Live as a coward or die as a hero?

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Gareth
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Re: Live as a coward or die as a hero?

Post by Gareth »

I found this question truely challenging.

I do not fear death or pain and would attempt to save the three yr. old child used as an example in a number of previous posts, however... I absolutely abhor violence. I am not a pacifist for I see the need for force to be used in rare occasions for the greater good but I find being involved in a violent situation myself truely revolting.

Thus in a situation where I am confronted by violent behaviour I will remove myself from it as rapidly as possible (in short I run away) but I can confront danger of a non violent kind, an out of control motor car for example and could I believe act quite bravely. So is that cowadice? I have certainly been accused of it in the past and do feel shame that I am unable to overcome my abhorance of violence. As I said this question gave me pause.

On a seperate but related point I think I judge as heroic those people who put themselves in harms way to protect others the greatest of which are those who can have no expectation of being recognised as such. As such the greatest heroes of our time may be people you have never heard of, who gain no medals or plaudits, the unsung hero for me is the greatest hero of all.
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Cyanse
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Re: Live as a coward or die as a hero?

Post by Cyanse »

I’d rather die a hero, In any case you have done something good and worthy that you can tell when you passed out. Being a coward is living with nothing, lifeless. ^^lol :wink:
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Icarus
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Re: Live as a coward or die as a hero?

Post by Icarus »

What is a hero?

Someone who performs selfless actions in order to help others, but, in order for anyone to do something, they must have a reason to. When helping others, some come to mind:

Fame:
- having people believe you are better then you actually are, because they only see that one act of heroism.
- getting rid of survivor's guilt. Point is, if you knew you could have saved a little girl and didn't, you will probably feel guilty for the rest of your natural life.

Power:
- addiction to adrenaline. Putting yourself in jeopardy makes you feel powerful, and helping others gives you an excuse to do just that.
- godhood. Knowing other people's lives are in your hands makes you feel like god.

A truly selfless action would be one, where, you do something that benefits other people without any expectation of rewards, be them external or internal (when you congratulate yourself for performing a good deed; please be humbly proud, know you've done well, but know too that destroying always takes less time then building, and what good you've done can be undone in a few seconds).

I don't believe a truly selfless action exists, so I am content with what "heroes" we do have in real life.

Just one more point to make. Who do you believe deserves best the recognition of being called a hero? Those who chance their lives to save others? Or those who spend their lives caring for others, like teachers in bad neighborhoods, or someone that has to take care of a sick family member for years, or even someone who has to juggle two jobs and raise a child at the same time?

And this is why I don't like so much fame going to firefighters and policeman, because, even though I recognize their plights, I shudder when I see all the other anonymous "heroes".

A coward is just someone to whom those reasons above are not enough.

I will not know which I am until the time comes. I will not congratulate myself in advance for being a hero. Might even be I'll never know. Let us hope so.
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Legallyinsane21
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Re: Live as a coward or die as a hero?

Post by Legallyinsane21 »

I think it is about how you want to live your life. In reality one can live as a coward whose life is not filled with danger or adrenaline or one can live a life as a hero which is the opposite. I would rather live a coward for I want to experience things for as long as my life goes on which in this case would hypothetically be longer. I don't want to die as a hero, as this has no glory or fame. Sure the history books will remember you, but that is just a name. No one reading those books will have any substantial feelings for you, they will just have knowledge of your existence. So in general, living the life of a coward is better than dieing as a hero.
Stanley Huang
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Re: Live as a coward or die as a hero?

Post by Stanley Huang »

The question is whether or not that a person's death is worthwhile; whether or not is it worth it, and even if it is worth it, is one doing is in a wise way?

To me, that war in Iraq is really not heroism to me. There is nothing heroic in fighting against the terrorists, and Bush often said that Clinton was a coward.

It is pretty silly to think that when a person does not fight back when his country is attacked, then, he is a traditor and Bush had this kind of thinking, or he might exploit it for his profit.

Perhaps, it is much more heroic for a married man to have an affair with another woman than dying in a war in Iraq.
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Grotto19
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Re: Live as a coward or die as a hero?

