what is moral courage essay

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

What Stops People From Standing Up for What’s Right?

In 2015, Stanford graduate students Carl-Frederik Arndt and Peter Jonsson (both from Sweden) found Chanel Miller being sexually assaulted while unconscious. As soon as they got a sense that something was not right, the two prioritized the well-being of a stranger over their own safety and convenience. They approached and stopped the perpetrator and, when he tried to escape, held him down until the police arrived at the scene.

By saving Miller and stopping her perpetrator, Arndt and Jonsson showed moral courage .

Moral courage is needed when we see that our principles have been violated, social norms were transgressed, or the law was broken. If we act to stop these wrongdoings, despite the risk of backlash, we act morally courageous.

That can involve a range of behaviors. The Swedes acted morally courageous by helping a person in danger. As Miller wrote about the two in her 2019 book, Know My Name : “You’ve taught us that we all bear responsibility to speak up, wrestle down, make safe, give hope, take action. . . . We must protect the vulnerable and hold each other accountable. May the world be full of more Carls and Peters.”

In other realms, a student can be morally courageous by confronting bullies, speaking up against discriminating behavior, or reporting cheating. And an employee can act morally courageously by making corporate fraud public. The potential backlash to such acts could, for example, be physical attacks or social exclusion by peers. By standing up in defense of their moral principles despite risks, morally courageous individuals can become a protective force for individuals, a catalyst for social change, and an inspiration for others, thereby making a crucial contribution to the greater good.

Against this backdrop, we hope for a society where many people show moral courage. Instead, however, moral courage is relatively rare. We can probably all recall reports of violent fights, sexual harassment, or racist attacks in which no one intervened, or perhaps we have found ourselves in such situations and remained inactive.

Such personal experiences are backed up by research. Studies that assess morally courageous behavior find that only about 20% of participants who witness wrongdoings intervene against them. At the same time, many more people intend to intervene . What, then, stops them from putting their intentions into action? If we understand why moral courage is rare, we can better find effective ways to promote it. Here are two potential explanations for the rareness of moral courage.

Moral courage can break down at many points

Moral courage involves a complicated internal process—and that very complexity can foil morally courageous actions.

In a 2016 chapter , Anna Halmburger and her colleagues suggest that this process can be broken down into five stages, and at each stage, the process may be interrupted, leading to a lack of morally courageous behavior:

Witnesses need to notice an incident, and
they need to interpret it as wrongdoing.
Then, witnesses need to assume responsibility, and
they need to believe they possess effective intervention skills.
Ultimately, witnesses need to decide whether to intervene despite potential risks.

Let’s use an example of bullying at school to illustrate the model. Imagine you are a student witnessing classmates pushing another student into a corner. You might instantaneously think this treatment is hurtful and wrong for your classmate. Perhaps seeing someone treated in an unjust way also angers you—or you might see it as playful teasing among friends and find it funny.

If you interpret the treatment as wrong, you might feel responsible for stopping it—or you might think that other classmates or a teacher should handle it. If you assume responsibility, you need to know how to intervene, like calling a teacher or confronting the bullies—but maybe you are unsure how to proceed. Ultimately, you need to believe that intervening can make a difference, even if you fear backlash, like becoming the bullies’ next target. As this illustration shows, much can go wrong and hinder moral courage.

In a recent study , we investigated the process of moral courage in a so-called experience-sampling study. Participants reported wrongdoings they observed in their everyday lives over seven days via prompts on their mobile phones. For any wrongdoing reported, participants then answered questions that addressed the different stages of the model of moral courage. Our findings aligned with the model, showing that moral courage was more likely when participants felt responsible and efficacious but less likely when they perceived the situation as risky .

We also wanted to know whether some people are more prone to show moral courage than others due to their personality . We found that participants who generally tend to morally disengage —that is, to not take their own moral standards all too seriously at times—felt less responsibility and thus showed less moral courage. Conversely, participants who generally believe themselves to be well-equipped to deal with challenges felt more efficacious and thus showed more moral courage. Accordingly, aspects of our personality shape the process of moral courage.

Besides personality, situational factors can affect the different stages of moral courage. For example, often, we could lack essential information about a situation. This makes it difficult to confidently say whether someone’s actions are morally wrong. Also, if other people are present, we might be less likely to feel responsible for intervening. A lack of information and the presence of other people can thus be barriers to moral courage.

Taken together, it is essential to understand that moral courage is a complex process and how the process pans out is shaped, to some extent, by our personality and the situation.

It’s difficult to see the big picture

When we find ourselves in a situation that requires moral courage, it can sometimes be challenging to see its benefits for the greater good. This can be because some forms of moral courage do not feel exactly agreeable.

For instance, it often requires calling perpetrators out on their wrongdoings or even using physical force to stop them, and confronting others in such ways can feel unpleasant. Also, reporting others’ wrongdoings to authorities can feel wrong since it might be seen as tattling . This is especially the case if we know the perpetrator , when they are our friends, family, or colleagues.

Consider our example of moral courage in the context of bullying: Calling out classmates or reporting them to a teacher may be all the more difficult because we feel a sense of loyalty toward them. The need to be loyal to those we are close to can conflict with our goal to stand up for fairness or justice and can hold us back .

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When it comes to standing up to others’ wrongdoings, anger plays an important role—but that’s an emotion we may not readily associate with the greater good. We often think of anger as a negative emotion linked to aggression, but it turns out that it can also be a force for good. Anger is a common reaction to wrongdoings, and it provides us with a strong urge to make things right.

What does that mean for moral courage? In a recent study in which participants—seemingly casually—witnessed the embezzlement of research funds, their prime reaction was anger (rather than, for example, empathy), and the more anger they experienced, the more likely they were to show moral courage. In other words, it seems that anger can spark moral courage. But since anger has a rather bad reputation, we might be tempted to push it down, thereby extinguishing the spark.

Taken together, it is often challenging to show moral courage. But knowing all those things that make it difficult should not discourage us. Instead, we can use this knowledge to develop concrete ideas on how to promote moral courage.

How can we foster moral courage?

Every person can try to become more morally courageous. However, it does not have to be a solitary effort. Instead, institutions such as schools, companies, or social media platforms play a significant role. So, what are concrete recommendations to foster moral courage?

Establish and strengthen social and moral norms: With a solid understanding of what we consider right and wrong, it becomes easier to detect wrongdoings. Institutions can facilitate this process by identifying and modeling fundamental values. For example, norms and values expressed by teachers can be important points of reference for children and young adults.
Overcome uncertainty: If it is unclear whether someone’s behavior is wrong, witnesses should feel comfortable to inquire, for example, by asking other bystanders how they judge the situation or a potential victim whether they are all right.
Contextualize anger: In the face of wrongdoings, anger should not be suppressed since it can provide motivational fuel for intervention. Conversely, if someone expresses anger, it should not be diminished as irrational but considered a response to something unjust.
Provide and advertise reporting systems: By providing reporting systems, institutions relieve witnesses from the burden of selecting and evaluating individual means of intervention and reduce the need for direct confrontation.
Show social support: If witnesses directly confront a perpetrator, others should be motivated to support them to reduce risks.

