Ep. 16 — The Truth About Heroes: Bravery, Courage & Everyday Acts of Valor

Episode Description:

What makes someone a true hero? Is it raw courage, moral conviction, or something deeper? In this episode of Second Thoughts with Dr. Roger Hall, we strip away the myths of heroism—from comic book legends to real-world acts of bravery—to uncover what truly defines a hero.

Join us as we explore:

• Physical vs. Moral Courage – Why some step up in crisis while others hesitate.
• The Psychology of Heroism – What drives people to risk it all for others.
• Everyday Heroes – How small, consistent choices shape character and courage.
• Real-Life Stories – From battlefield legends to a delivery driver saving lives.

Whether you want to cultivate more courage in your own life or simply appreciate the bravery of those around you, this episode will challenge and inspire you.

Transcript

00:00:00,119 --> 00:00:35,079[00:00:00,119 --> 00:00:35,079] - [speaker_0]

When they're really powerful, we see the humanity of men and women who do things that are beyond themselves, and we love those stories because they are flawed. It's hard to be spurred on to greater things if the people we're trying to emulate are so far from who we are, we could never do it. (instrumental music plays) This is Second Thoughts with Roger Hall, and I'm Dr. Roger Hall. Today, I'm gonna be talking about heroism, bravery, and courage.

00:00:35,079 --> 00:00:41,059[00:00:35,079 --> 00:00:41,059] - [speaker_1]

I think the first question I wanna ask you, Roger, what is a hero?

00:00:41,059 --> 00:01:12,499[00:00:41,059 --> 00:01:12,499] - [speaker_0]

Yeah. We, we have this idea that, that a hero is a person with a costume and a cape, and I- I'll, I'll veer down that angle for just a minute. The reason those stories are so attractive to us... You know, today our, our modern heroes are comic book characters, uh, but if you look through history, it was, um... You know, in, in Greek and Roman mythology, it- it- it- it was the gods, and men-

00:01:12,499 --> 00:01:12,879[00:01:12,499 --> 00:01:12,879] - [speaker_1]

Mm-hmm.

00:01:12,879 --> 00:01:26,719[00:01:12,879 --> 00:01:26,719] - [speaker_0]

... who faced the gods were heroes. If we look at, um, the Middle Ages, we see that it was knights on, uh, a holy quest. If we look at Norse mythology, it was-

00:01:26,719 --> 00:01:27,139[00:01:26,719 --> 00:01:27,139] - [speaker_1]

Hmm.

00:01:27,139 --> 00:01:52,779[00:01:27,139 --> 00:01:52,779] - [speaker_0]

... uh, uh, men and women facing the gods. So, so there have always been, uh, these, these archetypical heroes. The, the, these, these, these people that, that we like to look at. And so people think they have to have a costume and a cape, but the reality is, the reason these stories, when they're powerful and not just CGI special effects, but-

00:01:52,779 --> 00:01:53,339[00:01:52,779 --> 00:01:53,339] - [speaker_1]

(laughs) Yeah.

00:01:53,339 --> 00:02:05,479[00:01:53,339 --> 00:02:05,479] - [speaker_0]

... when they're really powerful, we see the humanity of, of men and women who do things that are beyond themselves, and we love-

00:02:05,479 --> 00:02:05,479[00:02:05,479 --> 00:02:05,479] - [speaker_1]

Hmm.

00:02:05,479 --> 00:02:22,179[00:02:05,479 --> 00:02:22,179] - [speaker_0]

... those stories because they are flawed. Um, it, it's hard to... It, it's hard to be spurred on to greater things if the people we're trying to emulate are so far from who we are, we could never-

00:02:22,179 --> 00:02:22,179[00:02:22,179 --> 00:02:22,179] - [speaker_1]

Hmm.

00:02:22,179 --> 00:02:23,419[00:02:22,179 --> 00:02:23,419] - [speaker_0]

... do it. And, you know-

00:02:23,419 --> 00:02:23,599[00:02:23,419 --> 00:02:23,599] - [speaker_1]

Mm-hmm.

00:02:23,599 --> 00:02:34,719[00:02:23,599 --> 00:02:34,719] - [speaker_0]

... I, I, I know I'm gonna probably make some people mad right now, but I think Superman is the l- least good superhero, because-

00:02:34,719 --> 00:02:35,239[00:02:34,719 --> 00:02:35,239] - [speaker_1]

Hmm.

00:02:35,239 --> 00:02:50,159[00:02:35,239 --> 00:02:50,159] - [speaker_0]

... uh, he's, he's from another planet, and his real identity is Superman. His secret identity is Clark Kent. In every other superhero, everybody is a regular human with flaws and fears-

00:02:50,159 --> 00:02:50,499[00:02:50,159 --> 00:02:50,499] - [speaker_1]

Hmm. I see.

00:02:50,499 --> 00:03:08,619[00:02:50,499 --> 00:03:08,619] - [speaker_0]

... and their al- alter ego is, is beyond themselves. And we, we, we find these people like Peter Parker to be very attractive because he's an angsty teenager who, you know, can't get a date with a girl he likes. Well, I-

00:03:08,619 --> 00:03:09,199[00:03:08,619 --> 00:03:09,199] - [speaker_1]

(laughs)

00:03:09,199 --> 00:03:13,819[00:03:09,199 --> 00:03:13,819] - [speaker_0]

You know, I'm... You know, a lot of people go, "Oh, yeah. I know, I know what that's like." But then-

00:03:13,819 --> 00:03:14,739[00:03:13,819 --> 00:03:14,739] - [speaker_1]

(laughs)

00:03:14,739 --> 00:03:38,919[00:03:14,739 --> 00:03:38,919] - [speaker_0]

Then, then he's able then to, to become more than that, that was already in there, and that's why we like these stories. So, a, a hero is a normal person who, through making moral choices about his or her behavior, um, becomes the full expression of who they are.

00:03:38,919 --> 00:03:39,699[00:03:38,919 --> 00:03:39,699] - [speaker_1]

Hmm.

00:03:39,699 --> 00:03:42,039[00:03:39,699 --> 00:03:42,039] - [speaker_0]

They, they, they achieve-

00:03:42,039 --> 00:03:42,039[00:03:42,039 --> 00:03:42,039] - [speaker_1]

Hmm.

00:03:42,039 --> 00:04:09,079[00:03:42,039 --> 00:04:09,079] - [speaker_0]

... a level that was always there, but was, was dormant. Uh, but w- the question is, is it in everybody? Well, it can be, if you practice. So you... Heroism is... Uh, uh, I'll, I'll define two different kinds of courage, and I'm s- sure this is not, not the limit, but there's physical courage, which is-

00:04:09,079 --> 00:04:09,279[00:04:09,079 --> 00:04:09,279] - [speaker_1]

Hmm.

