Bravery, Courage & Other Fine Things

Bravery: Fearlessly confront danger or difficulty.

Courage: Mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.

Nuance: A subtle difference in or shade of meaning, expression, or sound. This is very important. For example, Bravery and Courage, they are not the same.

There is a phenomenon in the interpretation of language, whereby mere association, one word becomes a common reference for another word, gradually homogenizing into an interchangeability of words, whereby the identifying nuances of each word become lost in translation. This is an excellent example of bad assimilation, far too common.

By the above example, Bravery and Courage socially have been interpreted as synonymous, they are not. Although they are similar, they are different. This is not a degradation of the merits of each.? Both are quite meritorious and warrant their distinctions. Both are valiant. Both require great strength. Both are intensely intolerant to indifference.?

The Nuances

Bravery vs Courage

Action & Degree

Bravery is action-oriented. It is confronting danger unreservedly. Courage is mindful choices based on ideals and values.

Absence & Resistance

Bravery is most often denoted as an absence of fear in the face of danger. Courage is the existence and contemplation of fear and resistance to it.?

Emotion or Thought

Bravery is emotion. Courage is thought.

In the Moment or Dedicated Marathon

Bravery is in the moment. Courage is the marathon of value-based choices.

Ethics & Virtue

Bravery is adherence to an ethical duty. Courage is adherence to virtue.

Intensity & Modesty

Bravery is bold and intense. Courage is modest and unassuming.

Bravery: Intent of heart begets thought which begets feeling manifesting into behavior and action.

Courage: Intent of heart begets thought which begets feeling manifesting into enduring choices.

Both Bravery and Courage are outer manifestations of heartfelt intent.

“He who is brave is free.”?- Seneca

“Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.”- Mark Twain