“Cowardice”

Cowardice – Daily writing prompt

Noun – lack of bravery

Anyone remember that show on Cartoon Network, Courage the Cowardly Dog? Wasn’t it ironic how although he was considered “cowardly”, he always managed to summon the courage to be brave and save his owners from monsters and aliens. I guess that was the point, him summoning the courage to do the impossible and save the day.

“The things I do for love…” – his motto, haha.

I wonder if Courage always had to deal with cognitive dissonance. Being called a cowardly dog, and yet named Courage.

Cognitive dissonance – n. “the state of having inconsistent thoughts, beliefs, or attitudes, especially as relating to behavioral decisions and attitude change”

It’s like when smokers know they shouldn’t smoke and yet they continue to do so, that cognitive dissonance will force one thing to change. Either their thoughts on smoking or the act itself in order for there to be consistency in thought and actions. Sometimes they’ll quit, which will align with their beliefs. Other times, they’ll justify what why smoking isn’t that bad.

“You only live once, might as well enjoy it”

“I’m young, its not that bad right now. I can quit later on.”

“But my family smokes, its a genetic thing.

“How am I supposed to socialize with my friends if they all smoke and I don’t?”

I firmly believe in the principle that our actions are determined by who we are. And who we are is determined by our thoughts, how we think, and how we define ourselves.

Remember that scene in The Amazing Spider Man when the English teacher is talking to the class?

“I had a professor once who liked to tell his students that there were only 10 different plots in all of fiction. Well, I’m here to tell you he was wrong. There is only one: ‘Who am I?'”

I think once we start to understand how powerful our identity is, we’ll see how strongly it affects what we do. People throughout history have given up their lives on their identity.

My question is: do you think you can change your own identity from what it is now to something better? Who do you want to be?