00:04:09,279 --> 00:04:22,719[00:04:09,279 --> 00:04:22,719] - [speaker_0]

... uh, people who, um, in the face of actual physical danger, uh, show that they're not afraid of that. Um-

00:04:22,719 --> 00:04:22,839[00:04:22,719 --> 00:04:22,839] - [speaker_1]

Hmm.

00:04:22,839 --> 00:04:35,179[00:04:22,839 --> 00:04:35,179] - [speaker_0]

... a, a historical example is Winston Churchill. When he was fighting the Boer War, um, the, the Boers, uh, blew up a railroad track and derailed the train-

00:04:35,179 --> 00:04:35,179[00:04:35,179 --> 00:04:35,179] - [speaker_1]

Hmm.

00:04:35,179 --> 00:04:44,379[00:04:35,179 --> 00:04:44,379] - [speaker_0]

... so he and his people were pinned down under fire, and he said... He thought, "Well, if we just stay here, we're dead." So-

00:04:44,379 --> 00:04:44,479[00:04:44,379 --> 00:04:44,479] - [speaker_1]

Hmm.

00:04:44,479 --> 00:04:52,939[00:04:44,479 --> 00:04:52,939] - [speaker_0]

... he starts directing them. Now, in our modern eyes, this seems absolutely unbelievable, but it's true.

00:04:52,939 --> 00:04:53,459[00:04:52,939 --> 00:04:53,459] - [speaker_1]

(laughs)

00:04:53,459 --> 00:05:04,439[00:04:53,459 --> 00:05:04,439] - [speaker_0]

He, under fire, is directing his soldiers to use timbers to put the train back on the tracks. To-

00:05:04,439 --> 00:05:04,939[00:05:04,439 --> 00:05:04,939] - [speaker_1]

Oh my gosh.

00:05:04,939 --> 00:05:11,279[00:05:04,939 --> 00:05:11,279] - [speaker_0]

They're physically muscling the train back onto the tracks while they're being shot at, and he's not afraid.

00:05:11,279 --> 00:05:11,859[00:05:11,279 --> 00:05:11,859] - [speaker_1]

What?

00:05:11,859 --> 00:05:12,719[00:05:11,859 --> 00:05:12,719] - [speaker_0]

I know, I know.

00:05:12,719 --> 00:05:13,799[00:05:12,719 --> 00:05:13,799] - [speaker_1]

That's insane.

00:05:13,799 --> 00:05:13,819[00:05:13,799 --> 00:05:13,819] - [speaker_0]

It is-

00:05:13,819 --> 00:05:16,319[00:05:13,819 --> 00:05:16,319] - [speaker_1]

That's crazy. I've never heard (laughs) of that. That's insane.

00:05:16,319 --> 00:05:26,199[00:05:16,319 --> 00:05:26,199] - [speaker_0]

So he's under fire. They're putting the... You know, the- they're, they're re-railing the train, and he- people thought he was completely insane. Well-

00:05:26,199 --> 00:05:26,319[00:05:26,199 --> 00:05:26,319] - [speaker_1]

(laughs)

00:05:26,319 --> 00:05:35,479[00:05:26,319 --> 00:05:35,479] - [speaker_0]

... Churchill, ever since he was a boy, believed that he was here for a purpose, and it wasn't his time.

00:05:35,479 --> 00:05:35,979[00:05:35,479 --> 00:05:35,979] - [speaker_1]

Wow. Wow.

00:05:35,979 --> 00:05:36,939[00:05:35,979 --> 00:05:36,939] - [speaker_0]

And he goes like, "Okay-"

00:05:36,939 --> 00:05:37,279[00:05:36,939 --> 00:05:37,279] - [speaker_1]

The faith.

00:05:37,279 --> 00:05:37,759[00:05:37,279 --> 00:05:37,759] - [speaker_0]

"... it's not my time."

00:05:37,759 --> 00:05:38,719[00:05:37,759 --> 00:05:38,719] - [speaker_1]

The faith behind that.

00:05:38,719 --> 00:05:42,939[00:05:38,719 --> 00:05:42,939] - [speaker_0]

"So I'll just go out here. They're not gonna be able to hit me, 'cause it- I'm not done yet." Turned out he was right.

00:05:42,939 --> 00:05:43,559[00:05:42,939 --> 00:05:43,559] - [speaker_1]

(laughs)

00:05:43,559 --> 00:05:45,739[00:05:43,559 --> 00:05:45,739] - [speaker_0]

Um...

00:05:45,739 --> 00:05:46,479[00:05:45,739 --> 00:05:46,479] - [speaker_1]

Oh my gosh.

00:05:46,479 --> 00:06:01,559[00:05:46,479 --> 00:06:01,559] - [speaker_0]

So, so he had practiced these things. And if you look at his life, he had so many adversities. He grew up in an aristocratic home, but his parents were estranged. His mom was a woman, we'll just say, with a bad reputation.

00:06:01,559 --> 00:06:03,739[00:06:01,559 --> 00:06:03,739] - [speaker_1]

What's aristocratic, can you explain?

00:06:03,739 --> 00:06:06,739[00:06:03,739 --> 00:06:06,739] - [speaker_0]

Aristocratic, high-level, uh, English society. His father ruled-

00:06:06,739 --> 00:06:08,659[00:06:06,739 --> 00:06:08,659] - [speaker_1]

Oh, okay, okay. Thank you.

00:06:08,659 --> 00:06:12,219[00:06:08,659 --> 00:06:12,219] - [speaker_0]

Um, so Churchill became a lord. Um-

00:06:12,219 --> 00:06:14,199[00:06:12,219 --> 00:06:14,199] - [speaker_1]

I see. So he grew up in, in wealth.

00:06:14,199 --> 00:06:14,779[00:06:14,199 --> 00:06:14,779] - [speaker_0]

Oh, yeah, absolutely.

00:06:14,779 --> 00:06:14,899[00:06:14,779 --> 00:06:14,899] - [speaker_1]

Tons and tons of wealth.

00:06:14,899 --> 00:06:15,519[00:06:14,899 --> 00:06:15,519] - [speaker_0]

I've been, I've been-

00:06:15,519 --> 00:06:15,519[00:06:15,519 --> 00:06:15,519] - [speaker_1]

Okay.

