to change it! haha have a good day yourself 🙂

Home — Essay Samples — Life — Courage — Understanding the Meaning of Courage and Its Importance

Understanding The Meaning of Courage and Its Importance

• Categories: Bravery Courage

About this sample

Words: 307 |

Published: Mar 17, 2023

Words: 307 | Page: 1 | 2 min read

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Prof. Kifaru

Verified writer

• Expert in: Life

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

1 pages / 507 words

1 pages / 392 words

4.5 pages / 2031 words

4 pages / 1894 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Courage

Courage is the unwavering resolve to do what is right, even in the face of adversity and fear. It is not the absence of fear itself, as fear is a natural response to danger. Rather, courage provides us with the strength and [...]

Every individual possesses the inherent capacity to make a choice between acquiescence and action. The concept of standing up for what is right embodies the courage to confront injustice, challenge oppression, and advocate for [...]

Nelson Mandela is one of the most admirable and inspiring leaders of our time. He lived a life full of courage and bravery, constantly fighting for what he believed in, and paving the way for social justice and equality. This [...]

Anne Frank, a young Jewish girl who lived during the Holocaust, has become an iconic figure whose diary has captured the hearts and minds of people all over the world. Her words, written during the two years she and her family [...]

Character Analysis: Analyze the characters in the novel who exhibit courage and bravery, and discuss how their actions and decisions reflect these qualities. Theme Exploration: Explore the theme of [...]

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is the unforgettable novel of a child’s story growing up in a sleepy, Southern town and the crisis of conscience that rocked it. The novel takes readers through the many emotions of a [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

Ethics and Morality

Having the courage to desire, healthy greed..

Posted February 27, 2019

Linda : The foundation of vision is desire. To even begin such a process, it is necessary to trust that such an outcome is possible for us and that we are worthy of having a life of great fulfillment and a high level of well being. Until and unless we are willing to reconsider and risk being wrong about the identity that we have carefully and meticulously constructed, perfected and reinforced throughout our lives, we are just as likely to resist a life filled with joy and gratitude , as we are a life filled with pain and sorrow. For many, such trust calls into question our beliefs about ourselves, our deservedness, our worth, as well as our assessments of the trustworthiness of others and of the world itself. For many, the prospect of being wrong about our self-image , even a self-image based upon distorted assessments, is more threatening and disturbing than the prospect of a future of limitation and mediocrity.

Yet because desire opens us up to the possibility of experiencing failure, disappointment or loss, there is always an element of risk in even acknowledging what you really want. It’s in the willingness to tell the truth to others and ourselves about what we really want, our hunger for what truly matters to us, that the energy that fuels our passion is generated.

Rationalizing why we can’t have what we desire or convincing ourselves that it’s not attainable or “realistic” results in a weakening and diminishment of the spirit and energy that drives our motivation . Desire itself isn’t enough to fulfill our longing, but it can provide the fuel needed to generate the efforts that are required for fulfillment. In our willingness to feel the truth about what we truly desire, we can find the courage to risk going after it. It’s not that the fear of failure disappears altogether, but rather that it becomes overshadowed and pushed into the background by the intensity of the longing that is being awakened.

Not all desires, of course, are visionary, and we may be better served by resisting or ignoring some and by honoring others. Knowing which is which is the question. It is not always easy to discern the desires that are worth pursuing from those we are better off resisting. In most cases, the context of the desire is as important as the desire itself.

For example, while it may not be a good idea to indulge a desire for a hot fudge sundae every time I feel like having one, there may be occasions in which doing so is not only not a bad thing, but may be a good thing. There is also such a thing as “too much of a good thing”. For example, a practice that we think of as positive can be destructive or damaging if used to excess such as dieting , exercising, reading, having sex , or even spending time serving others.

What determines whether the fulfillment of a desire contributes to a vision or leads to a problem has more to do with the intention that underlies it, than the desire itself. It is always a good idea to check in with the question “What is my intention in fulfilling this desire? What is it that I want to gain or experience? Will this serve my wellbeing and/or the greater good of those around me? Am I seeking to avoid an unpleasant experience by going after this? Am I reinforcing a compulsive, destructive, or addictive pattern by going after it? Will the fulfillment of this desire have a beneficial effect upon what really matters to me?

