True Heroism: Love, Courage, and the Fight for Integrity

Nov 09, 2024

To the deep thinkers,

Welcome to the Deep Thinkers Newsletter: A collection of essays dedicated to going beyond the surface.

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Imagine standing at a crossroads, with one path leading to comfort and approval and the other to uncertainty and risk. You know which is right, but taking that path means challenging norms, facing judgment, or even losing something you hold dear.

It’s a moment when doing what is right demands something greater than conviction—it demands courage. This courage to stand up for what we believe, even when it’s difficult or unpopular, is not only rare but transformative.

What does it mean to have the courage to do what is right in a world that often rewards compliance over conscience? And if doing what’s right truly requires courage, then who are the people willing to take that stand? What do real heroes look like?

What’s a real hero?

Superheroes have fascinated me since I was a boy. The powers. The archnemeses. The costumes. The willingness to face imminent danger—it all seemed so cool to me.

Growing up, my mom didn't have the money for a comic book collection. But a library card was free, so that was the compromise. I checked out as many comics and graphic novels as I could find and devoured them.

I found my heroes in those pages. The X-Men, Batman, the Green Lantern, Spider-Man—these were the symbols of courage I knew.

When you're as impressionable as most children are, it's easy to see why they might idolize a dude in tights running at Mach speed over paramedics or firefighters.

Icons from popular culture—like Indiana Jones, Harry Potter, or *insert any macho action hero from the 80s or 90s*—have shaped, and at times distorted, our understanding of courage. These characters often embody exaggerated valor that can shift our perceptions, making real-life acts of courage seem less impressive by comparison.

They're called “characters” for a reason. They are not a true representation of how things work in the real world.

Not all heroes wear capes, and not every act of courage involves a physical fight. Sometimes, being a hero means working quietly in the background, facing challenges in the shadows without any praise or recognition. True courage often requires us to act selflessly, even when no one is watching.

As the author Ryan Holiday once wrote:

“A hero is not someone simply braving the elements, alone. It’s not you angry at the world. It’s about what you’re willing to do for the world.”

Courage over assigning blame

A coward is not simply someone who runs away from something "scary."

We act like cowards when we avoid our problems, put off tough conversations, or neglect the areas of our lives that demand real effort and attention.

Sometimes, we become paralyzed by overthinking—so caught up in possible outcomes and endless options that we end up doing nothing at all. This fear-driven paralysis is its own form of cowardice. We may even convince ourselves that if we wait long enough, someone else will step in, or the issue will simply resolve itself.

Be honest—how often do deep-rooted problems actually resolve themselves without intervention? Issues that are deeply ingrained, whether personal habits, relationship dynamics, or societal challenges, rarely vanish on their own. They tend to linger, often growing more complicated over time, unless we actively confront and address them.

We need courage in every area of our lives. We need it in our creative, professional, and emotional pursuits. We need it in our relationships. We need it to leave a stable job for something that speaks to our spirit. We need it when we express our love for another person for the first time.

I look around and see a world more eager to assign blame than to do what is right—more inclined to theorize and debate about righteous action than to act righteously.

But words are not enough to prove that you are a person of integrity and virtue. It is through our actions that we show who we really are.

Perhaps, I am being overly pessimistic. I won't deny that. I often have to subdue my inner cynic as it tries desperately to claw its way to the surface of my consciousness.

There is not one person in charge of changing the world for the better. It is on each one of us to do so through courageous action.

Fear is what leads societies into darkness. Some of history’s greatest atrocities occurred not only because of tyrants but also because fear kept people silent and passive. Instead of standing up to oppression and evil, fear has allowed history’s monsters the freedom to leave their mark on the world.

Villains exist. But their power rests not just in themselves or their followers, but those too passive or scared to stand up to them.

We always have a choice

Our true character is revealed in moments of choice—when beliefs and inner resolve come face-to-face with action.

Character is fate. What you believe, and what is inside of you determines what you will do when it’s time to face your fears.

Fear makes it easy to come up with excuses. It tucks us into our comfort zones and offers every reason why something won't work. You can always find a reason not to do something. But in the end, when you're honest with yourself, you always know when you're making hollow excuses rooted in fear.

Despite the horrors and injustices that still plague our world, many of us have never had to truly risk our lives or freedom to stand up for what we believe is right.