00:06:15,519 --> 00:06:18,359[00:06:15,519 --> 00:06:18,359] - [speaker_0]

... to his childhood home. It's Blenheim Palace-

00:06:18,359 --> 00:06:18,359[00:06:18,359 --> 00:06:18,359] - [speaker_1]

Hmm.

00:06:18,359 --> 00:06:19,679[00:06:18,359 --> 00:06:19,679] - [speaker_0]

... just outside of Oxford.

00:06:19,679 --> 00:06:20,039[00:06:19,679 --> 00:06:20,039] - [speaker_1]

Oh, okay.

00:06:20,039 --> 00:06:20,759[00:06:20,039 --> 00:06:20,759] - [speaker_0]

I mean, it's, it's-

00:06:20,759 --> 00:06:21,299[00:06:20,759 --> 00:06:21,299] - [speaker_1]

Okay.

00:06:21,299 --> 00:06:28,399[00:06:21,299 --> 00:06:28,399] - [speaker_0]

I mean, if you look at pictures of it, it's, yeah, it's pretty fantastic, but his father was ashamed of him.

00:06:28,399 --> 00:06:30,059[00:06:28,399 --> 00:06:30,059] - [speaker_1]

Wow. That's so sad.

00:06:30,059 --> 00:06:31,819[00:06:30,059 --> 00:06:31,819] - [speaker_0]

Oh, you know, it's, it's incredibly sad.

00:06:31,819 --> 00:06:32,439[00:06:31,819 --> 00:06:32,439] - [speaker_1]

That's so sad. (laughs)

00:06:32,439 --> 00:06:44,519[00:06:32,439 --> 00:06:44,519] - [speaker_0]

So, I mean, his, his father... One, uh, one of the stories goes that he was a bad student, uh, in military academy. He failed the military entrance exam not once, but twice. Took it the third time-

00:06:44,519 --> 00:06:44,519[00:06:44,519 --> 00:06:44,519] - [speaker_1]

Wow.

00:06:44,519 --> 00:07:00,439[00:06:44,519 --> 00:07:00,439] - [speaker_0]

... just made it. And at the time, in, in the British Army, if, if you were, um, a graduate of one of these military academies, um, the best rank to get was, uh, an infantry officer. The second-

00:07:00,439 --> 00:07:00,459[00:07:00,439 --> 00:07:00,459] - [speaker_1]

Hmm.

00:07:00,459 --> 00:07:08,319[00:07:00,459 --> 00:07:08,319] - [speaker_0]

... best was an artillery officer, and then if you were in the bottom of your class, you were a cavalry officer. You, you rode horses.

00:07:08,319 --> 00:07:08,839[00:07:08,319 --> 00:07:08,839] - [speaker_1]

Oh, wow.

00:07:08,839 --> 00:07:13,219[00:07:08,839 --> 00:07:13,219] - [speaker_0]

Well, he got, he got assigned as cavalry officer 'cause he was at the bottom of his class.

00:07:13,219 --> 00:07:14,499[00:07:13,219 --> 00:07:14,499] - [speaker_1]

(laughs) Oh, God.

00:07:14,499 --> 00:07:18,699[00:07:14,499 --> 00:07:18,699] - [speaker_0]

And his father, being a wealthy man, made Winston buy his own horse.

00:07:18,699 --> 00:07:20,199[00:07:18,699 --> 00:07:20,199] - [speaker_1]

Wow.

00:07:20,199 --> 00:07:45,039[00:07:20,199 --> 00:07:45,039] - [speaker_0]

Because he was so ashamed of him. So anyway, so all of that adversity, all of that adversity created a set of decisions in Churchill's mind, so he had physical courage. More recently, uh, in, in the United States, um... At the time, he was the candidate, um, Donald Trump, uh, got shot in the ear, and it... You know, there's famous pictures of it, that he got up-

00:07:45,039 --> 00:07:45,239[00:07:45,039 --> 00:07:45,239] - [speaker_1]

Yeah.

00:07:45,239 --> 00:07:46,639[00:07:45,239 --> 00:07:46,639] - [speaker_0]

... and, and fight, fight, fight.

00:07:46,639 --> 00:07:47,079[00:07:46,639 --> 00:07:47,079] - [speaker_1]

Yeah.

00:07:47,079 --> 00:07:57,099[00:07:47,079 --> 00:07:57,099] - [speaker_0]

And it wasn't clear that there, that the, uh, that the assassin wa- had been, uh, uh, dispatched or if there were other would-be assassins, but he got up-

00:07:57,099 --> 00:07:57,419[00:07:57,099 --> 00:07:57,419] - [speaker_1]

Yeah.

00:07:57,419 --> 00:07:59,199[00:07:57,419 --> 00:07:59,199] - [speaker_0]

... and did that. And people... And, and most-

00:07:59,199 --> 00:07:59,759[00:07:59,199 --> 00:07:59,759] - [speaker_1]

That's insane.

00:07:59,759 --> 00:08:11,997[00:07:59,759 --> 00:08:11,997] - [speaker_0]

... people think, "Well, yeah, that's insane."But in certain people, there's this sense that if they're under threat, it pulls up in them the fight response.

00:08:11,997 --> 00:08:12,978[00:08:11,997 --> 00:08:12,978] - [speaker_2]

Mm-hmm.

00:08:12,978 --> 00:08:20,597[00:08:12,978 --> 00:08:20,597] - [speaker_0]

Um, and, and all of th- uh, uh, under fear, all three responses or all four-

00:08:20,597 --> 00:08:20,697[00:08:20,597 --> 00:08:20,697] - [speaker_2]

Mm-hmm.

00:08:20,697 --> 00:08:28,097[00:08:20,697 --> 00:08:28,097] - [speaker_0]

... responses to, to threat are adaptive, fight, flight, faint, and freeze. All of that.

00:08:28,097 --> 00:08:28,757[00:08:28,097 --> 00:08:28,757] - [speaker_2]

Oh, there's four?

00:08:28,757 --> 00:08:29,377[00:08:28,757 --> 00:08:29,377] - [speaker_0]

There's four.

00:08:29,377 --> 00:08:29,837[00:08:29,377 --> 00:08:29,837] - [speaker_2]

Oh.

00:08:29,837 --> 00:08:30,337[00:08:29,837 --> 00:08:30,337] - [speaker_0]

Fight-

00:08:30,337 --> 00:08:32,537[00:08:30,337 --> 00:08:32,537] - [speaker_2]

Oh, I always... I didn't know if f- faint was part of that.