Our response to desire is either to try to fulfill it or to suppress it. It’s important to not only understand whether or not the object of our desire is obtainable but also whether or not it’s attainment will really fulfill us. To know this, it is necessary to examine and understand the nature of our desire. This requires us to really feel the desire in order to find out what it is really about. The object we are smitten by might distract us from the deeper experience that we really seek.

The question may not be "What do I want?” but rather ”What is it that I really want?” What are the longings below my conscious desires? In strengthening our capacity to hold strong, potentially overwhelming emotions, we increase our ability to hold our deepest longings. Feel the desire and resist the temptation to go straight to strategy. It is in experiencing the depth of the longing, experiencing the intensity of the energy of desire that we can gain access to the motivation to move toward the realization of the desire.

Linda Bloom, L.C.S.W. , and Charlie Bloom, M.S.W. , are the authors of Secrets of Great Marriages: Real Truths from Real Couples About Lasting Love .

• Find a Therapist
• Find a Treatment Center
• Find a Psychiatrist
• Find a Support Group
• Find Online Therapy
• United States
• Brooklyn, NY
• Chicago, IL
• Houston, TX
• Los Angeles, CA
• New York, NY
• Portland, OR
• San Diego, CA
• San Francisco, CA
• Seattle, WA
• Washington, DC
• Asperger's
• Bipolar Disorder
• Chronic Pain
• Eating Disorders
• Passive Aggression
• Personality
• Goal Setting
• Positive Psychology
• Stopping Smoking
• Low Sexual Desire
• Relationships
• Child Development
• Self Tests NEW
• Therapy Center
• Diagnosis Dictionary
• Types of Therapy

At any moment, someone’s aggravating behavior or our own bad luck can set us off on an emotional spiral that threatens to derail our entire day. Here’s how we can face our triggers with less reactivity so that we can get on with our lives.

• Emotional Intelligence
• Gaslighting
• Affective Forecasting
• Neuroscience

Greater Good Science Center • Magazine • In Action • In Education

Six Ways to Find Your Courage During Challenging Times

“We teach who we are,” says educational philosopher Parker Palmer.

Early in my teaching career, I participated in a series of retreats led by the Center for Courage and Renewal, inspired by Palmer’s book The Courage to Teach . Palmer reminds us that our sense of self plays out in our work every day—and living with courage and integrity means finding balance and alignment between our inner and outer selves. In other words, our identities, values, and beliefs inform the selves we bring to others.

But how do we find the courage to stand up for our coworkers, students, neighbors, family and friends, and ourselves amid exhausting and unprecedented challenges? The truth is, I’m not particularly thrilled with the person I’ve been bringing to work lately. On some mornings, I’m simply looking for the courage to get out of bed.

If you are like me, there are days when you feel emotionally weary, inept, and cynical—all characteristics of burnout . However, I’m finding that the science of courage offers a psychological lifeline, helping us to clarify what really matters so that we can find a steadier, values-based resolve—and even inspire it in others. I dove into the courage research with teachers in mind, but these tips are for everyone.

Fortunately, courage comes in many forms. Although definitions range, researchers tend to agree that it features three primary components: a risk, an intention, and a goal that may benefit others. In a classic example, a student defends a peer who is being verbally assaulted by a bully, by interrupting the bully and telling them to stop. This purposeful act may come at a cost—perhaps socially or physically.

But courage doesn’t have to look dramatic or fearless. We express it in both bold and quiet ways. In fact, “ general courage ,” the confident or seemingly brazen actions perceived by others, differs from “ personal courage ,” those actions that are courageous in the minds of the actors themselves. It all depends on how you view the challenge in front of you and the fears associated with performing a particular behavior. In other words, these days, some of us may need significant “personal courage” to get out of bed and face the day on behalf of those students we value and care about.

Why is just showing up courageous? Daily stressors can pile up, leading to emotional exhaustion, a sense of detachment from your work, and the feeling that you simply aren’t as capable as you thought you were—and if you don’t feel capable, you may not feel particularly confident. Yet courage is also associated with other positive character strengths , like persistence and integrity.

The good news is that there are many ways to tap into our capacity for courage, whether we are adults or students. Here are six.

1. See yourself as courageous

First, if we describe ourselves as “courageous,” we are more likely to act courageously . In other words, if I tell myself that I’m a courageous person as I park in the school parking lot and walk into my school, it may actually give me a psychological boost and inspire me to meet the day with greater self-assurance.

