The cardinal virtue of courage has a special place in today’s discussion on the question of how we should be acting in the world. It is manifested in the world through fortitude, or, what I like to call strength. Strength is the ability to resist load. The “load” in the context of Stoic courage is life itself; the challenges, tribulations, fears, and adversity that tempt us to act inappropriately in the world. What role does courage play in our modern world, and how can we manifest this virtue in the world?

Fear

Fear is a natural response to the dangers of the world. It is an evolutionarily useful mechanism, as it alerts us to things around us that pose a threat to our lives. For a less-evolved animal, this mechanism is superb; it allows the deer to run when she hears a twig snap. However, for the more evolved human being, fear must be managed for the simple reason that fearful responses do not always equate appropriate ones.

Sometimes, the response originating from fear is aligned with courage. Take a mother’s instinct to swat a spider away from her child. Other times, the fearful response is one of cowardice; the fearful response is entirely irrational, and that is why Stoics must manage fear.

The pro-social nature of humanity

Stoics must never forget that we are here to be pro-social. Being pro-social is what has allowed us to become the evolved species that we are today. It was by banding together in tribes that we were able to fend off the predators that would seek to devour us. Today, people band together to build skyscrapers, form communities, start new companies, and a plethora of other things.

The fearful response can be irrational for self-preservation, but it can be especially irrational as a pro-social member of the cosmos. This is because life is not entirely about you. You share in the fabric of the world, of course, but you are but one drop in the pond. 

Running away when you see a predator in the wilderness approach you may be rational if you are alone. If you are with your family, however, the rational response changes. It could entail fighting, even to the death, such that your family can escape. It could simply mean distracting the predator until your family escapes and then you can, too.

The point is that courage is vital for the pro-social member of the cosmos because it allows us to act in such a way that is beneficial for those around us.

Strength

Strength is never a weakness. - Mark Bell, Powerlifter

Strength – the ability to resist load – should be viewed as courage is viewed: it is always good. Mark Bell, a well-known athlete in the powerlifting world, hits the nail right on the head with the above quote. It is the same for all the other cardinal virtues: they are never bad. They can’t be.

But strength is not just manifested in the gym. Strength is also perseverance and fortitude. It’s meeting a challenge head on and not cowering away from it. It’s standing up with your shoulders back each morning, ready to take on the potentially difficult day ahead of you. It’s tempering your impulses to be angry, upset, and bitter at the world. 
It’s also walking away from a senseless street fight when the only potential outcomes are harmful. It’s putting on your suit and tie and partaking in your mother’s funeral. It’s letting your guard down and showing someone you just met who you really are and not what you think the world thinks it wants to see.

Is strength cultivated?

We can be strong at each present moment in our lives, and that gets down to a simple choice: do I want to be strong today or not? However, does it get easier? Are we able to become stronger?

It isn’t so much that we “become stronger” as it is that we “become better at strength”. When strength is manifested in the world, it is simply strength; there is no such thing as “more strength” or “less strength”.

However, like how our legs become bigger the more we squat, our ability to act appropriately in the world grows the more we seize opportunities to act appropriately. We have the potential to be strong at every moment, but we most certainly can cultivate the skill to act in a courageous way over time, and it starts right here, right now.

Strength starts where you are. Not where you were, or where you want to be. - Chris Moore, Barbell Buddha

Brandon is most well-known for his podcast, The Strong Stoic Podcast, where he discusses philosophical ideas both solo and with guests. He also coaches individuals to help them be their best selves, writes articles, plays music, manages projects, and several other things.

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