00:08:32,537 --> 00:08:35,398[00:08:32,537 --> 00:08:35,398] - [speaker_0]

Yeah. Fight, flight, faint, and freeze.

00:08:35,398 --> 00:08:35,537[00:08:35,398 --> 00:08:35,537] - [speaker_2]

Okay.

00:08:35,537 --> 00:08:40,117[00:08:35,537 --> 00:08:40,117] - [speaker_0]

So if you fight, you approach the thing you're afraid of.

00:08:40,117 --> 00:08:40,517[00:08:40,117 --> 00:08:40,517] - [speaker_2]

Right, right.

00:08:40,517 --> 00:08:51,898[00:08:40,517 --> 00:08:51,898] - [speaker_0]

Okay? Or you, you continue to engage. Um, sometimes that's adaptive. Flight is, "Okay, time to leave," which is also-

00:08:51,898 --> 00:08:51,898[00:08:51,898 --> 00:08:51,898] - [speaker_2]

Mm-hmm.

00:08:51,898 --> 00:09:00,197[00:08:51,898 --> 00:09:00,197] - [speaker_0]

... adaptive. And we have this odd idea that only brave pe- that brave people only fight. No.

00:09:00,197 --> 00:09:00,618[00:09:00,197 --> 00:09:00,618] - [speaker_2]

Yeah.

00:09:01,157 --> 00:09:07,038[00:09:01,157 --> 00:09:07,038] - [speaker_0]

No. Brave people recognize, "Okay, I'm not gonna win this one, so it's time to get out of Dodge."

00:09:07,038 --> 00:09:07,677[00:09:07,038 --> 00:09:07,677] - [speaker_2]

Ah.

00:09:07,677 --> 00:09:14,118[00:09:07,677 --> 00:09:14,118] - [speaker_0]

So, so the best way to win a fight is to avoid a fight, stay out of trouble. So flight is-

00:09:14,118 --> 00:09:14,297[00:09:14,118 --> 00:09:14,297] - [speaker_2]

Mm-hmm.

00:09:14,297 --> 00:09:25,817[00:09:14,297 --> 00:09:25,817] - [speaker_0]

... is really adaptive. Um, you know, and if, if, if we look at, um, if we look at threats, and we'll use a rattlesnake as a, as a, a, a threat, um-

00:09:25,817 --> 00:09:26,137[00:09:25,817 --> 00:09:26,137] - [speaker_2]

Right.

00:09:26,137 --> 00:09:30,437[00:09:26,137 --> 00:09:30,437] - [speaker_0]

... sometimes you see a rattlesnake and you kill it, that's fight.

00:09:30,437 --> 00:09:30,597[00:09:30,437 --> 00:09:30,597] - [speaker_2]

Mm-hmm.

00:09:30,597 --> 00:09:35,458[00:09:30,597 --> 00:09:35,458] - [speaker_0]

Sometimes you see a rattlesnake, you run away, flight. Also a very adaptive response.

00:09:35,458 --> 00:09:37,158[00:09:35,458 --> 00:09:37,158] - [speaker_2]

That's true. It'll save you.

00:09:37,158 --> 00:09:55,437[00:09:37,158 --> 00:09:55,437] - [speaker_0]

Sometimes you see the rattlesnake and you freeze, also adaptive response because what's happening is you are stopped and you're focused on the threat to apprehend, "Is this a threat? Is this-"

00:09:55,437 --> 00:09:55,437[00:09:55,437 --> 00:09:55,437] - [speaker_2]

Huh.

00:09:55,437 --> 00:10:06,377[00:09:55,437 --> 00:10:06,377] - [speaker_0]

"... going to happen right now?" So if, if you're a hunter, people who are hunters, they know that if there's a sound in the woods, deer or elk will stop.

00:10:06,377 --> 00:10:06,777[00:10:06,377 --> 00:10:06,777] - [speaker_2]

Hmm.

00:10:06,777 --> 00:10:23,117[00:10:06,777 --> 00:10:23,117] - [speaker_0]

And they'll look around, and then what they're doing is they're freezing, and then they're apprehending what danger is, there is, and for, for deer and elk, the, the primary response is, is, is flight. So they free-

00:10:23,117 --> 00:10:23,977[00:10:23,117 --> 00:10:23,977] - [speaker_2]

Yeah, yeah. They're not gonna fight much.

00:10:23,977 --> 00:10:26,897[00:10:23,977 --> 00:10:26,897] - [speaker_0]

Yeah, they, they, they f- well, they do sometimes. I mean some-

00:10:26,897 --> 00:10:27,657[00:10:26,897 --> 00:10:27,657] - [speaker_2]

I know. I've seen it.

00:10:27,657 --> 00:10:27,657[00:10:27,657 --> 00:10:27,657] - [speaker_0]

B-

00:10:27,657 --> 00:10:28,977[00:10:27,657 --> 00:10:28,977] - [speaker_2]

I've seen it on Lot a few times.

00:10:28,977 --> 00:10:31,297[00:10:28,977 --> 00:10:31,297] - [speaker_0]

Yeah. Sometimes the bucks or, or, uh, the bull-

00:10:31,297 --> 00:10:32,037[00:10:31,297 --> 00:10:32,037] - [speaker_2]

If you're too close.

00:10:32,037 --> 00:10:36,917[00:10:32,037 --> 00:10:36,917] - [speaker_0]

... will, um, will, will take you out. I mean, y- like you never wanna mess with a moose.

00:10:36,917 --> 00:10:39,737[00:10:36,917 --> 00:10:39,737] - [speaker_2]

No. Oh, no, no.

00:10:39,737 --> 00:11:02,377[00:10:39,737 --> 00:11:02,377] - [speaker_0]

A bull moose, a cow moose, it doesn't matter. Just stay away. Um, and the last is faint. And, and faint is an adaptive response. People think, "Oh, that's, you know, that's, that's what cowards do." No, um, if, if, if I see a rattlesnake and I faint, rattlesnakes are bored with things that faint, and so they move on.

00:11:02,377 --> 00:11:04,137[00:11:02,377 --> 00:11:04,137] - [speaker_2]

(laughs)

00:11:04,137 --> 00:11:12,317[00:11:04,137 --> 00:11:12,317] - [speaker_0]

But it's also adaptive in real life, if, if you've ever had a cat who gets a mouse, when does the cat-

00:11:12,317 --> 00:11:12,317[00:11:12,317 --> 00:11:12,317] - [speaker_2]

Yeah.

00:11:12,317 --> 00:11:15,577[00:11:12,317 --> 00:11:15,577] - [speaker_0]

... stop messing with the mouse?