We see that there are several ways to make moral courage less difficult, but they do require effort from individuals and institutions. Why is that effort worth it? Because if more individuals are willing and able to show moral courage, more wrongdoings would be addressed and rectified—and that could help us to become a more responsible and just society.

About the Author

Julia sasse.

Julia Sasse, Ph.D. , is professor for general psychology and media effects at the Applied University Ansbach and affiliated researcher at the Institute for Ethics in Artificial Intelligence at TUM.

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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.

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Moral Courage: A Sociological Perspective

Culture and Society
Published: 26 February 2018
Volume 55 , pages 181–192, ( 2018 )

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While many social scientists have written about obedience and conformity, few have analyzed the conduct of outliers and nonconformists who defy these forces by engaging in acts of moral courage. Among psychologists and philosophers, moral courage is often portrayed as an individualistic phenomenon that is immune to sociological analysis. This paper challenges this view, positing that social ties with like-minded coconspirators, an identification with ‘imagined others’ who espouse similar moral beliefs, and social interactions that awaken the conscience play a crucial role in facilitating these seemingly solitary acts. Drawing on two original case studies – a border guard who defied a restrictive immigration law on the eve of World War II, and a Serb who crossed the lines of ethnic division during the Balkan wars of the 1990s – the article illuminates the social dimensions of moral courage and contributes to the project of developing a social psychology of conscience.

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The Most Critical Ingredient in Leadership

What, above all else, drives leaders to direct or redirect their lives, to tackle seemingly intractable problems, and to stay true to their values in the face of enormous challenges?

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By Jacqueline Novogratz & Anne Welsh McNulty Jul. 6, 2022

Person standing on a cliff above water looking at a doorway in the sky

Patrick Awuah escaped life under military dictatorship in Ghana and left his home to attend college in the United States. He settled in Seattle, built a successful career as a Microsoft program manager, married an American, and started a family. He had left Ghana behind and resolved never to return. A few years later, however, Patrick’s first child was born, triggering a latent restlessness. He knew Africa would matter to his children, to the way they would see themselves, and to the way the world would see them. He began to think about going back to Ghana and knew if he returned it would have to be in the capacity of service. But what could his contribution be?

Patrick found the answer in education. He believed there was a causal relationship between Ghana’s traditional approach to schooling, which had roots in colonization, and the poor leadership he saw at all levels of the country. While he would ultimately go on to found Ashesi University, the premiere liberal arts university in Africa (now ranked first in Ghana and among the world’s top 300 universities in the 2022 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings ), it took some time before he felt ready to act: “I was stalling because of fear of failure. But if I didn’t try, I would have failed anyway—so why not try?”

Pivotal Moments on the Leadership Journey

This is not a unique leadership story, but it’s an illustrative one, filled with exactly the kind of vision and stamina required to make change. Through our work supporting networks of leaders at the Aspen Institute, on whose board of trustees we both sit, and at our own organizations, Acumen and the McNulty Foundation, we have encountered hundreds of remarkable stories like Patrick’s, and we have had the fortune to meet, understand, and uplift ambitious individuals from all corners of the world. Some have modified their corporations’ missions to center social impact rather than just profit, while others have left the corporate world altogether to work in service of marginalized communities. Some are journalists who have stood up to death threats, autocratic regimes, and cultures of corruption to publish life-changing stories and reveal power-challenging truths. Some have come together from across backgrounds and beliefs to reimagine the systems we live within.

So, we asked ourselves: What do all of these leaders share? What drives them to direct or redirect their lives, to tackle seemingly intractable problems, and to stay true to their values in the face of enormous challenges? After reflecting on the journeys of these individuals, we believe we have found the common thread: moral courage.

We see moral courage as the single most important attribute that social change leaders can possess. Moral courage is the commitment to act upon one’s values regardless of the difficulty or personal cost . It inspires the conviction to take action with the clarity to remain constant in goals but flexible in method. Moral courage is a mindset that centers the internal conditions needed to make the courageous choice visible and to instill the confidence that it’s possible.

Equally, moral courage is the determination and resilience required to try and fail as you attempt to address some of society’s biggest inequities—to stumble and get back up again. It is to persist when everything is falling apart around you, to endure the trials of the arena not just for months or years but, often, for a lifetime.

Moral courage, we believe, is not something you are born with—it must be cultivated and developed. Through our work, we have seen practices that help to identify, foster, direct, and sustain this courage. The Aspen leadership programs and fellowships take participants through an intensive two-year process that aims to help leaders awaken and clarify their values, elevate their moral courage, and channel their leadership toward solving our greatest challenges. We have seen leaders go through that journey and emerge stronger, more effective, and more resourceful in their pursuit of social change. The process is rooted in transformation of self, and in turn, creates ripples that transform the communities, organizations, and systems in which they lead and live.

If we are going to make change on the scale of the problems that the world faces, we need more people to answer the call to act in the face of injustice. We need a movement of authentic leaders and sustainable leadership guided by moral courage. And we need a chorus of funders and supporters who recognize the tough journey that social innovators take and who will invest in them for the long haul.

How to Cultivate Moral Courage

We believe that anyone—and everyone—can cultivate moral courage. It is a practice; a disciplined “workout of moral muscles” that gets stronger with use. No matter where you operate within the ecosystem of social change, these practices can help you lead well and justly. It is the work of all of us to reimagine and rebuild systems in ways that prioritize our shared humanity and the sustainability of our planet and communities, and it begins with a few fundamental practices to step up and step into this work:

1. Practice Self-Awareness

Mustering the will to act with moral courage in a sustainable way is not a spontaneous act. In fact, it requires a healthy amount of perspective and self-awareness to do it right. Self-aware leaders tend to lead less with ego and more with conviction. They’re often better able to articulate their vision and to mitigate their own misperceptions and biases.

Developing self-awareness takes work and must start from within, but that doesn’t mean it needs to be done alone: We’ve observed many guided seminars and workshops from the Aspen fellowships to Seeds of Peace and Acumen Academy that have created space for this to happen. The Wellbeing Project has documented the benefits of self-inquiry, which helps leaders create a thorough understanding of the deeply personal experiences, values, and beliefs that animate and drive them. Creating the space for a leader to ask themself questions and recognize patterns within their own behavior is a powerful practice.

For Patrick Awuah, the tipping point came while sitting around the seminar table with 24 leaders from across West Africa, diverse by every measure. They gathered for seven days to use texts to explore timeless human values, grapple with their own values in tension, and cultivate a richer understanding of what makes a good society—and their role in creating it. It was a pivotal reading and discussion of Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas in which Patrick’s values were awakened and clarified. Patrick’s dream of building a liberal arts college in Ghana meant leaving behind a comfortable life—the metaphorical Omelas—to embrace the unknown. In his own words, he realized that he needed to commit: “Even though we don’t know what the end of the story could be, we need to be writing the story.”

