I have a slightly different take on this. I believe that cowardice is a virtue when it comes to psychical altercations.
I learned this lesson when once in the gym I had an argument with a guy much bigger than me. I called him a gaandu (asshole in hindi). In the next 10 seconds I found myself choked against the wall and forced to apologise to get my breath back. That hurt my ego badly since it was rush hour in the gym but it taught me a vital lesson about nature.
Cowardice is nature's protective mechanism and needed for evolution and survival. Will you ever see a dog fight a lion because it wants to feel courageous and not lose self respect? No. It will just move away.
The bravado and all can feel nice but if it does crazy damage to you, it serves a poor example of cost-benefit since no one will remember the fight but for that little amount of self-respect, you'll be fucked for ever.
I have an extreme view on this - I feel it's even ok to be bullied and let your ego suffer than to suffer physical damage.
Bravery is to be reserved for your own life - the decisions you take to move your life towards a vision you have. Not for fights and short term glory oriented things.
I love this quote by Lao Tzu - " A man with outward courage dares to die, A man with inner courage dares to live".
I learned this lesson when once in the gym I had an argument with a guy much bigger than me. I called him a gaandu (asshole in hindi). In the next 10 seconds I found myself choked against the wall and forced to apologise to get my breath back. That hurt my ego badly since it was rush hour in the gym but it taught me a vital lesson about nature.
Cowardice is nature's protective mechanism and needed for evolution and survival. Will you ever see a dog fight a lion because it wants to feel courageous and not lose self respect? No. It will just move away.
The bravado and all can feel nice but if it does crazy damage to you, it serves a poor example of cost-benefit since no one will remember the fight but for that little amount of self-respect, you'll be fucked for ever.
I have an extreme view on this - I feel it's even ok to be bullied and let your ego suffer than to suffer physical damage.
Bravery is to be reserved for your own life - the decisions you take to move your life towards a vision you have. Not for fights and short term glory oriented things.
I love this quote by Lao Tzu - " A man with outward courage dares to die, A man with inner courage dares to live".