Post by Grotto19 »

To live as a coward in my eyes is to fail to do those things you sincerely wish you would have out of fear. The result of which is regret. This is truly an unfortunate circumstance to be in, and one most of us live with at some point in our lives. However if one must die to avoid that regret, as opposed to living on depends on how much regret versus how much more good life is to be had. To die for something which would not provoke much regret seems foolish, but also possibly admirable. However I would suggest that one should not die for anything less than what one believe is worth dying for. But if one thinks it is worth dying for one should do it with no fear at all, for it is clearly worth more than the regret of not doing so.

That is to say that it is only courage if the cause is grave enough to warrant dying for it, otherwise it is simply being foolhardy.
Stanley Huang
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Re: Live as a coward or die as a hero?

Post by Stanley Huang »

But our desires and emotions seem too change all the time, where we often do not understand who we are. We often do not know what we are doing, and our minds may not be clear.

So I am unsure whether or not we can have no regret.
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Che Guevara13
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Re: Live as a coward or die as a hero?

Post by Che Guevara13 »

Die as a hero like Che Guevara and Hugo Chavez did.
Keiran
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Re: Live as a coward or die as a hero?

Post by Keiran »

Honestly, I'm not sure I'd choose to be a hero. Even for a 3 years old girl I'm not sure I'd be able to give my life to save her.

I mean, I've lived for so much time and suddently I meet a little 3 years old girl and I die for her? No I don't think I'd be able to do that. For myself, rather live as a coward. I prefer to live hated rather than dieing to serve a morale or something that doesn't matter if I cease to exist, like people proud of my action.(At least I'm honest^^)
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Steezy Philosoraptor
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Re: Live as a coward or die as a hero?

Post by Steezy Philosoraptor »

Live as a coward or die as a hero, here is what I think, it depends on the situation, people have many views as a "hero" famous athletes, cops, presidents, etc. It depends on what you're dying for, are you dying because you are going for the worlds longest jump on a skateboard? Or are you dying in order to save someones life? If you are saving someones life then I would say die a hero, but there are people out there with families who they may be leaving behind, you have to ask yourself in every situation if it's worth it. But usually if you are dying as a hero you don't have the opportunity to think.

-- Updated April 16th, 2013, 4:41 pm to add the following --
Keiran wrote:Honestly, I'm not sure I'd choose to be a hero. Even for a 3 years old girl I'm not sure I'd be able to give my life to save her.

I mean, I've lived for so much time and suddently I meet a little 3 years old girl and I die for her? No I don't think I'd be able to do that. For myself, rather live as a coward. I prefer to live hated rather than dieing to serve a morale or something that doesn't matter if I cease to exist, like people proud of my action.(At least I'm honest^^)

Damn that is the most selfish answer I've ever heard, how can you deny a 3 year old the right to live in order to just save your own life? You state that you've already lived so long and can't just give that up, I believe you need to be living your life a little different, where you would be feeling like you could leave this world any moment and be content about it, and only hope that the 3 year old has a life half as good as yours.
Mariakaptain
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Re: Live as a coward or die as a hero?

Post by Mariakaptain »

I think that the best answer is what will happpen when for someone comes to save somebody's life, there will be the answer.

I think that none of us now can know if he would indeed save another person's life when needed it to. Even the most certain could be refutered or the cowards could exhibit a superior spiritual power and would save someone. But none can know it on advance. It can be learned at the exact time of the event.
Xris
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Re: Live as a coward or die as a hero?

Post by Xris »

A hero dies the once. A coward dies a thousand times...The old ones are usually the best. It indicates what fear can do to anyone. If you do not face your demons, your fears,they stay with you.
Trinity
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Re: Live as a coward or die as a hero?

Post by Trinity »

New to the forum and how it works. This might be a double post. Sorry.

What is the difference between cowardice and heroism.
Xris
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Re: Live as a coward or die as a hero?

Post by Xris »

Trinity wrote:New to the forum and how it works. This might be a double post. Sorry.

What is the difference between cowardice and heroism.
For me it me it is about overcoming my fears.Facing my demons.
Trinity
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Re: Live as a coward or die as a hero?

Post by Trinity »

Xris wrote: (Nested quote removed.)

For me it me it is about overcoming my fears.Facing my demons.
Might be so. What about those of us who went and fought "despite" their fear? Even those of us who never actually saw physical combat? And, sometimes did?

What is the distinction between cowardice and heroism?

I know what it is.
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