Becoming more self-aware requires pushing against the boundaries and assumptions that permeate our systems and beliefs. That means thinking about who is—and who is not—in the room when decisions are being made; it also means getting used to being uncomfortable. Until we know ourselves, and can master our own passions, it is difficult to understand others.

2. Examine, Sharpen, and Clarify Core Values in Dialogue With Others

Aspiring leaders need others to challenge their deeply held beliefs in order to sharpen their ideas and to shore up the weaker aspects of their vision. Surrounding oneself with peers who are not afraid to push back is key to strengthening not only one’s leadership skills but the ability to execute. Respectful sparring shakes up a leader’s internal status quo and opens up the possibility of transformation, perception shift, and consideration that a leader’s preferred way might not be the only way (or even the right way).

Building opportunities and spaces to help clarify a leader’s values is paramount, often in dialogue with leaders from across sectors and backgrounds in a closed-door setting. A critical precondition for authentic dialogue is laying norms and ground rules, with full group buy-in. These agreements might include commitments to keep confidentiality, to engage with an open heart, and yes, to disagree—but with the desire to understand and learn, not with the desire to “win.”

Moments that allow for honest, non-performative self-evaluation are rare in modern society. If leaders have no place to go to explore ideas, make mistakes, and even be inelegant in the way they process ideas—to practice sitting with the tension between their own beliefs and someone else’s—they’ll be less prepared to lead with confidence, conviction, and care. Now more than ever, leaders need gathering places, curated with intention and rooted in trust, to engage with people in deep, authentic, and courageous dialogue. Some organizations are doing great work in this area, but we believe more funders and supporters need to do more to invest in creating and offering these spaces.

3. Create Systems of Trust and Nourishment

Helming an organization as it endeavors to change unjust systems takes a serious toll. Leadership is lonely. Burnout is a constant threat. How do leaders sustain themselves? Who do they need in their court to keep them going? Where do they go to continually test their assumptions?

This is where a group of trusted peers is necessary. They can hold one to account while also supporting ambitions. Leaders with this kind of community are much better equipped to navigate the challenges of moral leadership. Fellowship cohorts put together by leadership-supporting organizations often serve this purpose. But there’s room for funders to take an even more proactive convening role to build community amongst their grantees and laureates and help those leaders build peer networks. In addition, a personal board of advisors and mentors, combining both personal and professional relationships, can help leaders find the nourishment they need to stay in the fight, especially when success feels most uncertain.

Sam Goldman and Ned Tozun, the co-founders of d.light, a distributed solar lighting and power systems company that has transformed the way people across the world access and pay for energy, understand the benefits of a support system and a solid foundation of trust. Witnessing a kerosene lantern tip over and light his neighbor’s hut ablaze in his Nigerian village spurred Sam to commit himself to bringing safe, clean power to those without access to it—and he found true partnership in Ned, who he met after returning to the US and enrolling in Stanford’s Entrepreneurial Design for Extreme Affordability class. But building d.light into the company it is today, one that has transformed 100+ million lives across 70 countries, took years. Had they understood the challenges they would face in building a viable company, they may never have started. But they stayed focused on their mission—using each other to test ideas, remind themselves of their vision, and find the nourishment to keep going. The d.light founders never took their eyes off their north star: energy access for all people. A singular focus combined with a strong and supportive board and patient investors reinforced their commitment to the goal.

No matter who you are, the work of change is hard. Along with practicing courage, leaders would do well to engage in practices and principles of self-renewal and re-nourishment. Some leaders spend time in nature to slow down and experience wonder. Others use art or literature or a spiritual practice as a touchstone. Funders have a role to play in this as well, investing in spaces for leaders to revisit core ideals or to join in community with others to share tribulations as well as joy. Supporting that renewal can reinspire or reanimate the urgency to act, and urgency is what we need right now.

Supporting and Sustaining Moral Leaders for the Long Haul

The journey toward creating social change is lifelong work. It can be slow, unkind, and personally demanding. Imagine the founder of a nation’s first liberal arts university who is struggling to get necessary mid-stage funding to continue an already successful program. Or imagine an eye doctor who has helped thousands of patients who realizes he has to leave his training and comfort zone behind in order to attack the problem on a more systemic level. Or a woman working to eliminate racial disparities in health-care outcomes whose core intervention is made impossible by a novel global pandemic.

Again and again, we have seen entrepreneurial leaders stay the course through obstacles, mistakes, and setbacks in the pursuit of social impact. Moreover, we have seen them operate from a place of courage and deep conviction in the face of challenges, naysayers, and broken systems resistant to change. And finally, we have seen individuals move on from a leadership role, realizing that their skills, knowledge, and networks could better serve the mission in other ways. This series of essays will share the stories of some of those leaders, examine how they foster moral courage in their roles, and explore ways to strengthen and support leaders throughout their journeys.

Investing in leaders is also a lifelong investment. As funders, supporters, and incubators of authentic and courageous leadership, our role is to recognize this long and sometimes isolating and painful journey. We must support leaders and their organizations not only in moments of recognition and success, but also through inevitable difficulties, failures, and transitions. We each have a role to play in sustaining the systems of trust and nourishment they need to keep going. We need more leaders who can step into the arena against injustice, and we need to redouble our investment in them as they continue to be tested.

For we know they will be tested, especially in the face of growing and intersecting global challenges. And yet, we will press on. Because we have the tools to effect change, and so we must use them.

Moral courage separates the great from the good when it comes to leaders, the paradigm-shifting from the merely incremental. More to the point, moral courage is a trait every one of us needs to cultivate within ourselves. For the changes the world needs are vast. And our time is short.

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Courage — Courage And Its Importance In Life

