Warrior myths
Hérisson, Audrey
Warrior myths - 2013.
71
Courage has always been considered a soldier’s quality par excellence; it comes to life in the tales of mythical warriors, both feared and admired, but always hardened to physical suffering. In the collective mind, however, the notion of courage has undergone curious changes. Nowadays, while courage is still a characteristic attributed to heroes, our picture of such people has changed dramatically. They are no longer hardened men who fight wars; they are now “gentle” types whose courage has a moral dimension, now being “ethical” and nonviolent. Perceptions of courage are highly revealing about human nature through the centuries and across civilizations. They also show that associated imaginaries reflect people’s circumstances. Like the warriors of myths, people dream of overcoming their society’s circumstances, but the dream of “unlearning fear” can be achieved only by actions and words embodying their courage.
Warrior myths - 2013.
71
Courage has always been considered a soldier’s quality par excellence; it comes to life in the tales of mythical warriors, both feared and admired, but always hardened to physical suffering. In the collective mind, however, the notion of courage has undergone curious changes. Nowadays, while courage is still a characteristic attributed to heroes, our picture of such people has changed dramatically. They are no longer hardened men who fight wars; they are now “gentle” types whose courage has a moral dimension, now being “ethical” and nonviolent. Perceptions of courage are highly revealing about human nature through the centuries and across civilizations. They also show that associated imaginaries reflect people’s circumstances. Like the warriors of myths, people dream of overcoming their society’s circumstances, but the dream of “unlearning fear” can be achieved only by actions and words embodying their courage.
Réseaux sociaux