Perhaps it is possible to overcome the fear of death, but it is even more important to overcome the fear of life.
Jorge Angel Livraga
Often in life, we find ourselves in situations where we do not see a way out, where fear takes hold of us and our hearts become weak. In those moments of weakness, we may unconsciously give up on fighting life’s circumstances, choosing the easy path and allowing the river of life to carry us… We all need courage to continue on. Throughout human history, there is hardly a virtue that has been written about, sung about, and nowadays, even made into movies, as much as courage. In the name of courage, wars were fought and loved, things were created and destroyed…
Unlike courage, which we seek, fear is our daily companion, especially when we have to face life’s challenges. That is why we must seek true courage, the kind that conquers oneself and one’s fears.
Today, virtues like true courage do not find their place among our priorities. On the contrary, they are replaced by various distractions…
The presented surrogates in the form of power display, aggression and anger, criticizing others, various adrenaline rushes, and the like. However, when life circumstances arise that require us to truly demonstrate the strength of these “values,” they ultimately reveal the weakness of character cleverly concealed by feigned bravery and false security. That’s when we find ourselves alone, at the mercy of life’s winds, painfully aware that the courage we thought we possessed has evaporated, replaced by insecurity and fear of the changes that life brings. Such moments are precisely an opportunity to listen to ourselves from within because then we can hear that barely audible voice of bravery that we have suppressed out of fear of being different, more true to ourselves, more authentic.
But hearing the inner voice that calls for courage is one thing, but actually listening to it and allowing it to take the leading role in our choices and values is not easy because it requires us to change the image of ourselves that we have built for years. This often leads to When our goal seems distant, we think that there will be more time and opportunities, so we return to our old and familiar selves when the storm subsides.
The Role of Philosophy
Where to seek advice on how to live courageously?
philosophy...", says Roman stoic Seneca and continues: "It (philosophy) shapes and builds one's character, brings order to life, directs behavior, shows us what we should and should not do, stands at the helm and maintains direction as we rock on the restless sea."
Throughout various epochs and cultures, the concept of bravery appears in relation to various life circumstances. Considering that as a civilization we inherit ancient achievements, we will take as an example what Plato taught about the soul and bravery.
Plato divides the soul into three parts: the rational, the spirited, and the appetitive. He attributes a type of character to each part of the soul: the appetitive is greed-driven, the spirited is Brave in soul, but rational and prudent. These parts of the soul in a person are not harmonized and do not have a need for unity, but rather strive to satisfy their individual needs, so that a person lives within themselves divided, attempting to attach themselves to the part of the soul they believe will bring them security and comfort, often “thinking” with the irrational or “deciding” with the desirous part. This state of disunity within a person is the cause of wandering in life and the hardships that befall them, so the person becomes detached from themselves.
We may wonder what this has to do with bravery.
Plato explains that it is necessary to establish a certain order in the soul; each part of the soul needs to perform its task and be in harmony and balance with the others. According to Plato, this healthy state of the soul is made possible by virtues, which represent knowledge that can be learned and developed through application. The desirous part is paired with moderation, so that a person can be moderate in their instincts, passions, and desires. The rational part is paired with prudence, enabling a person to make rational decisions. We seek anchor points and perceive life as a learning process, as something much deeper and more valuable than mere existence driven by the same sensory stimuli and patterns. Between the rational and the lustful part of the soul lies the heart. Plato associates courage with virtue in the heart.
Why does courage bind to the heart?
But isn’t the courageous one the one with a heart? (…) Surely, you have noticed that courage is irresistible and unbeatable, that with it every soul is fearless and unattainable?
The heart has the ability to incline towards one of the other two parts of the soul: the rational or the lustful. This means that if there is a pronounced inclination of our feelings towards the lustful and irrational part, then our thoughts and actions are just like that – guided by the passions of the body and our ignorance. However, if we lean towards our rational part, then our actions are characteristic of a humane being.
Therefore, there lies the crucial possibility for humans, and that is the possibility of choice that conditions our actions and builds our relationship with life.
We call every individual Courageous is he who, with both pain and pleasure, faithfully fulfills what reason commands, be it fearful or not. (…) This means that one safeguards it and does not lose it in sorrows or joys, nor in desire nor in fear. Plato in The Republic says, “I call and establish as courage such strength and complete preservation of the true lawful opinion of what is fearful and what is not fearful.” In this context, a brave person is one who possesses knowledge of the things one should fear and those one should not, and acts accordingly in one’s life. Courage does not consist in exposing oneself to risk without fear, but in the determination not to yield to adversity and dangers, to remain steadfast for a just cause.
These three virtues – moderation, courage, and prudence – lead a person towards themselves, gradually enabling them to regain lost balance. In doing so, one thinks, feels, and acts as a unified being. Such a person can be called just because they are just to themselves, and then to others. Without self-justice, there can be no true justice in the world. The wisdom that brings into our elections, courage would turn into recklessness and urge a person to tackle dangers that are beyond his capabilities or it would turn into the satisfaction of his own vanity.
Furthermore, if courage in moments of fear and panic is not guided by a just, wise, and composed mind, a person becomes indecisive and susceptible. Although he may then appear to be acting bravely, his actions are still the result of uncontrolled passions and affects that arise from the desirous part of the soul, and instead of becoming the master of the situation, the person becomes a slave to the circumstances.
On the other hand, if a cold, rational thinking prevails in us, we are not courageous because we are not afraid, but maybe just indifferent. One who does not know fear or has never felt it cannot recognize courage or the ability to overcome fear.
Plato speaks to us about this courage: a brave person is not a fearful coward, but nor is he recklessly daring. He is brave because in him reigns and understanding, strives for wisdom, is moderate in desires, and just in action.
Every day we have an opportunity for courage because every new day brings new uncertainty, requires a constant position of choice, and facing the challenges of life that destiny brings us in the form of difficulties, when we least expect it and when we have no direct influence. Will we then courageously face and transform life obstacles and problems into acquired knowledge that we can apply as useful experience in the future, or will we perceive them as unfortunate and difficult fate, it is our choice. The stoic philosophical doctrine perhaps gives us the most concrete advice when it says that nothing happens to a person that exceeds their strength. According to the Stoics, fate has chosen a person who constantly faces obstacles to give them an opportunity to demonstrate their brave and strong character. As Seneca says, “Fire shapes gold, and adversity shapes a brave person.” A brave person is composed and calm even in the most difficult times.
And finally, in moments when we face challenges, we must remember that we have the power to choose our attitude and response. It is in these moments that our true character is revealed and where we have the opportunity to grow and learn from our experiences. Instead of feeling defeated or victimized by the circumstances, we can approach them with courage and resilience, knowing that they can ultimately make us stronger and wiser. We hesitate about taking a courageous step, let us summon determination and we will recognize how the virtue of bravery slowly becomes a part of us, helping us clear the paths of life, awakening within us a brave person who boldly marches towards their destiny.