Alternatively, we can take time to note and label all the courageous actions we have already taken in our lives. For example, when you consider how your childhood struggles inform your current relationships with coworkers or students, or how you made it through college as a single mom, or how you’ve learned to cope with a chronic health issue, you may be more likely to experience positive emotions while reconnecting with personal values and beliefs that can inspire future courageous behaviors.

Consider conducting an inventory of past actions with your students or colleagues so that you can identify and celebrate individual acts of courage together. Then, discuss how those actions influence who you are now and who you want to be.

2. Get comfortable with “mistakes”

We can recognize and celebrate courage with others, but it can also be a very internal, day-to-day experience. One of the most common ways we practice courage at work is in our pursuit of learning and personal growth. Research tells us that fear of failure can negatively correlate with courage, but what if it’s OK to make mistakes—and they are even welcomed learning tools?

Studies indicate that students may benefit from making mistakes (and correcting them) rather than avoiding them at all costs. And when researchers reviewed 38 studies of resilience in response to failure, errors, or mistakes, they found that more resilient individuals had lower levels of perfectionism and a more positive way of explaining past events: “I haven’t solved this long division problem yet, but I’ll try another strategy next.”

Another way to address fear of failure is through a simple practice you can share with your students or colleagues called “ Crumpled Reminder ,” where you write about a recent mistake you made, crumple up a paper representing your feelings about that mistake, and then discuss the ways mistakes strengthen brain activity and help us to learn and grow.

Crumpled Reminder

Write down a recent mistake and your feelings about it, and then crumple up the paper. Then reflect on how your mistakes help you learn.

Rather than fearing looming “failures,” seeing daily missteps as opportunities for learning frees all of us to appreciate learning for what it is—a process rather than a performance.

3. Keep trying

Courage at work also requires perseverance. As our fears lessen, we are more likely to persist in learning—to keep trying despite the obstacles ahead of us. And perseverance (or persistence), as a character strength, can also be modeled, observed, and developed. In fact, when adults model persistence in working toward a goal, infants as young as 15 months tend to mimic that behavior.

As teachers, we have a lot of power to influence our students’ efforts by sharing our own vulnerabilities while we read a challenging text, our own self-conscious emotions as we outline a timed essay, our stops and starts while solving a word problem, and our commitment to keep going.

And research suggests that teachers’ growth mindsets, or belief that intelligence grows and changes with effort, can be linked to the development of students’ growth mindsets. This more positive, flexible mindset can improve students’ performance at school, boost their well-being and social competence , and even promote kind, helpful, and prosocial actions. All these benefits may bolster our capacity for courageous actions, too.

4. Look for the heroes

Of course, if we are feeling apathetic, anxious, or fearful about stepping up and doing that next best thing at school or in life, it can be helpful to draw inspiration from others—whether near or far, real or fictional.

According to research , the individuals we admire may represent some aspect of our ideal selves as they demonstrate moral courage through difficult times and a desire to do good in the world. They can also inspire us to live more meaningful lives. Studies suggest that seeing images of heroes may move us to sense greater meaning in our lives—and even increase our drive to help others.

Basic social cognitive theory tells us that we are motivated through “vicarious experiences”—as we witness others’ actions. In fact, when adults observe courageous behaviors in their workplaces , like a teacher standing up for a group of students or a colleague advocating for an important policy, they are more likely to see the potential for organizational change and feel inspired to act courageously themselves.

Our students can benefit from models of courage, too. In the “ Who Are Your Heroes? ” lesson from Giraffe Heroes Project , students listen to and present hero stories, while exploring the risks and benefits of courageous acts. Stories like these can communicate shared values , make us more  empathic , and may  encourage us to help others .

5. Clarify your values

You may recognize heroism or courage in others, but sometimes struggle to see it in yourself. If so, it may be helpful to ask yourself a few key questions:

• What do I value in myself?
• What do I “stand for”?
• What is important to me?
• What are some of my successes and accomplishments?

When researchers measured teachers’ responses to prompts like these, they found that teachers’ anxiety immediately decreased—and they experienced more positive emotions over time when compared to a control group. Teachers’ values drive their goals and behaviors at school, while supporting their well-being and a sense of self-efficacy at work. If we feel clear and capable, we may also feel more courageous.

Philosophers consider courage to be a foundational virtue because it guides us to act on behalf of other virtues or values. In fact, our convictions, values, sense of integrity, honor, and loyalty can all influence our courageous actions. When we experience a threat to our moral code, we are likely to act in a way that upholds our beliefs and values. And the more powerful the belief , the more likely you will not be influenced or swayed by those around you.