00:11:15,577 --> 00:11:17,397[00:11:15,577 --> 00:11:17,397] - [speaker_2]

When it's dead?

00:11:17,397 --> 00:11:19,997[00:11:17,397 --> 00:11:19,997] - [speaker_0]

When it's dead or when it appears to be dead.

00:11:19,997 --> 00:11:21,197[00:11:19,997 --> 00:11:21,197] - [speaker_2]

Right, right.

00:11:21,197 --> 00:11:28,317[00:11:21,197 --> 00:11:28,317] - [speaker_0]

So some mice will actually faint under that stress. The cat gets bored, they run off.

00:11:28,317 --> 00:11:28,577[00:11:28,317 --> 00:11:28,577] - [speaker_2]

Mm-hmm.

00:11:28,577 --> 00:11:38,937[00:11:28,577 --> 00:11:38,937] - [speaker_0]

With humans, if you're out on the savanna and a lion gets you in his or her mouth, if you faint, they're cats, they'll drop you.

00:11:38,937 --> 00:11:39,537[00:11:38,937 --> 00:11:39,537] - [speaker_2]

Oh.

00:11:39,537 --> 00:11:49,457[00:11:39,537 --> 00:11:49,457] - [speaker_0]

So it's adaptive. So what, what, uh, what I wanna talk about, physical courage, is that's very often the fight response.

00:11:49,457 --> 00:11:49,717[00:11:49,457 --> 00:11:49,717] - [speaker_2]

Okay.

00:11:49,717 --> 00:11:57,957[00:11:49,717 --> 00:11:57,957] - [speaker_0]

Not always the right response, but, but heroic people tend to engage.

00:11:57,957 --> 00:11:58,817[00:11:57,957 --> 00:11:58,817] - [speaker_2]

Hm.

00:11:58,817 --> 00:12:01,757[00:11:58,817 --> 00:12:01,757] - [speaker_0]

They, they don't do it foolishly.

00:12:01,757 --> 00:12:02,037[00:12:01,757 --> 00:12:02,037] - [speaker_2]

Hm.

00:12:02,037 --> 00:12:16,657[00:12:02,037 --> 00:12:16,657] - [speaker_0]

They don't, they certainly don't do it foolishly. Um, you know, I worked with veterans at a VA and they said that, "The guy we never wanted in our foxhole was a guy who didn't have any fear 'cause he was gonna get us killed."

00:12:16,657 --> 00:12:17,337[00:12:16,657 --> 00:12:17,337] - [speaker_2]

Oh.

00:12:17,337 --> 00:12:18,177[00:12:17,337 --> 00:12:18,177] - [speaker_0]

So, so it's-

00:12:18,177 --> 00:12:18,517[00:12:18,177 --> 00:12:18,517] - [speaker_2]

Wow.

00:12:18,517 --> 00:12:39,617[00:12:18,517 --> 00:12:39,617] - [speaker_0]

It's not fearlessness. It's managing fear. So there's a great quote about courage by a gentleman whose pen name is Ambrose Redmoon and it's, "Courage is not the absence of fear. It's the decision that there's something more important than fear."

00:12:39,617 --> 00:12:40,197[00:12:39,617 --> 00:12:40,197] - [speaker_2]

Hm. Wow.

00:12:40,197 --> 00:12:51,937[00:12:40,197 --> 00:12:51,937] - [speaker_0]

And so, so if we look at that definition, what heroes do is not that they're not afraid, but they have decided there's something more important than fear, "I am going to-"

00:12:51,937 --> 00:12:52,997[00:12:51,937 --> 00:12:52,997] - [speaker_2]

Hm, that they care about?

00:12:52,997 --> 00:12:54,257[00:12:52,997 --> 00:12:54,257] - [speaker_0]

Yes.

00:12:54,257 --> 00:12:54,417[00:12:54,257 --> 00:12:54,417] - [speaker_2]

Wow.

00:12:54,417 --> 00:12:55,977[00:12:54,417 --> 00:12:55,977] - [speaker_0]

Something that they love.

00:12:55,977 --> 00:12:56,977[00:12:55,977 --> 00:12:56,977] - [speaker_2]

Right, right, I see.

00:12:56,977 --> 00:13:02,617[00:12:56,977 --> 00:13:02,617] - [speaker_0]

So Churchill, what, what's he doing? He's trying to get his men out of danger.

00:13:02,617 --> 00:13:02,937[00:13:02,617 --> 00:13:02,937] - [speaker_2]

Yeah.

00:13:02,937 --> 00:13:14,157[00:13:02,937 --> 00:13:14,157] - [speaker_0]

He loves his men. He's working to get them out of danger. So physical courage is very often... Comes from love. Now that sounds all squishy, like, you know, you, you, you're gonna write a book full of-

00:13:14,157 --> 00:13:16,217[00:13:14,157 --> 00:13:16,217] - [speaker_2]

That actually sounds like Superman.

00:13:16,217 --> 00:13:18,377[00:13:16,217 --> 00:13:18,377] - [speaker_0]

Wh- ho- how does it sound like Superman?

00:13:18,377 --> 00:13:20,637[00:13:18,377 --> 00:13:20,637] - [speaker_2]

Because he loves what's her face.

00:13:20,637 --> 00:13:21,037[00:13:20,637 --> 00:13:21,037] - [speaker_0]

Lois Lane.

00:13:21,037 --> 00:13:27,597[00:13:21,037 --> 00:13:27,597] - [speaker_2]

And he ends up going... Yeah, he goes to far lengths to save her rather than saving his planet. Isn't that like-

00:13:27,597 --> 00:13:27,777[00:13:27,597 --> 00:13:27,777] - [speaker_0]

Yeah, I mean that's, that-

00:13:27,777 --> 00:13:28,957[00:13:27,777 --> 00:13:28,957] - [speaker_2]

... part of the story of-

00:13:28,957 --> 00:13:31,557[00:13:28,957 --> 00:13:31,557] - [speaker_0]

... that's, that's the comics, right? That's just comics.

00:13:31,557 --> 00:13:32,597[00:13:31,557 --> 00:13:32,597] - [speaker_2]

Oh, right, right. Right. Um, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm just saying. (laughs)

00:13:32,597 --> 00:13:41,957[00:13:32,597 --> 00:13:41,957] - [speaker_0]

Yeah, there, there's all of that story about loving one person, so you let the rest of the world, you know, explode. That, that seems like a bad trade. Uh...