Understanding The Importance of Courage in Life

Categories: Courage

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Words: 746 |

Published: Jan 28, 2021

Words: 746 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

The role of courage in history, works cited:, learning from mistakes , whereas fear leaves us stagnant. thus, the significance of courage in our lives cannot be overstated.\n\nthroughout history, numerous individuals have demonstrated extraordinary courage, reshaping the course of world events. rosa parks, an african american woman, exemplifies such courage as she bravely challenged the status quo and effectuated lasting change. in the early 20th century, the oppressive jim crow laws sanctioned racial segregation, subjecting african americans and impoverished whites to unjust treatment, including discriminatory bus seating policies that favored affluent whites. rosa parks, an unassuming, hardworking woman, was arrested on december 1, 1955, for refusing to yield her bus seat to a white man. she became a pivotal figure in the civil rights movement and was a member of the national association for the advancement of colored people (naacp).\n\nfollowing her second confrontation with the bus driver, james blake, who had twice humiliated her by demanding her seat, rosa parks's resolve to fight grew stronger. it takes immense courage for an individual to stand against an inherently biased system that exploited a marginalized segment of society. while many perceived her as physically tired, her weariness was not physical but stemmed from her refusal to acquiesce to an unjust situation. this incident served as the spark igniting a wildfire. her courage inspired and mobilized countless others, culminating in the montgomery bus boycott, led by dr. martin luther king jr. this year-long protest resulted in a landmark u.s. supreme court decision declaring bus segregation unconstitutional.\n\nrosa parks drew strength from her family, raised in an environment that esteemed education. her family values and education played a pivotal role in nurturing her courage. despite facing discouragement from her husband and other family members due to concerns for her safety, she pressed forward with unwavering courage. her humble beginnings did not deter her. in recognition of her exceptional courage, rosa parks was awarded the congressional gold medal by the u.s. government. her resolute courage resonated with and motivated countless individuals. it fueled their aspirations for equal rights and the abolition of racial segregation, propelling them toward their dreams. one brave individual can ignite the spirits of millions, as exemplified by rosa parks, mahatma gandhi, and nelson mandela , all of whom demonstrated exceptional courage in their quests for freedom. courage, akin to wildfire, has the power to spark hope and move multitudes.\n\nin conclusion, courage plays a pivotal role in life, compelling us to stand up for our convictions. it empowers us to act boldly and share our beliefs with the world. our world's greatness is a testament to the courage displayed by countless individuals. wholeheartedly embraced, courage can turn the seemingly impossible into reality. courage, when translated into action, has the potential to make anything achievable."}" data-sheets-userformat='{"2":515,"3":{"1":0},"4":{"1":2,"2":14281427},"12":0}'>conclusion.

Ahmadi, S., & Sadeghi, H. (2015). The relationship between family function and mental health in female students of high schools in Tehran. Iranian Journal of Psychiatric Nursing, 2(2), 1-6.
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Brazelton, T. B. (1992). Touchpoints: Your child's emotional and behavioral development. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company.
Chauhan, P., Gupta, R., & Parmar, R. (2018). A study on parent-child relationship and mental health of adolescents. International Journal of Indian Psychology, 6(3), 124-131.
Gardner, T. W., & Ward, S. (2016). Life span developmental psychology: Introduction to research methods. Routledge.
Goodman, R. (2001). Psychometric properties of the strengths and difficulties questionnaire. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 40(11), 1337-1345.
Hough, M. (2017). Marriage, divorce, remarriage. Open University Press.
King, D. (2009). The impact of family breakdown on children's well-being: Evidence review. The Scottish Government.
Lopez, F. G., Castro, N., & Rincón, P. (2013). Mexican-American men's and women's preferences for and attitudes toward counseling. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 60(2), 227-235.
Santrock, J. W. (2017). Life-span development. McGraw-Hill Education.

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Moral Courage

Nursing continues to be the most trusted of professions (Norman, 2016, cited in DeSimone 2019). As a profession, nursing cannot separate itself from moral/ethical intent and behavior. Nursing educators therefore have a huge responsibility for building a strong moral and ethical foundation upon which future nurses will build their practice.

Moral courage is the ability to stand up for and practice that which one considers ethical, moral behavior when faced with a dilemma, even if it means going against countervailing pressure to do otherwise. Those with moral courage resolve to “do the right thing” even if it puts them at personal risk of losing employment, isolation from peers and other negative consequences. One should stand up for what is right even if it means standing alone (Murray, 2010). According to former Senator from Maine Margaret Chase Smith: The right way is not always the popular and easy way. Standing for right when it is unpopular is a true test of moral character.

One should not confuse moral courage with moral arrogance or moral certitude. Individual, social, and cultural values may differ, so it is important to have open, respectful communication (Murray, 2010) While the values of honesty, integrity, fairness, compassion and respect seem to be universal, different cultures might prioritize them differently.

Nurses need moral courage to assure quality care and safety of patients, to interact with other healthcare professionals and to advocate for consistent universal care with healthcare and community organizations (Pajakoski, 2021). Moral courage is needed to deal with unethical, unsafe or discriminatory practices (Murray, 2010).

To clarify the elements of moral courage, Numminen et al. (2016) analyzed literature and arrived at these attributes: true presence, moral integrity, responsibility, honesty, advocacy, commitment and perseverance, and personal risk. Antecedents were ethical sensitivity, conscience, and experience. Consequences included personal and professional development and empowerment (Numminen et al., 2016)

(Adapted from Kidder, 2005 )

He further makes us aware of impediments to exercising moral courage:

Lachman (2010) has written extensively about the virtue of moral courage. To bolster the teaching and ability to act with moral courage, she suggests the following using the acronym CODE:

C ourage to be moral requires:
O bligations to honor (What is the right thing to do?)
D anger management (What do I need to handle my fear?)
E xpression and action (What action do I need to take to maintain my integrity?)

She discusses strategies for overcoming risk-aversion and fear in order to speak out and “do what’s right.”

Reflections:

Questions and exercises to consider with classmates and/or colleagues:

Courage means overcoming fear - fear of failure, fear of ostracism, fear of being wrong. Identify which aspects of clinical care cause you most fear. What do you do to overcome that fear?
What do you fear most in interpersonal interaction? How do you overcome that fear in order to manage difficult discussions?
Could we say the staff who opposed the openness and kind of care being given on 5B were exhibiting moral courage?

Helpful Resources

Learn How to Cultivate Moral Courage Blog post by Senior Policy Advisor Liz Stokes for Healthy Nurse Healthy Nation

Featured Article: Moral Courage and Intelligent Disobedience

Home » Simons Center News » Featured Articles » Featured Article: Moral Courage and Intelligent Disobedience

Featured article:

Moral Courage and Intelligent Disobedience by Ted Thomas and Ira Chaleff

The military needs men and women who have courage–the physical courage to go into battle, to overcome fear in the face of bodily injury or death, mental pain, and lifelong disabilities. Militaries run on physical courage. Without it, they run from a fight and surrender. Many sources quote Aristotle as saying, “Courage is the first of human qualities because it is the quality which guarantees the others.” Courage is a primary virtue, as all other virtues require it.

There is another type of courage the military needs, but it is hard to measure or even define–moral courage. The following words of Robert F. Kennedy are as salient today as they were in June of 1966 when he spoke them in Cape Town, South Africa. “Few men are willing to brave the disapproval of their fellows, the censure of their colleagues, the wrath of their society. Moral courage is a rarer commodity than bravery in battle or great intelligence. Yet it is the one essential, vital quality of those who seek to change a world which yields most painfully to change.” Bravery in battle is needed, but so is the courage to stand up for what is right and against what is immoral, unethical, or illegal.

A critical application of moral courage is knowing when and how to disobey–which can be thought of as intelligent disobedience. This involves an ability to work within the system to maintain standards and uphold moral values. Organizational culture and operational pressures can sometimes cause the values of people to become blurred when the mission becomes more important than virtues. These can take us down the slippery slope of ends justifying means. Good people and good Soldiers can do bad things in these situations…

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Ted Thomas is Director of the Department of Command and Leadership in the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Thomas graduated from the United States Military Academy and served in various command and staff positions before retiring. He received a master’s from the University of Illinois, and a Ph.D. from Missouri University of Science and Technology.