You and your students can clarify your values and explore your character strengths through a range of simple practices for both adults and students , like Discovering Your Strengths and Talents , Eight Inner Strengths for Leaders , and Reminders that Encourage Moral Character Strengths .

6. Become part of a social force for courage

Finally, we can act on our values in community. After more than a year of isolation from each other—and the prospect of ongoing public health, environmental, and sociocultural crises—we are finding courage again in groups.

More Education Resources

Visit Greater Good in Education for more information, tips, and practices to support teacher and student well-being. To dive deeper into the research behind these practices and strategies, register for one of our online courses for educators .

Teachers and students are participating in social and emotional communities of practice, circles of courage , and other “ circles ” practices to nurture a sense of belonging, find emotional support, and engage in collective action. Studies indicate that social groups like these promote interdependence, social identity, and cohesion and influence courageous behavior, too.

And one of the most empowering things we can do for our students right now is to support them in being courageous community problem solvers, too.

Tribes Learning Communities  curricula focus on active learning and community building among adults and students to reduce violence and increase kindness. For example, in their lesson “ Put Down the Put-Downs ,” students consider how hurtful name-calling really feels and brainstorm ways to end the problem in their classrooms and school. In this case, perspective taking and empathic responses can lead to more courageous and impassioned student action, cultivating a positive school and classroom climates where everyone is  honored and valued .

Further, in the lesson “ It’s Up to Us to Stick Our Necks Out ,” students share stories about everyday heroes drawn from a free story bank , and then learn to “Be the Story” by selecting, planning, and enacting a service learning project to address a community challenge (such as homelessness, clean air or water, or a need for increased literacy). As we act on our values together, we may feel a greater sense of agency in a world that feels topsy-turvy right now.

During those dark, winter mornings when you really don’t want to crawl out of bed and face the day, remember that courage can also be a very private, personal act. There will always be risks and challenges to face, but what really matters most—in your gut? Is it love, learning, curiosity, compassion, hope? How do these values inform who you are and how you show up in the world?

These are the key questions that can help us to frame our truest intentions—even on our most difficult days.

New Course! Courage in Education

Face Challenges with Strength, Determination, and Hope

About the Author

Amy L. Eva, Ph.D. , is the associate education director at the Greater Good Science Center. As an educational psychologist and teacher educator with over 25 years in classrooms, she currently writes, presents, and leads online courses focused on student and educator well-being, mindfulness, and courage. Her new book, Surviving Teacher Burnout: A Weekly Guide To Build Resilience, Deal with Emotional Exhaustion, and Stay Inspired in the Classroom, features 52 simple, low-lift strategies for enhancing educators’ social and emotional well-being.

You May Also Enjoy

Courage Under Fire

Three Tricky Ways to Cultivate Courage

The Roots of Moral Courage

How to Transform Stress into Courage and Connection

How to Cultivate Ethical Courage

How to Live a More Courageous Life

Fear vs. Courage Essay

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

Introduction

Fear vs. courage, works cited.

Inherently, man endeavors to avoid anything that is perceived as amoral; instead, he craves, and competes to get and amass what is thought to be good. Here, it is worth to note that what is true or bad is relative and depends on a given society.

Out of the realization of his manifest weakness, man has established institutions into which he has surrendered all his power to judge or determine his course of actions freely in order to promote harmonious living, which is suitable for his overall development.

These institutions include the family, state and religion among others. Giving up all of his power to judge and do as he wishes places him in a situation that makes him fear or lack the courage to disobey authorities-religious, political or otherwise.

Obedience is promoted in all societies while disobedience is condemned (Fromm 683). Societies have even devised wise sayings in praise of obedience such the famous Judeo-Christian adage ‘Obedience is better than sacrifice.’ Amongst the young ones, the most obedient are celebrated and held highly while the disobedient are subjected to unpleasant punishments at home and school with a view to discourage them from disobeying. They are thus, patterned socio-psychologically to embrace obedience, which shuns and fears disobedience.

Every aspect of human nature has its direct opposite. These life opposites are usually in a perpetual struggle with each other. This struggle brings about order in an individual’s life and the wider society. For instance, the opposite of fear is courage while the opposite of obedience is disobedience.

Even though man is born with an inherent power of choice, that power is limited in many ways. He can for instance choose to obey or disobey, love or hate.

