On Cowards and Heroes

ok doser

lifeguard at the cement pond
I am not using the terms "cowardly".

Do you use the term "hero" to describe people like Mintz or Todd Beamer?

That's your hang-up.

My "hang-up" is the inconsistency in labeling the actions of a hero as heroic and insisting that one must not label the actions of a coward as cowardly

Fear is normal. Self-preservation is normal.

And the way one deals with those normal reactions is the crux of the matter.

If one "displays ignoble fear or want of courage in the face of danger, pain, or difficulty" then they are cowardly by definition (see post 8)

If one musters "the ability to do something dangerous, or to face pain or opposition, without showing fear", then they are courageous, by definition. (see post 13)



Why do you have this great need to label people?

You mean like attaching the label of hero to the likes of Mintz or Todd Beamer?
 
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ok doser

lifeguard at the cement pond
Again, so?
I wasn't at the Alamo or Normandy Beach either. I can't call those Americans Heroes? But I do, millions do.

Your logic is flawed.

It's not my "logic", it's anna's (and others):

You weren't there. You don't know how it all went down ...

My logic is that if you apply anna's criteria which requires presence at a scene in order to comment on the actions of those at the scene, you must apply the same criteria equally to Mintz and the cowards in the classroom (or the soldiers at Normandy, many of whom acted heroically and many of whom acted cowardly)

Anna doesn't:
... the hero Mintz (and he is a hero) ...


And I get it - you and chair and anna are twisting yourselves up in knots to try to justify calling Mintz a hero while disallowing an examination of those in the classroom, because of your emptional investment in the case.

Bill Maher learned the hard way about trying to use reason on the emotional when he stated the bald truth that the 911 attackers weren't "cowards" as many in the public domain had been calling them.
 

quip

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It's not my "logic", it's anna's (and others):

Your thread....your logic, sport.



My logic is that if you apply anna's criteria which requires presence at a scene in order to comment on the actions of those at the scene, you must apply the same criteria equally to Mintz and the cowards in the classroom

No. You don't.
 

ok doser

lifeguard at the cement pond
Your thread....your logic, sport.

sorry sport, it was anna's response in my thread

I even gave you the link so you could see for yourself




My logic is that if you apply anna's criteria which requires presence at a scene in order to comment on the actions of those at the scene, you must apply the same criteria equally to Mintz and the cowards in the classroom (or the soldiers at Normandy, many of whom acted heroically and many of whom acted cowardly)
No. You don't.

because emotion

not logic

and that's fine, if you and all the rest could just be honest about it
 

quip

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because emotion

not logic

and that's fine, if you and all the rest could just be honest about it

Of course that's fine....and if you were the honest type you'd admit to the same thing. Calling some one a coward (or a hero) is a value judgement which takes an inherent degree of both reason and emotion. Each's view is personal and subjective....if you prefer to take a primary logical stance on the issue (which is wierd) and conclude the aformentioned victims as being cowardly, who should care enough to convince you otherwise? :idunno: just graciously accept and understand the opposite conclusion.... that most won't agree with you.
 

ok doser

lifeguard at the cement pond
Of course that's fine....and if you were the honest type you'd admit to the same thing. Calling some one a coward (or a hero) is a value judgement which takes an inherent degree of both reason and emotion.

no, it takes reason alone, and a willingness to look at the facts

those who acted cowardly in the classroom, those who cowered in fear, those who displayed ignoble fear or want of courage in the face of danger, pain, or difficulty are cowardly by definition (see post 8)

sans emotion

and avoiding the pitfalls of subjectivity
 

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that's covered in posts 8 and 13

From post #8:
A reproachful designation for one who displays ignoble fear or want of courage in the face of danger, pain, or difficulty; an ignobly faint-hearted or pusillanimous person.


Right.
But you said "not all of them" (victims) were cowards so which ones demonstrated ignoble fears and which ones didn't....and how did you reach these conclusions. (I might agree with you in some of these cases if given the evidence.)
 

ok doser

lifeguard at the cement pond
A reproachful designation for one who displays ignoble fear or want of courage in the face of danger, pain, or difficulty; an ignobly faint-hearted or pusillanimous person.

Right.
But you said "not all of them" (victims) were cowards so which ones demonstrated ignoble fears and which ones didn't....and how did you reach these conclusions. (I might agree with you in some of these cases if given the evidence.)


Matthew Downing - coward

"A middle-aged woman behind her rose to shut the classroom door and was struck in the stomach by several bullets." - hero

"A friend of the injured woman dragged her into the room and began delivering CPR" - hero

The teacher, first one shot - neutral

Sarena Dawn Moore - neutral

The rest of the students, after the first murder, who displayed want of courage in the face of danger, pain, or difficulty - cowards, by definition
 

ok doser

lifeguard at the cement pond
because otherwise we have the responses seen in this thread



Me: The courageous actions of the heroes in this incident meet the definition of heroic, therefore those heroes in this incident who acted courageously are heroes

Emos: That's right!


Me: The cowardly actions of the cowards in the classroom meet the definition of cowardly, therefore, those cowards in the classroom who acted cowardly are cowards

Emos: You can't say that! It upsets me!
 

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Matthew Downing - coward
why?

"A middle-aged woman behind her rose to shut the classroom door and was struck in the stomach by several bullets." - hero

Why? Because she shut a door or was shot or both?

"A friend of the injured woman dragged her into the room and began delivering CPR" - hero
Saved/attempted to save a life...agreed.

The teacher, first one shot - neutral

Sarena Dawn Moore - neutral
By what criteria?

The rest of the students, after the first murder, who displayed want of courage in the face of danger, pain, or difficulty - cowards, by definition

By lack of action? Did they cry? Run? Pee themselves?
 

ok doser

lifeguard at the cement pond
why?



Why? Because she shut a door or was shot or both?


Saved/attempted to save a life...agreed.

By what criteria?



By lack of action? Did they cry? Run? Pee themselves?

See post 8 and 13 for definitions
 

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:darwinsm:

tell your neurologist or oncologist that before they make their diagnosis, you want them to evaluate the lab results by using emotion

Ok. A compassionate doctor is preferred to a dispassionate one. Bed-side manner I suppose. Waddya think?
 
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