00:13:41,957 --> 00:13:43,057[00:13:41,957 --> 00:13:43,057] - [speaker_2]

(laughs)

00:13:43,057 --> 00:13:46,397[00:13:43,057 --> 00:13:46,397] - [speaker_0]

Um, it, it just seems like a bad trade. Uh-

00:13:46,397 --> 00:13:46,577[00:13:46,397 --> 00:13:46,577] - [speaker_2]

(laughs)

00:13:46,577 --> 00:13:57,637[00:13:46,577 --> 00:13:57,637] - [speaker_0]

... what it says is that one person is more important than billions of people. But besides that, you know, and, and, um, I, I'm not sure I, I'm not sure I could live with that math. And we'll talk about regret in a minute.

00:13:57,637 --> 00:13:58,677[00:13:57,637 --> 00:13:58,677] - [speaker_2]

(laughs)

00:13:58,677 --> 00:14:26,897[00:13:58,677 --> 00:14:26,897] - [speaker_0]

So, um, when we think about heroism, we think about people with physical courage. We'll talk about moral courage in a minute. Um, but, but what, what people with physical courage, they're motivated by love. It... And it's not ro- and it doesn't have to be romantic love. It means the care and concern that they have for other people. And there's another piece of it, which is, who's their audience?

00:14:26,897 --> 00:14:27,657[00:14:26,897 --> 00:14:27,657] - [speaker_2]

(laughs)

00:14:27,657 --> 00:14:41,057[00:14:27,657 --> 00:14:41,057] - [speaker_0]

Now, we have lots of people who, in terms of mor- moral... Well, let me define moral courage, and then we'll talk about the audience. Moral courage is standing up against the popular views.

00:14:41,057 --> 00:14:41,317[00:14:41,057 --> 00:14:41,317] - [speaker_2]

Hm.

00:14:41,317 --> 00:14:48,137[00:14:41,317 --> 00:14:48,137] - [speaker_0]

And what that does is that other people then will despise you if you stand up to the popular-

00:14:48,137 --> 00:14:48,397[00:14:48,137 --> 00:14:48,397] - [speaker_2]

Yeah.

00:14:48,397 --> 00:15:00,337[00:14:48,397 --> 00:15:00,337] - [speaker_0]

... views. Virtue signalers think they have moral courage, but their audience is the popular culture. They care... They're thinking about, you know, "What are my followers gonna say?"

00:15:00,337 --> 00:15:00,537[00:15:00,337 --> 00:15:00,537] - [speaker_2]

Right.

00:15:00,537 --> 00:15:02,357[00:15:00,537 --> 00:15:02,357] - [speaker_0]

That's not moral courage. That's virtue signaling.

00:15:02,357 --> 00:15:02,737[00:15:02,357 --> 00:15:02,737] - [speaker_2]

Right.

00:15:02,737 --> 00:15:13,097[00:15:02,737 --> 00:15:13,097] - [speaker_0]

Moral courage is, "I don't care what other people say. The audience that I'm playing for is me." Or...

00:15:13,097 --> 00:15:13,197[00:15:13,097 --> 00:15:13,197] - [speaker_2]

Yeah.

00:15:13,197 --> 00:15:17,437[00:15:13,197 --> 00:15:17,437] - [speaker_0]

... if you're, if, if you're a person who's religious, God.

00:15:17,437 --> 00:15:17,937[00:15:17,437 --> 00:15:17,937] - [speaker_2]

Mm-hmm.

00:15:17,937 --> 00:15:27,397[00:15:17,937 --> 00:15:27,397] - [speaker_0]

So you have to think about an audience of one. Who am I playing for? 'Cause we're al- always playing for an audience.

00:15:27,397 --> 00:15:28,937[00:15:27,397 --> 00:15:28,937] - [speaker_2]

Hm.

00:15:28,937 --> 00:15:39,097[00:15:28,937 --> 00:15:39,097] - [speaker_0]

Courageous people, heroes are not playing for the crowds. They're playing for their internal state or their god. That's why they do the things that they do.

00:15:39,097 --> 00:15:39,977[00:15:39,097 --> 00:15:39,977] - [speaker_2]

Hm.

00:15:39,977 --> 00:15:41,857[00:15:39,977 --> 00:15:41,857] - [speaker_0]

That's an important distinction.

00:15:41,857 --> 00:15:42,577[00:15:41,857 --> 00:15:42,577] - [speaker_2]

Yeah.

00:15:42,577 --> 00:15:51,937[00:15:42,577 --> 00:15:51,937] - [speaker_0]

'Cause heroes are willing to do things because they don't want to live with the regret of not doing it.

00:15:51,937 --> 00:15:52,197[00:15:51,937 --> 00:15:52,197] - [speaker_2]

Hm.

00:15:52,197 --> 00:16:09,231[00:15:52,197 --> 00:16:09,231] - [speaker_0]

Y- Um, I, I have disagreements with him and some of his policies, but there's no way I can disparage the man I'm about to talk about, who, uh,... uh, was John McCain. He was a senator from Arizona.

00:16:09,231 --> 00:16:09,271[00:16:09,231 --> 00:16:09,271] - [speaker_3]

Hmm.

00:16:09,271 --> 00:16:31,992[00:16:09,271 --> 00:16:31,992] - [speaker_0]

He was, um, uh, a, a pilot, a, you know, a fighter pilot in the Vietnam War. His, his, uh, plane was shot down and he was taken with two, two broken legs, uh, injured legs, um, to the Hanoi Hilton, which was a prisoner of war facility in Hanoi. Uh-

00:16:31,992 --> 00:16:32,111[00:16:31,992 --> 00:16:32,111] - [speaker_3]

Hmm.

00:16:32,111 --> 00:17:05,791[00:16:32,111 --> 00:17:05,791] - [speaker_0]

... and it was, it was a brutal place. And he, they gave him bad surgeries and so he always walked with a limp. What McCain, McCain and, and all of the other people who were captives there showed courage and he, he said in his book, he has a book called On Bravery, and he says in that book that he made a decision at one point, and I, I love this quote, "Regret is an awful companion."

00:17:05,791 --> 00:17:06,791[00:17:05,791 --> 00:17:06,791] - [speaker_3]

Hmm. Wow.

00:17:06,791 --> 00:17:12,672[00:17:06,791 --> 00:17:12,672] - [speaker_0]

"Regret is an awful companion." And so, what he had decided to-

00:17:12,672 --> 00:17:12,692[00:17:12,672 --> 00:17:12,692] - [speaker_3]

Wow.

00:17:12,692 --> 00:17:18,871[00:17:12,692 --> 00:17:18,871] - [speaker_0]

... the way he decided to live his life is to live his life so that he didn't have regrets.