However, the choice is usually dependent on various factors, some external and others internal to his inner being. In fact, based on this power of choice, the renowned political philosopher, Nicollo Machiavelli, suggested that political leaders should use excess power where necessary in order to have their way especially on matters that are a threat to security of their territories and their positions.

Fear and courage in relation to obedience and other life aspects is also inborn. For example, human beings tend to be fearful and suspicious of anything new or anybody different from them. This line of argument, in fact, perfectly explains the prevalent clash of cultures that characterize the global community.

As pointed out earlier, man always endeavors to avoid anything untoward, compete for, and pursue what is perceived as legitimate. The unpleasant consequences of disobedience have perpetually forced man to fear to do contrary to the will of all that are accepted as authentic authorities and more powerful than he is, in terms of religion is, politically or socially.

On the other hand, the goodies that ensue from being obedient form the basis of his courage to adhere to set rules and do the will of his authorities.

Nickson, an outspoken and fun-to- be with teenager in my neighborhood, has loving and caring but strict conservative parents. Through out the days I have known him, he has always had a somewhat rigid routine, which he follows without failure rest he faces the wrath of his no nonsense parents.

Likewise, he chooses his friends carefully and cannot even risk being seen in the company of some of his age mates in our place of residence. However, when he does anything significant of which he is used to doing since he is a bright boy he is mostly showered with various kinds of gifts.

Sometimes back, an internationally distinguished reggae musician was holding a concert in a local nightclub. Nickson, a zealous lover of reggae music, was under pressure to attend the concert. There was also pressure from close friends to join them that night. Most of his friends are well known by his parents even though, unlike him, they had of late managed to break up, to some extent, the strong grip of their parents up on their freedom of choice.

However, he knew exceedingly well that his parents would never approve his desire to attend let alone allow him to attend an overnight. He, just like his friends, had started to ascertain his maturity having jus concluded his high school education. It was pointless and equally wrong to mention such a thing to them.

He was therefore, left with the option of mustering enough courage to disobey his parents by sneaking out on the night, irrespective of the obvious punishment he would get, if they got knowledge of his actions.

The day came, and everything went as he had planned. In fact, this event became the turning point in his life in terms of asserting his freedom from unnecessary parental control given that he was just about to join the university. Nevertheless, his obedience and loyalty to his parents’ opinions on various issues continued to be an influential factor in most of his choices.

In this case, Nickson always feared doing anything that was contrary to his parents’ will whom he revered because it was understandably wrong to disobey his parents and secondly because of the severe punishment that would be meted out up on him in case of his wrongdoing.

The envied gifts, that usually followed most of his virtuous deeds at home and school, gave him more courage to obey his parents without ever questioning the logic of their somewhat unnecessarily suffocating rules and principles. The acceptance that ensued from his obedient deeds was irresistible. As Fromm would put it, Nickson’s obedience to his parents’ power and influence made him “…feel safe and protected” (686).

It made him see himself as part of his parents and gave him some form of strength. In short, the consequences of an individual’s choices and actions within the inner self, family, school, and the wider society potentially makes him vulnerable to obedience and difficult to do contrary to the will and whims of a respected authority.

At one point in life individuals, as well as, groups or the majority in the quest for the much-needed freedom gathers enough courage to disobey an authority irrespective of the possible unpleasant consequences. Fromm argues that, man can only achieve freedom from what he calls nonsense control of a minority power through disobedience (686).

However, he correctly cautions that not all disobedience can be regarded to as liberating and that not all obedience can be considered enslaving (Fromm 684). Doing so he argues would lead to the danger of ignoring the obvious dialectical relationships between obedience and disobedience.

For instance, when Nickson chooses to obey his parent’s dictates and wishes he would disobey his peer pressure and desire to attend the eagerly awaited Reggae concert. Likewise, by bowing down to his desires and peer pressure he would be disobeying his parents’ rules (Fromm 684). The struggle between a choice of obeying his parents or disobeying them brings about the order of events in his life.

When he eventually chooses to attend the concert behind his parents’ knowledge and obviously contrary to their principles, he in other words chose to be free from their power. This, eventually, gave him courage to say no to his parents in the future whenever he felt that his space was unnecessarily being constrained by the excesses of his parents’ power and opinions. In other words, it set him in to a path of freedom as he approached a new life in the campus and the outside world away from his usual home environment.

His choice was also largely informed by the need to conform to his age mates who were determined to make him assert his maturity to his parents just like them.

