Courage

We’re seeing a shift towards a new definition of courage. It seems more and more people are associating the word courage with a willingness to do something that others disapprove, or to refuse to do something that others want you to do. In a sense I guess you could look at it like that. If you really fear other people that much I guess it takes a form of courage to displease them. But is it the greatest use of the word? Does it diminish the meaning when the word courage is used to describe so many different behaviors? We are knee deep in this season of dishonest semantics. Increasingly we find ourselves debating the meaning of words, and often, the world views of people and their understanding of the very definitions of words are in complete opposition with others. It’s almost like two languages and two realities are emerging. For example two people might look at the story of the storming of the beach at Normandy. One person might say that the soldier who pushed forward toward the enemy was acting courageously, while another believes vehemently that the poor lost soul who wet himself and refused to leave the boat and disobeyed orders and ultimately cost the lives of some in his group was acting courageously because he knew how much it would disappoint others and yet somehow mustered up the courage to stay in the boat anyway. Sure you can argue that they faced a lesser form of fear but to equate the two behaviors is literally changing the definition of the word courage. We’re seeing more and more instances where definitions are being challenged. Unfortunately the trend seems to be that the new definitions are lowering the standard, marginalizing exceptionalism, glorifying the easier path, and ultimately glorifying sin. We’re not just seeing a push for equity of outcome, our very language itself is being driven towards equity, such that if this trend goes far enough, we won’t even have the words to describe the true greatness and valor found in the older generations. Once the language to describe our ideals is lost, reality is altered and a new set of ideals and behaviors takes their place. Perhaps there will be a Renaissance and renewing of the spirits of exceptionalism, strength, and true courage. Or perhaps we’re already quite doomed.

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