00:17:18,871 --> 00:17:19,991[00:17:18,871 --> 00:17:19,991] - [speaker_3]

Hmm.

00:17:19,991 --> 00:17:32,771[00:17:19,991 --> 00:17:32,771] - [speaker_0]

We all have regrets about the things we've done. But if we look at the regrets that trouble people the most, it's regrets of the things that they didn't do.

00:17:32,771 --> 00:17:34,251[00:17:32,771 --> 00:17:34,251] - [speaker_3]

Yeah. Wow.

00:17:34,251 --> 00:17:47,171[00:17:34,251 --> 00:17:47,171] - [speaker_0]

"I didn't stand up to this person I didn't speak my mind." And there's another quote that, that, "A, a brave man or woman dies but once, but a coward dies every day."

00:17:47,171 --> 00:17:50,171[00:17:47,171 --> 00:17:50,171] - [speaker_3]

Oh, gosh. (laughs)

00:17:50,171 --> 00:18:03,931[00:17:50,171 --> 00:18:03,931] - [speaker_0]

So, if you think about this, that a brave person realizes they may die, but they're just gonna die once, but if they suffer from regret on a daily basis, that is a kind of death.

00:18:03,931 --> 00:18:04,891[00:18:03,931 --> 00:18:04,891] - [speaker_3]

Mm-hmm.

00:18:04,891 --> 00:18:17,471[00:18:04,891 --> 00:18:17,471] - [speaker_0]

So, courageous, heroic people decide to do things because they couldn't live with themselves if they didn't. And, uh, I, I th- what sparked this conversation, Nation, is-

00:18:17,471 --> 00:18:17,711[00:18:17,471 --> 00:18:17,711] - [speaker_3]

Mm-hmm.

00:18:17,711 --> 00:18:25,791[00:18:17,711 --> 00:18:25,791] - [speaker_0]

... that we were talking about a video about this, I think he was, like, a... Was he an, uh, an Uber Eats deli- delivery guy?

00:18:25,791 --> 00:18:26,051[00:18:25,791 --> 00:18:26,051] - [speaker_3]

Yeah.

00:18:26,051 --> 00:18:26,491[00:18:26,051 --> 00:18:26,491] - [speaker_0]

Or pizza guy?

00:18:26,491 --> 00:18:30,771[00:18:26,491 --> 00:18:30,771] - [speaker_3]

Yeah. Yeah. He wa- he was, yeah, a delivery man that, he was a, just a delivery man. So-

00:18:30,771 --> 00:18:46,051[00:18:30,771 --> 00:18:46,051] - [speaker_0]

And he's delivering food and he goes l- he, he's delivering food and he sees this house on fire. And this is just a regular guy. There's no firemen there, there's nothing. He breaks into the house, he rescues these kids, and he gets all of them but one out, and-

00:18:46,051 --> 00:18:47,311[00:18:46,051 --> 00:18:47,311] - [speaker_3]

He rescues four.

00:18:47,311 --> 00:18:49,111[00:18:47,311 --> 00:18:49,111] - [speaker_0]

Yeah. He gets, what, four of them out.

00:18:49,111 --> 00:18:50,351[00:18:49,111 --> 00:18:50,351] - [speaker_3]

(laughs) Four of them out.

00:18:50,351 --> 00:18:55,051[00:18:50,351 --> 00:18:55,051] - [speaker_0]

He gets four of them out and then he r- realizes there's another kid in there. Now-

00:18:55,051 --> 00:18:55,331[00:18:55,051 --> 00:18:55,331] - [speaker_3]

Yeah.

00:18:55,331 --> 00:19:00,071[00:18:55,331 --> 00:19:00,071] - [speaker_0]

... a lot of us would go, "Yeah, four's pretty good. Four out of five. That ain't bad."

00:19:00,071 --> 00:19:00,311[00:19:00,071 --> 00:19:00,311] - [speaker_3]

(laughs)

00:19:00,311 --> 00:19:00,571[00:19:00,311 --> 00:19:00,571] - [speaker_0]

Um-

00:19:00,571 --> 00:19:05,591[00:19:00,571 --> 00:19:05,591] - [speaker_3]

Yeah. Yeah. Or even, like, "There's no way I could get that last one because the building is so gone already."

00:19:05,591 --> 00:19:06,131[00:19:05,591 --> 00:19:06,131] - [speaker_0]

Mm-hmm.

00:19:06,131 --> 00:19:07,551[00:19:06,131 --> 00:19:07,551] - [speaker_3]

"Like, I'm gonna die going into it."

00:19:07,551 --> 00:19:14,391[00:19:07,551 --> 00:19:14,391] - [speaker_0]

"I'm gonna die going in." And so this is a guy, for whatever reason, I don't know his psychology 'cause I've never met him-

00:19:14,391 --> 00:19:14,791[00:19:14,391 --> 00:19:14,791] - [speaker_3]

Yeah.

00:19:14,791 --> 00:19:23,911[00:19:14,791 --> 00:19:23,911] - [speaker_0]

... but I'm guessing here. But this is a guy that there's something in his brain that says, "I could not ever live with myself-"

00:19:23,911 --> 00:19:25,431[00:19:23,911 --> 00:19:25,431] - [speaker_3]

Yeah. Like, that's-

00:19:25,431 --> 00:19:27,011[00:19:25,431 --> 00:19:27,011] - [speaker_0]

"... if I did try." Now, that-

00:19:27,011 --> 00:19:27,731[00:19:27,011 --> 00:19:27,731] - [speaker_3]

That's gotta be it.

00:19:27,731 --> 00:19:30,271[00:19:27,731 --> 00:19:30,271] - [speaker_0]

That's badass. Now, if you're this guy-

00:19:30,271 --> 00:19:30,491[00:19:30,271 --> 00:19:30,491] - [speaker_3]

Yeah. (laughs)

00:19:30,491 --> 00:19:35,411[00:19:30,491 --> 00:19:35,411] - [speaker_0]

... he doesn't, I mean, he's got no cape, you know, he's, he's not, he's not ripped. He's like-

00:19:35,411 --> 00:19:35,691[00:19:35,411 --> 00:19:35,691] - [speaker_3]

No.

00:19:35,691 --> 00:19:37,791[00:19:35,691 --> 00:19:37,791] - [speaker_0]

... he's just a guy. He's a guy you'd-

00:19:37,791 --> 00:19:38,011[00:19:37,791 --> 00:19:38,011] - [speaker_3]

Yeah.