Ira Chaleff is president of Executive Coaching & Consulting Associates in Washington, DC. He is the author of The Courageous Follower, now in its third edition, and co-editor of The Art of Followership , part of the Warren Bennis Leadership Series. His latest book, Intelligent Disobedience: Doing Right When What You’re Told to Do Is Wrong , was named the best leadership book of 2015 by the University of San Diego.

Posted: April 11, 2017 by Simons Center

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Defining Courage: the Essence and Impact of Bravery in Everyday Life

This essay about the multifaceted nature of courage examines how it manifests not only in grand heroic acts but also in everyday situations and personal challenges. It highlights courage’s role in overcoming fear and embracing vulnerability, showing up in acts of empathy, resilience, and selflessness. The piece emphasizes that courage fosters community and inspires others, acting as a beacon of hope and a catalyst for positive change in both individuals and societies.

How it works

Courage serves as a critical component of human life, threading through our experiences and defining moments with its dynamic presence. It propels us beyond our comfort zones, enabling us to face challenges and uncertainty with steadfastness and determination. This essay explores the essence of courage, not just in heroic acts but also in everyday resilience and actions.

Courage transcends mere fearlessness; it involves acknowledging fear and choosing to act despite it. It’s the courage of a single parent balancing work and family, their tenacity shining through daily struggles to provide and care for their children.

It’s not the size of the act but the heart behind it that defines true courage.

Courage also emerges in quieter forms—like the introvert who steps up to voice their thoughts or the person who opens up about personal challenges to a friend. These acts of bravery, though subtle, are profound demonstrations of courage in personal authenticity and vulnerability.

Acts of kindness and empathy also embody courage. Consider healthcare workers facing long hours under stressful conditions, volunteers dedicating time to causes close to their hearts, or someone intervening in a difficult situation to help a stranger. Such actions underscore the altruistic nature of courage, highlighting its role in fostering community and solidarity.

However, courage isn’t without its adversaries. Doubt, fear, and uncertainty can dim its light, making the journey fraught with internal conflicts. Yet, recognizing these feelings as part of the human experience is in itself an act of bravery. Courage doesn’t require invulnerability but rather the acceptance of our vulnerabilities.

The influence of courage is far-reaching, inspiring others and generating a ripple effect of resilience and positivity. Like a pebble tossed into a pond, a single courageous act can lead to waves of change, encouraging others to act bravely and compassionately.

In conclusion, courage is a beacon of hope amid adversity, a force available to everyone, regardless of circumstance. It encourages us to confront life’s challenges and to grow from them, proving that courage is indeed a vital thread in the fabric of human existence.

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Essay on Is Moral Courage Important than Physical Courage

We all have heard about these lines in the advertisements that “Dar ke aage jeet hai”. Have you ever thought that what is the thing that brings victory after the fear? It is the courage that fosters us for getting victory over our fears. Without being courageous we cannot avail that victory. In the advertisement, the role of courage is compared to the soft drink. In real life, it is the physical and moral courage that makes us successful.

Short and Long Essay on Is Moral Courage Important than Physical Courage in English

Short and long essay provided below will help you in understanding courage, the importance of physical and moral courage. This will enable you to make out the difference between moral and physical courage. I hope that these essays might be beneficial for students and readers.

10 Lines Essay on Is Moral Courage Important than Physical Courage (100-120 Words)

1) We all know that moral courage is more important than physical courage.

2) Physical courage has only limited application.

3) Mental courage is more powerful and impactful than physical courage.

4) Mental courage can help you to fight even if you are having a bad physique.

5) People with great mental power can achieve moral courage easily.

6) Moral courage makes you stronger from the inside.

7) Moral courage helps you to make decisions wisely.

8) People with moral courage are respected everywhere.

9) Great fights and wars can be won through moral courage.

10) Moral courage gives us the power to distinguish between right and wrong.

Short Essay – 250 Words

Introduction

Courage is defined as the power in us to overcome any kind of fear. It inculcates in us the ability to stand for something that is right and oppose wrong deeds. Physical and moral courage are the two types of courage that are possessed by human beings. Both types of courage are important and have their own significance.

Moral Courage is scarcely used

Physical courage means that courage that is represented by the body. It is the power of the people who have great physical strength. They try to defend themselves by using their physical strength. The use of physical courage is not good every time. It results in war, bloodshed, and destruction. Moral courage is mainly the strength of people who have wider thinking capability. This is the virtue of wise people who live their life according to their own principles and values.

Moral courage instills power in us to oppose any wrong deed. We have observed that people mostly apply physical courage to tackle difficult situations in life. It is because this seems easy to make others fearful by our physical power. The use of moral courage by people is very rare in the world. People are easily involved in fights and taking revenge rather than thinking of solutions to any of the problems by using moral courage.

Physical strength loses when the body is weakened

Physical courage is developed by strengthening our body while mental courage is attained by exercising our mental capability. Physical courage declines after the body strength are weakened in old age while this is not applicable to moral courage. Moral courage never declines and remains with us till death.

Moral courage is therefore regarded as more important than physical courage. The use of moral courage can only ensure the peaceful living of human beings on the planet.

How Moral Courage is Important than Physical Courage – Long Essay

The word ‘courage’ is about doing anything bravely. Courage is an important virtue that is required by us to tackle different situations in our life either it is physical or moral courage. It totally depends upon us that what we have to apply at that time. It is the potential of doing something rather than boasting. There are very few people in this world who opt to show this virtue.

What is Courage?

There is a word called fear. I hope that every one of us experiences this at different times in their life. The power to overcome this fear is called courage. Courage is an ability that instills in us to do something that is difficult for us but is right. It is the quality of brave people as everyone does not have the power to show this quality.

It is an attribute that develops willingness in us to do something to protect our interest. Courage is the power that prevents us from doing those things that pleases someone and provides us discomfort. It is a quality of facing any distressing situation in life. It is a virtue that brings us into action and stands for anything wrong. We can say that it is the potential to stand for the right thing and prevent the happening of anything wrong.

Physical Courage v/s Moral Courage

Have you ever felt the difference between physical and moral courage? Yes, these are the two different types of courage.

Physical Courage – Physical courage as the name itself implies that it is related to physical strength. This type of courage depends upon strengthening of the body that is possible by strenuous exercises. It is courage that is represented by a strong body. It can be attained by everyone by becoming them strong physically. The sportsperson, wrestlers, boxers, soldiers, etc. are the examples of possessing this type of courage.

Physical courage is required at different times to fight from the difficult situations of life. The wars by the people in history for getting their rights are a great example of using physical strength. This strength has its limited application as it does not work well in every situation in our life.

Moral Courage – Moral courage is the virtue of the people who have great mental strength. It is the quality that is irrespective of body strength and can be possed by anyone who has great mental power. There are very few people who have strong moral courage. They are a source of inspiration and respected by everyone in society. The people abiding the moral values and some principles in life show the moral courage in them to speak for protecting their moral values from being violated. It is an act of thinking wisely about the consequences before acting.

