chickenfeet

I was listening to a clip of the late Viscount Slim the other day. He was arguing that courage is the greatest of all virtues. That it is, in factthe virtue. for without it all others are worthless. If one hasn't the courage to act on one's faith, hope or charity then what does it signify? I found it a most compelling argument. Certainly, in the work I do in the public sector, the besetting vice is cowardice. This is especially ironic as the consequences of taking a stand are not, in fact, very consequential. Nonetheless it is rampant. Fear (of what no-one knows) dominates the policy debate.

I find this particularly interesting because I see fear as a thing to be conquered. I learned to rock climb because I was afraid of heights. I don't like fights but, I'm told, I was seen as 'hard' on the rugby field. I've been physically thrown out of a client CEO's office for making a case he didn't want to hear (twice, he listened the third time). I can't imagine easily giving into fear though I know as well as most what it is to be very frightened (being on a rock face when heavy stonefall is happening is an interesting experience!). I don't see this as particularly admirable. I just don't think I could live with not being able to do what I needed to because of something as base as fear.