The desire to show that he was also not under an absolute control by his parents was strong and irresistible. He was even oblivious of the dangers that would befall him at the club during that night. He unconsciously bowed to the will of the majority in terms of his age mates, regardless of whether they were aware of the dangers they were subjecting themselves.

Conformity can be as enslaving as the fear to disobey powers that people have accepted in their minds as authentic and befitting respect and honor. It can equally deny people an opportunity to be free from unfounded beliefs, superstitions and stereotypes that can potentially impede identification and nurturing of their unique talents and abilities (Asch 730).

In virtually all societies, people choose to conform to the will and opinions of the majority because they would like to be accepted (Asch 726). Very few people have the ability to chose and are comfortable for being different or having a different opinion from the majority who are always ignorant, and out of unfounded cowardice, believed to be always right.

Surprisingly, acceptance by the majority who could be wrong is better and easily bearable than being alone and right with regard to a given issue (Fromm 686).

Being different in opinion and principles, is worse construed by some to be an indication of inadequacy in oneself, which can blindly mislead them into self-hate. Nickson found himself in such a situation and being a teenager, he was easily swayed by the choice of his majority age mates because of the equally wanted acceptance apart from the one enjoyed within the confines of his family.

He could not bear being alone anymore on matters related to entertainment and partying. Therefore, he decided to ignore his parents’ warnings about dangers of going out at night in their absence so that he could conform to his friends.

According to Asch (730), even though when asked, many people say they would prefer to be independent, influence of the principle of conformity is overwhelming and tends to make us prisoners of unfounded fears, beliefs, stereotypes, superstitions and myths (Zimbardo 743). This, in turn, limits people’s freedom, which is necessary for intellectual, spiritual and material development.

Even though fear is inborn, our fear to disobey is largely informed by factors such as the need to avoid taking responsibility for our actions and to conform to the despotism of the majority who are ignorantly believed to be right. This, in turn, denies us our freedom and independence from the ruin that results from majority misjudgments and convictions.

Asch, Solomon. Opinions and social pressure. New York, NY: Freeman, 1955.Print.

Fromm, Erich. On disobedience and other essays. New York, NY: Seabury Press, 1981.

Zimbardo, Philip. Stanford prison experiment: a simulation study of the psychology of imprisonment. Stanford: Philip G. Zimbardo, Inc, 1972. Print.

• Does Antigone Have an Obligation to Obey or Disobey Creon’s Law?
• Civil Disobedience: Advantages and Disadvantages
• Reggae, Disco, and Funk Musical Styles
• Research Methods Used in Motivation and Emotion Studies
• Effects of Social Pressure to be Thin on Young Women: An Experimental Investigation of the Effects of "Fat Talk"
• Psychological Disorders and Behaviors
• Depression: A Critical Evaluation
• ADHD Should Be Viewed as a Cognitive Disorder
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2019, March 24). Fear vs. Courage. https://ivypanda.com/essays/fear-vs-courage/

"Fear vs. Courage." IvyPanda , 24 Mar. 2019, ivypanda.com/essays/fear-vs-courage/.

IvyPanda . (2019) 'Fear vs. Courage'. 24 March.

IvyPanda . 2019. "Fear vs. Courage." March 24, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/fear-vs-courage/.

1. IvyPanda . "Fear vs. Courage." March 24, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/fear-vs-courage/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Fear vs. Courage." March 24, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/fear-vs-courage/.

New : You can now import your lists directly from the old catalog . More help resources are available here .

Hold notifications: Text messages may be unreliable. Please consider also selecting to be notified by phone or email.

• » Hungry hearts: essays on courage, desire, and belonging
• » Book

Hungry hearts : essays on courage, desire, and belonging (Book)

Description

Also in this series, more like this, syndetics unbound, table of contents, author notes, more details, similar series from novelist, similar titles from novelist, similar authors from novelist, published reviews.

Walsh, J. R. (2021). Hungry hearts: essays on courage, desire, and belonging (First edition.). The Dial Press.

Walsh, Jennifer Rudolph. 2021. Hungry Hearts: Essays On Courage, Desire, and Belonging . The Dial Press.

Walsh, Jennifer Rudolph. Hungry Hearts: Essays On Courage, Desire, and Belonging The Dial Press, 2021.

Walsh, Jennifer Rudolph. Hungry Hearts: Essays On Courage, Desire, and Belonging First edition., The Dial Press, 2021.