“Physical bravery is
an animal instinct; moral bravery is a much higher and truer courage.” Wendell Phillips, Slavery Abolitionist
(1811-1884)
About Phillips
• Born
in 1811 in Boston, Massachusetts
• Graduated
from Harvard and Harvard Law School
• Opened
his own law practice
• Stopped
practicing law so he could dedicate himself to abolitionist cause
• Sought
good through Christian morality and justice
• Believed
slavery was morally wrong and wanted to make all states free states
• Later
focused on women’s rights, universal suffrage, temperance, and labor movement
• Wanted
to find a moral solution to all situations
Meaning to Me
• Everyone
is able to be physically brave, but very few people will succeed in
being morally brave when put in difficult situations
• To
be strong in body and mind are two different things
• Sometimes
we’re scared to go against the grain because of what others may think of us,
but we should really only look at how we think of ourselves and stick to what
we believe to be right choices
• Makes
me want to be morally brave, even when faced with a hard decision, so people
know my true beliefs (not taking the easy way out)
“Stand up for what you believe in-even if it means standing
alone.”
Deacon D’s Questions and Reflections
• Give
specific examples of physical bravery and moral courage? How are they similar
as well as different?
• Can
a person be physically brave and not morally brave? Vice versa? Can a person be
both? Examples?
• Does
brave mean not feeling fear? Why or why not?
I'm not the bravest person, but I try to stand up for what I believe in. I really like this quote because I know that I am not the type of person that could jump out of an airplane, but if I strongly believed in something than I would stand up for it.
ReplyDeleteI like this quote because it points out that physical bravery is not as important as moral bravery. But I believe that not everyone is naturally physically able because people are born with certain disadvantages, so this makes me wonder if people could also be at disadvantages for being morally fit. But I have to agree that moral bravery has more quality because what ultimately makes people like you is how you act, not how you look physically.
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ReplyDeleteYou can be born with physical bravery, lots of people have it. But to be morally brave is an entirely different feat. One must accomplish this on their own and is no easy task at all. Physical bravery is running into a burning house to save someone. Moral bravery is running into a burning house with a women and a child but only having time to save one because they are on different parts of the house. I feel making that decision is harder than the latter
ReplyDeletePeople are raised to grow moral bravery, you can't be born with it. People can be born with physical bravery. This quote goes back to the community. The community where you were raised shapes your moral bravery. Also in this society it is harder for people to stand up and say what they want, and what they think right.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this quote! It reminds me of David and Goliath! David wasn't very strong physically but mentally he was extremely strong and brave! I am not too sure where I stand on the spectrum of physical bravery versus moral bravery. I guess with every situation I learn. However I know that I am scared of a lot of things I think that some people can naturally be born brave, however theres a difference between the two! It is harder to stand up and be brave about something that not everyone agrees with!
ReplyDeleteMarisa's quote makes me realize that you can only go as far, simply on preconceived notions (like beauty, talent, athleticism) as you let yourself go.
ReplyDeleteAlso, isn't being physically brave equally as challenging? To be considered so, I'd think you'd have to show evidence or signs to an audience to have someone call you "physically brave." So, can anyone truly be physically brave?
This quote is an excellent example of expressing the importance of having moral courage. It in a sense it expresses the need to build moral courage because, unlike physical courage it does not always come natural. Life consists of many different decisions and it is right to choose what you want.
ReplyDeleteWhat this quote means to me is that its not hard for someone to stand up physically against someone but it takes serious courage to stand up for your morals. A father will naturally defend his children against physical harm and thats not something the father has to work towards to achieve. However a person deciding to not steal from Walmart when all of his friends have done so takes moral courage and is something that has to be thought about and worked towards. There are plenty of people who are physically brave but not morally brave. Some people are born more athletic and physically adept but are morally bad people. The same goes for people who are not or cannot be physically brave but have very good and strict morals.
ReplyDeleteCommiting acts of bravery does not take true courage unless you are defending your morals. Physical bravery is much easier because it is basic instinct to defend yourself or do what is necessary to survive. Moral bravery takes real courage to stand up for what you believe despite what others around think or believe.
ReplyDeletePhysical bravery is something that most people are born with. While you can work on getting stronger, some are just more privileged than others. Moral bravery is a different story that others build throughout their lifetime. You learn more about the character of someone through their moral bravery than their physical.
ReplyDeleteTo me, this quote shows how we need one another in society. We have to learn to appreciate one another and realize how we help each other out. When the quote says "I must exert myself to give the same measures", it kind of talks about living up to the same potential or giving all of your efforts to everything that you've got. I like how Deacon DeGravelles relate his quote to Gillon's, discussing how important it is to respect the relationships you have with others and how you must co-exist with one another.
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