Amid the darkness of Nazi-occupied Poland, few figures embodied courage and compassion more powerfully than Irena Sendler, a Polish social worker who risked everything to save thousands of Jewish children from certain deaths.

During World War II, when the Nazis occupied Poland, Sendler joined the Polish underground resistance and worked with Zegota (the Council to Aid Jews). She smuggled out over 2,500 Jewish children, hiding them in toolboxes, sacks, or coffins. Once out, she helped place these children with Polish families, convents, and orphanages, giving them new identities to protect them from persecution.

When the Nazis found out what she'd been up to, she was arrested, tortured, and sentenced to death. However, she refused to reveal any information about the children or her co-conspirators. Eventually, members of the resistance bribed Nazi officials to release her, and Sendler continued her work in secret. Her courage, selflessness, and commitment to saving those who needed saving are prime examples of true heroism.

She had something to lose—actually, she had everything to lose—and still, she chose to do what was right. So what is stopping us?

Actions over theories

Here in the United States, we're living through turbulent times. Our leaders seem indifferent to the struggles of everyday people, and division has become our shared language. The prospect of a hopeful future feels more distant than ever, like a vision slipping further out of reach.

I understand the angst, the anxiety, and the rage. I do. But no matter who sits in the White House, or what billionaires and the morally bankrupt are up to, we must focus on what we control.

One person can't change the world, but each of us can change how we show up in the world.

We can choose integrity, compassion, and the courage to do what is right. In the face of injustice, our power lies in our actions, our communities, and the values we refuse to compromise.

Words and theories aren't enough. It is our actions that ultimately tell our story.

"The parent doesn't just tell the kid to face their fears, they have to show them what it means to do that in their own life." — Ryan Holiday

Theories don't change things, actions do.

If we are to undo the terrible things that have been done to us or the holes we've dug ourselves into, we need courage.

We need courage to face the consequences of our actions. We need it to speak up, even when it feels like we're the only voice in the room. We need it to distance ourselves from people who drag us down, recognizing that true courage sometimes means letting go for the sake of our growth and well-being.

To be clear, there is no shame in feeling scared, for it is an almost involuntary feeling. Anyone can be scared. Fear, however, is a state we sit in, alone or collectively. When we dwell in fear for too long, we allow it to take control of our lives—and that’s where the real danger begins.

True courage isn’t something we can simply summon out of nowhere, nor is it inspired by the heroic characters we see on screens or read about in books.

Doing things that make us uncomfortable is one way to build up our reserve of courage.

But the true source of courage is love. Love for our ideas. Love for nature. Love for those less fortunate, less intelligent, or "less cultured.". Love for the future generations—the ones who will inherit the Earth.

It is through love that we conquer fear. Love gives us the strength to face what we would otherwise flee from. When we care deeply, we are willing to endure unimaginable hardships. Fear may paralyze us, but love propels us forward.

In the end, it is love that reminds us what truly matters—making the fear of loss, pain, or rejection pale in comparison to the richness of living with an open heart.

Be the light

When we operate from a place of courage, all we need is a chance. It doesn't matter what the odds are. It doesn't matter that It's always been done this way. It doesn't matter that we've endured hardships of our own. When we are the heroes of our world, all that matters is that we stand a chance—a chance to do what is right, a chance to chase a dream, a chance to help others.

So let us take more risks. Let us give as much of ourselves as we can, and let us stand for what is right, even when everyone else has given up hope or decided to turn a blind eye. The world doesn't need any more people who value self-preservation over everything. We've got enough of that.

Either we do what is right or we don't. Either we take a chance on ourselves and our dreams, or we don't. It's that simple.

If you wish the world had a bit more light, then be the light you wish to see. Lead by example. If our civil servants won't do what is right for the world, then let us take on the burden.

As Marcus Aurelius said:

"Waste no more time arguing about what a good person should be. Be one."

What I’m into this week:

“I know it may be impossible to believe now, when everything is dark and broken, but you will survive this pain, little one. Pain is a memory. You will live and you will struggle and you will find joy. And you will remember your family from this breath to your dying days, because love does not fade. Love is the stars, and its light carries on long after death.”

– Pierce Brown, Iron Gold