We have seen people following their leaders or higher authority in different sectors even if they are wrong. They are ready to accept anything that is said by the boss. It may because of the fear of losing a job or reputation. Moral courage is most required at that time to face the situation by overcoming our fear. It is then we are respected by others because of our courageous behavior. Moral courage requires great power to support the right thing and stand against the wrong irrespective of the consequences.

Physical v/s Moral courage – Physical courage cannot be applied every time in our life. Moral courage is required most of the time to tackle the problems. But it is sad to state that moral courage is lacking in our society and everybody needs revenge. Suppose there is a war declared between two countries. One is having a sufficient number of soldiers to fight the war while the other is devoid of the number of soldiers. The only way to get out of this problem is to apply moral courage and find out the solution to get rid of the idea of war. The physical courage in this situation will only lead to destruction and pain.

How Moral Courage is Important than Physical Courage?

Physical and moral courage are two types of courage possed by human beings. It depends upon the situation that which type of courage has to be used. Moral courage is not the virtue that can be possed by all. It is the quality of people who abide by some values and principles in their life.

There are very less people in our society with moral courage. It is the power that helps us to speak us for anything wrong with us and of course every one of us does not have this courage. It is the virtue of people who does not have greed for the wealth of powerful position in life. The main thing they care is of doing the right thing in life. They are the great souls with a great potential to forgive instead of taking revenge. One can take the help of physical courage to get a high position in life but would not be able to attain the same and respect for longer duration without applying moral courage.

The great examples of people with moral courage are Swami Vivekananda, Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, etc. It was because of the moral courage that Mahatma Gandhi was able to make India free from British rule. He fought bravely against them without the use of any weapon by presenting great moral courage. In this way, he also became a great exemplar for the people of the whole world. It is not that we remember Gandhiji because of his body or beauty. We remember him because of the great ideas and principles of his life. He always stood courageously for making his principles never go down. The potential of showing moral courage has the power of changing the world. Even the application of physical courage requires the use of moral courage before acting. Thus moral courage is considered more important than physical courage.

Moral courage makes us stronger and enriches us with the ability to stand for anything that harms us. Physical courage is easy to attain and there are many people that are having physical courage but at the same time, moral courage is also necessary to distinguish between right and wrong. We must try to develop the power of moral courage that will surely help in ending injustice and wrong and grant us a better world.

FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions

Ans. It is a potential to withstand fear and difficulties.

Ans. Lion is an animal that represents deathless courage and strength .

Ans. The ability to do something that is full of risk or doing anything for the first time is an example of courage.

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Guest Essay

In Medicine, the Morally Unthinkable Too Easily Comes to Seem Normal

A photograph of two forceps, placed handle to tip against each other.

By Carl Elliott

Dr. Elliott teaches medical ethics at the University of Minnesota. He is the author of the forthcoming book “The Occasional Human Sacrifice: Medical Experimentation and the Price of Saying No,” from which this essay is adapted.

Here is the way I remember it: The year is 1985, and a few medical students are gathered around an operating table where an anesthetized woman has been prepared for surgery. The attending physician, a gynecologist, asks the group: “Has everyone felt a cervix? Here’s your chance.” One after another, we take turns inserting two gloved fingers into the unconscious woman’s vagina.

Had the woman consented to a pelvic exam? Did she understand that when the lights went dim she would be treated like a clinical practice dummy, her genitalia palpated by a succession of untrained hands? I don’t know. Like most medical students, I just did as I was told.

Last month the Department of Health and Human Services issued new guidance requiring written informed consent for pelvic exams and other intimate procedures performed under anesthesia. Much of the force behind the new requirement came from distressed medical students who saw these pelvic exams as wrong and summoned the courage to speak out.

Whether the guidance will actually change clinical practice I don’t know. Medical traditions are notoriously difficult to uproot, and academic medicine does not easily tolerate ethical dissent. I doubt the medical profession can be trusted to reform itself.

What is it that leads a rare individual to say no to practices that are deceptive, exploitative or harmful when everyone else thinks they are fine? For a long time I assumed that saying no was mainly an issue of moral courage. The relevant question was: If you are a witness to wrongdoing, will you be brave enough to speak out?

But then I started talking to insiders who had blown the whistle on abusive medical research. Soon I realized that I had overlooked the importance of moral perception. Before you decide to speak out about wrongdoing, you have to recognize it for what it is.

This is not as simple as it seems. Part of what makes medical training so unsettling is how often you are thrust into situations in which you don’t really know how to behave. Nothing in your life up to that point has prepared you to dissect a cadaver, perform a rectal exam or deliver a baby. Never before have you seen a psychotic patient involuntarily sedated and strapped to a bed or a brain-dead body wheeled out of a hospital room to have its organs harvested for transplantation. Your initial reaction is often a combination of revulsion, anxiety and self-consciousness.

To embark on a career in medicine is like moving to a foreign country where you do not understand the customs, rituals, manners or language. Your main concern on arrival is how to fit in and avoid causing offense. This is true even if the local customs seem backward or cruel. What’s more, this particular country has an authoritarian government and a rigid status hierarchy where dissent is not just discouraged but also punished. Living happily in this country requires convincing yourself that whatever discomfort you feel comes from your own ignorance and lack of experience. Over time, you learn how to assimilate. You may even come to laugh at how naïve you were when you first arrived.

A rare few people hang onto that discomfort and learn from it. When Michael Wilkins and William Bronston started working at the Willowbrook State School in Staten Island as young doctors in the early 1970s, they found thousands of mentally disabled children condemned to the most horrific conditions imaginable: naked children rocking and moaning on concrete floors in puddles of their own urine; an overpowering stench of illness and filth; a research unit where children were deliberately infected with hepatitis A and B.

“It was truly an American concentration camp,” Dr. Bronston told me. Yet when he and Dr. Wilkins tried to enlist Willowbrook doctors and nurses to reform the institution, they were met with indifference or hostility. It seemed as if no one else on the medical staff could see what they saw. It was only when Dr. Wilkins went to a reporter and showed the world what was happening behind the Willowbrook walls that anything began to change.

When I asked Dr. Bronston how it was possible for doctors and nurses to work at Willowbrook without seeing it as a crime scene, he told me it began with the way the institution was structured and organized. “Medically secured, medically managed, doctor-validated,” he said. Medical professionals just accommodated themselves to the status quo. “You get with the program because that’s what you’re being hired to do,” he said.

One of the great mysteries of human behavior is how institutions create social worlds where unthinkable practices come to seem normal. This is as true of academic medical centers as it is of prisons and military units. When we are told about a horrific medical research scandal, we assume that we would see it just as the whistle-blower Peter Buxtun saw the Tuskegee syphilis study : an abuse so shocking that only a sociopath could fail to perceive it.

Yet it rarely happens this way. It took Mr. Buxtun seven years to convince others to see the abuses for what they were. It has taken other whistle-blowers even longer. Even when the outside world condemns a practice, medical institutions typically insist that the outsiders don’t really understand.

According to Irving Janis, a Yale psychologist who popularized the notion of groupthink, the forces of social conformity are especially powerful in organizations that are driven by a deep sense of moral purpose. If the aims of the organization are righteous, its members feel, it is wrong to put barriers in the way.

This observation helps explain why academic medicine not only defends researchers accused of wrongdoing but also sometimes rewards them. Many of the researchers responsible for the most notorious abuses in recent medical history — the Tuskegee syphilis study, the Willowbrook hepatitis studies, the Cincinnati radiation studies , the Holmesburg prison studies — were celebrated with professional accolades even after the abuses were first called out.

The culture of medicine is notoriously resistant to change. During the 1970s, it was thought that the solution to medical misconduct was formal education in ethics. Major academic medical centers began establishing bioethics centers and programs throughout the 1980s and ’90s, and today virtually every medical school in the country requires ethics training.

Yet it is debatable whether that training has had any effect. Many of the most egregious ethical abuses in recent decades have taken place in medical centers with prominent bioethics programs, such as the University of Pennsylvania , Duke University , Columbia University and Johns Hopkins University , as well as my own institution, the University of Minnesota .

One could be forgiven for concluding that the only way the culture of medicine will change is if changes are forced on it from the outside — by oversight bodies, legislators or litigators. For example, many states have responded to the controversy over pelvic exams by passing laws banning the practice unless the patient has explicitly given consent.

You may find it hard to understand how pelvic exams on unconscious women without their consent could seem like anything but a terrible invasion. Yet a central aim of medical training is to transform your sensibility. You are taught to steel yourself against your natural emotional reactions to death and disfigurement; to set aside your customary views about privacy and shame; to see the human body as a thing to be examined, tested and studied.

One danger of this transformation is that you will see your colleagues and superiors do horrible things and be afraid to speak up. But the more subtle danger is that you will no longer see what they are doing as horrible. You will just think: This is the way it is done.

Carl Elliott ( @FearLoathingBTX ) teaches medical ethics at the University of Minnesota. He is the author of the forthcoming book “The Occasional Human Sacrifice: Medical Experimentation and the Price of Saying No,” from which this essay is adapted.

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UMass Arrests: What Would Daniel Ellsberg Do?

Photograph Source: thierry ehrmann – CC BY 2.0

I have been a history professor at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst for twenty years. On May 7, I was one of a handful of faculty members arrested for standing in support of hundreds of students who were engaged in nonviolent protest of university complicity in the ongoing slaughter and suffering of Palestinians in Gaza. They want the school to divest from companies profiting from the carnage.

In the hours before UMass Chancellor Javier Reyes called in more than a hundred state police in riot gear to arrest anyone who did not disperse from the area in and around a small encampment, I wrestled with questions of conscience and practicality. Am I willing to be arrested? Is it the right thing to do? Could it make a difference? Would there be negative consequences for my career?

In the end, it was not a hard choice. I simply asked myself, “what would Daniel Ellsberg do?”

In 1971, Ellsberg released to the press and public the Pentagon Papers–a 7000-page classified history of the Vietnam War exposing decades of government lies about its causes and conduct. For that act of moral courage, he sabotaged his career and faced a possible 115-year sentence. Outside a federal court in Boston, Ellsberg was asked if he was worried about going to jail. His response: “Wouldn’t you go to prison to help end this war?”

Ellsberg asked himself that very question in 1969 when he met some of the 3,250 young men who went to prison rather than submit to the Vietnam War draft. “It was the first time that I had come face-to-face with Americans willing to go to prison for refusing to collaborate in an unjust war.” Their bravery inspired his own. As he often said, “courage is contagious.”

I’m very proud that UMass acquired Ellsberg’s papers in 2019, funded many projects to promote his legacy, and in 2023 awarded him an honorary degree. Those commitments are one reason why I was so shocked and grieved by the UMass administration’s decision to crackdown on peaceful antiwar protest at an encampment that had been in place only seven hours. It was a betrayal not only of Ellsberg’s example, but the university’s own bold motto, “Be Revolutionary.”

The police arrest of faculty came first, and we were treated with reasonable restraint. However, as many videos and personal testimonies demonstrate, there was widespread use of excessive force against students. One of my graduate students was thrown face down to the ground, with a knee pressed so hard in his back he struggled to breathe. He was zip-cuffed so tightly his hands soon began to swell. He was then put in the back of a small windowless police van for several hours before being driven to the Mullins Center arena to join many of the 134 arrested protestors. His experience was not exceptional; some arrestees were subjected to greater violence. At the arena, many were held all night (still zip-cuffed), denied food or water, and were only allowed to use the bathroom after hours of pleading, if at all.

The Chancellor and his supporters, including Governor Maura Healey, have defended the mass arrests on the grounds that they were necessary to ensure safety. Yet no one’s security was at risk until the police were ordered onto campus. Nor should we take seriously the Chancellor’s claim that he had negotiated in good faith with a delegation of protestors prior to the arrests. As a detailed report of the meeting makes clear, he told the students repeatedly that he would not even consider discussing their demands until the encampment was taken down. Moreover, although the Chancellor insisted that calling the police was an “absolute last resort,” they were massing on campus even as the “negotiations” were just beginning.

What would Daniel Ellsberg do? We can’t know with complete certainty because he died last June at the age of 92. We do know that in the 50 years after he released the Pentagon Papers, he devoted his life to principled nonviolent activism and was arrested more than 80 times for acts of civil disobedience in the struggle for peace and nuclear disarmament. And when I wrote his widow, Patricia, to tell her of my arrest she wrote back these words, used with her permission: “I’m sure Dan would have advised you to get arrested. In some ways, I’m glad he is no longer here because he would have been anguished over the horror perpetrated by Israel on Gaza and probably arrested many times in protest.” I am also quite sure he would have been, as I am, deeply inspired by the passion and commitment of this generation of young activists.

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What ‘Intifada Revolution’ Looks Like

Some Columbia students are embracing extreme rhetoric.

Listen to this article

Produced by ElevenLabs and News Over Audio (NOA) using AI narration.

Last month, a pro-Palestinian activist stood in front of me on Columbia University’s campus with a sign that read By Any Means Necessary . She smiled. She seemed like a nice person. I am an Israeli graduate student at the university, and I know holding that sign is within her rights. And yet, its message was so painful and disturbing that after that moment, I left New York for a few days.

If I’d had the courage, I would have asked that student, "What exactly do you mean by ‘any means necessary’?” Holding up signs? Leading demonstrations? Or do knives also fall under that category? Guns and rifles as well? Raping and taking civilians hostage? (As of this writing, 133 hostages are still being held in Gaza.) And whom would these means be employed against? Columbia? The Israeli government? Soldiers? Civilians? Children?

Since my return to Columbia, tensions have escalated dramatically. After protesters broke into Hamilton Hall on Tuesday night, the administration sent in the NYPD to evacuate the building and arrest the occupiers. This is the second time such measures have been taken—and they may only intensify the frustration and hostility of all involved. More worrying, this frustration might push more students to believe that “by any means necessary” is the only way to achieve their goals.

At this point, anyone reading this essay might suspect that I am not objective, and they would be absolutely right. Because if you ask me what I think about when I see the words by any means necessary , it is only one thing. I think about Sagi: my best friend, whom I knew since sixth grade, the funniest and kindest person I have ever met.

On the morning of October 7, Sagi Golan woke up at home with his boyfriend, Omer Ohana, whom he was supposed to marry two weeks later. They had already bought their beautiful white suits, and I had bought a plane ticket to the wedding. As a reservist, Sagi immediately headed south, where he fought bravely for hours at Kibbutz Be’eri, saving the lives of innocent adults and children, until he was killed in combat with terrorists. One hundred civilians were killed in Be’eri, and 30 more were taken hostage.

I am a writer who has published short stories and a novel, but the day Sagi was killed, I lost my words. I couldn’t get a plane ticket to Israel for the funeral, so I just showed up at the airport. I was so confused and upset that when the ticketing agent tried to understand why I was trying to get on a plane without a ticket, I said, “My best friend … a wedding … a funeral …” The agent, a complete stranger, asked if he could give me a hug. Half an hour later, he’d arranged a one-way ticket.

I landed an hour before Sagi’s funeral. The flowers that were meant for my best friend's wedding were laid upon his grave.

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Back in New York, I barely left my apartment. I barely ate, barely slept. By that time, protests had already become routine on campus, but I was so deep in my own grief that I didn’t even notice. This went on for months. Toward the end of the fall semester, a professor took me aside after class. He told me that in his youth, he’d had friends who spent summers at kibbutzim in Israel, describing the people there as the nicest in the world. Neither he nor his friends were Jewish, but they were captivated by the concept of a cooperative socialist society. “Hearing about the attacks on those kibbutzim on October 7 was deeply painful for me,” he said. “So I can’t even imagine how painful it is for you.”

That professor is a strong critic of the Israeli government and its policies. But in that particular moment, he chose to address only my pain. Although I’m still grieving and will be for a long while, his compassion helped me start to heal, and allowed me to better perceive the suffering of many others, Israelis and Palestinians, whose lives have been shattered since October 7.

As an Israeli, I despise the rhetoric emerging from certain extremist politicians, who have claimed that there are no innocent civilians in Gaza or advocated for a forced deportation of Palestinians. I also believe that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will go down as one of the worst leaders in the history of the Jewish people. His willingness to grant political power and public legitimacy to racist and fascist ideologues is a moral stain on the history of the nation, and I am alarmed by the possibility that Netanyahu would reject a hostage deal and a cease-fire to preserve his own power.

But some of the demonstrators are calling for something categorically different from an end to the Netanyahu government or even the war. Some of them are suggesting, implicitly, that there is no place for Jewish life between the river and the sea. Indeed, many of their slogans have nothing to do with peace. Almost every day, I hear protesters chant “Brick by brick, wall by wall, Israel has to fall” and “Intifada Revolution.” Growing up in Israel during the early 2000s, I lived through the Second Intifada. I witnessed buses blown up by suicide bombers and mass shootings in city centers, terrorist attacks that killed many innocent civilians in the name of an “Intifada Revolution.”

Recently, a video surfaced of a student leader saying, “Zionists don’t deserve to live”; on campus, an individual stood in front of Jewish students with a sign reading Al-Qassam’s next targets. In the encampment itself, signs hang with small red triangles that might seem like an innocent design choice. Whether the protesters realize it or not, Hamas uses that icon to indicate Israeli targets.

I don’t want to paint with too broad a brush. Bringing the NYPD onto campus on April 18, when the encampment had just been established, likely contributed to the escalation, and I know that off-campus bad actors, including politicians, are taking advantage of the volatile situation and fueling tensions. Most of the student protesters are peaceful; Jews are participating in the demonstrations. But most is not all. And what’s significant is that many students on campus minimize or ignore extreme or violent rhetoric, and some even laugh and cheer along. I’ve heard Columbia students claim that these incidents are so petty that they are not worth discussing at all. I find myself debating intelligent people who treat reported facts like myths if they don’t align with their narrative.

Universities don’t have to be battlefields. More people, including faculty and students, should speak out against hateful rhetoric that is morally wrong, even if this rhetoric is protected by the First Amendment. Fundamentally, I don’t see how the protesters’ insistence on using the language of violence will contribute to the Palestinian cause, or their own. They have to know that their actions have only strengthened the extreme-right political forces in the U.S. and Israel, who are already using these statements to consolidate more power. Their expressions and actions trample the voices of Israeli and Palestinian peace activists who advocate for complexity and compassion. And they further entrench today’s distorted public discourse, which demands complete conformity from people within the same group and zero compassion for those in another.

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COMMENTS

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If we understand why moral courage is rare, we can better find effective ways to promote it. Here are two potential explanations for the rareness of moral courage. Moral courage can break down at many points. Moral courage involves a complicated internal process—and that very complexity can foil morally courageous actions.
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When courage is first asked to be defined, Nicias says, "if a man is willing to remain at his post and to defend himself against the enemy. without running away, then you may rest assured that he is a man of courage. 1 Further in the. dialogue, Laches, Nicias and Socrates provide other components of courage such as "endurance.
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Moral courage is defined as brave behavior, accompanied by anger and indignation, intending to enforce societal and ethical norms without considering one's own social costs. Social costs (i.e ...
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First coined in the nineteenth century, "moral courage" has been defined as the willingness of people to face "the pain and dangers of social disapproval in the performance of what they believe to be duty" (Sidgwick 1913: 333).Some definitions assume moral courage always has a positive valence, referring to acts that help others or that benefit the public good.
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1 INTRODUCTION. Moral courage means the courage or inner strength a person has when acting in ethical conflicts according to ethical principles and one's own values and beliefs, even at the risk of negative outcomes for the acting individual (Fahlberg, 2015; Numminen, Repo, & Leino-Kilpi, 2017; Simola, 2015).In nursing, morally courageous behavior has been globally claimed essential in ...
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As a core element of the working definition, moral courage is concerned with protecting moral norms (Miller, 2005; Skitka, 2012). Hence, moral courage implies a focus on a perpetrator (or perpetrators). As such, it can be distinguished from helping behavior (Greitemeyer et al., 2006) and other ways to adhere to moral norms. Accordingly, for a ...
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1) We all know that moral courage is more important than physical courage. 2) Physical courage has only limited application. 3) Mental courage is more powerful and impactful than physical courage. 4) Mental courage can help you to fight even if you are having a bad physique. 5) People with great mental power can achieve moral courage easily.
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MORAL COURAGE. CORE IDEA: Having the will or moral courage to stand for what you think is right is as important as moral reasoning. Identifying moral dilemmas is crucial to making ethical decisions and applying ethical principles in our daily lives. But knowing is different from actually executing moral decisions that uphold these principles.
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As he often said, "courage is contagious." I'm very proud that UMass acquired Ellsberg's papers in 2019, funded many projects to promote his legacy, and in 2023 awarded him an honorary degree.
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