00:19:38,011 --> 00:19:42,251[00:19:38,011 --> 00:19:42,251] - [speaker_0]

... never look twice at. But there's something inside of him that-

00:19:42,251 --> 00:19:42,571[00:19:42,251 --> 00:19:42,571] - [speaker_3]

Yeah.

00:19:42,571 --> 00:19:47,731[00:19:42,571 --> 00:19:47,731] - [speaker_0]

... that he's, "I, I can't live like this." So he goes in and he saves the other kid.

00:19:47,731 --> 00:19:48,891[00:19:47,731 --> 00:19:48,891] - [speaker_3]

Yeah.

00:19:48,891 --> 00:19:49,791[00:19:48,891 --> 00:19:49,791] - [speaker_0]

And, and-

00:19:49,791 --> 00:19:51,791[00:19:49,791 --> 00:19:51,791] - [speaker_3]

We'll play the video, too, for some context-

00:19:51,791 --> 00:19:51,931[00:19:51,791 --> 00:19:51,931] - [speaker_0]

Yeah. So pe-

00:19:51,931 --> 00:19:53,311[00:19:51,931 --> 00:19:53,311] - [speaker_3]

... because I think it's incredibly powerful.

00:19:53,311 --> 00:20:00,451[00:19:53,311 --> 00:20:00,451] - [speaker_0]

So, so people can see it. And so I love this guy because he's a great example. He doesn't look like Brad Pitt, irregard-

00:20:00,451 --> 00:20:01,291[00:20:00,451 --> 00:20:01,291] - [speaker_3]

(laughs)

00:20:01,291 --> 00:20:10,551[00:20:01,291 --> 00:20:10,551] - [speaker_0]

You know, he doesn't, uh, and that's not dissing Brad Pitt. Everybody knows Brad Pitt's good-looking. But most of us, actually none of us look as good as Brad Pitt.

00:20:10,551 --> 00:20:11,911[00:20:10,551 --> 00:20:11,911] - [speaker_3]

No. No. No. (laughs)

00:20:11,911 --> 00:20:22,211[00:20:11,911 --> 00:20:22,211] - [speaker_0]

So, so he- he's just a regular guy, he's delivering pizzas and burgers, and he had something inside of him 'cause he knew, "I don't want to live with regret."

00:20:22,211 --> 00:20:22,471[00:20:22,211 --> 00:20:22,471] - [speaker_3]

Hmm.

00:20:22,471 --> 00:20:35,031[00:20:22,471 --> 00:20:35,031] - [speaker_0]

So, he had that kind of physical courage. That's what heroism is. It's acting for the benefit of others, the audience is not the popular culture.

00:20:35,031 --> 00:20:35,091[00:20:35,031 --> 00:20:35,091] - [speaker_3]

Yeah.

00:20:35,091 --> 00:20:39,671[00:20:35,091 --> 00:20:39,671] - [speaker_0]

The audience is an audience of one. It, it's either yourself or God.

00:20:39,671 --> 00:20:40,351[00:20:39,671 --> 00:20:40,351] - [speaker_3]

Yeah.

00:20:40,351 --> 00:20:45,831[00:20:40,351 --> 00:20:45,831] - [speaker_0]

"I can't live with the regret or I couldn't face my God knowing I didn't do more."

00:20:45,831 --> 00:20:46,311[00:20:45,831 --> 00:20:46,311] - [speaker_3]

Mm-hmm.

00:20:46,311 --> 00:20:53,251[00:20:46,311 --> 00:20:53,251] - [speaker_0]

And that requires practice. Most of us care about the audience.

00:20:53,251 --> 00:20:54,431[00:20:53,251 --> 00:20:54,431] - [speaker_3]

Mm-hmm.

00:20:54,471 --> 00:21:13,691[00:20:54,471 --> 00:21:13,691] - [speaker_0]

And, and there's a- another wonderful quote from a book, it's a, it's a fiction, a piece of fiction called The Bridge over San Luis Rey, and the quote in the book is, "The audience for which masterpieces are created is not of this world."

00:21:13,691 --> 00:21:15,411[00:21:13,691 --> 00:21:15,411] - [speaker_3]

Oh, wow.

00:21:15,411 --> 00:21:24,991[00:21:15,411 --> 00:21:24,991] - [speaker_0]

"The audience for which masterpieces are created is not of this world." In other words, if you want to do something of real greatness-

00:21:24,991 --> 00:21:25,071[00:21:24,991 --> 00:21:25,071] - [speaker_3]

Right.

00:21:25,071 --> 00:21:32,691[00:21:25,071 --> 00:21:32,691] - [speaker_0]

... it isn't about pleasing the crowd. It's about, is there a higher purpose for what I'm doing? So, I-

00:21:32,691 --> 00:21:32,691[00:21:32,691 --> 00:21:32,691] - [speaker_3]

Right.

00:21:32,691 --> 00:21:41,151[00:21:32,691 --> 00:21:41,151] - [speaker_0]

... I don't know anything about this guy, the delivery guy who saved those kids, but I do know that at that moment, he could not have lived with himself.

00:21:41,151 --> 00:21:42,231[00:21:41,151 --> 00:21:42,231] - [speaker_3]

Yeah.

00:21:42,231 --> 00:21:51,671[00:21:42,231 --> 00:21:51,671] - [speaker_0]

And if, if he, if he has a, a belief in God, he couldn't have felt like he could look at God and say, "I, you know, did I do enough?"

00:21:51,671 --> 00:21:51,991[00:21:51,671 --> 00:21:51,991] - [speaker_3]

Mm-hmm.

00:21:51,991 --> 00:22:17,831[00:21:51,991 --> 00:22:17,831] - [speaker_0]

So, that's where physical courage comes from. Moral courage comes from much the same place. Um, John F. Kennedy wrote a book called Profiles in Courage, and, and I, I really recommend that, that everyone read it because what he talks about are people who, who, it's not about physical courage, it's about moral courage. People who stood up against the mob.

00:22:17,831 --> 00:22:18,251[00:22:17,831 --> 00:22:18,251] - [speaker_3]

Mm-hmm.

00:22:18,251 --> 00:22:23,711[00:22:18,251 --> 00:22:23,711] - [speaker_0]

People who stood up against popular opinion for what they believed was true, and sometimes it cost them everything.

00:22:23,711 --> 00:22:25,251[00:22:23,711 --> 00:22:25,251] - [speaker_3]

Right.

00:22:25,251 --> 00:22:38,251[00:22:25,251 --> 00:22:38,251] - [speaker_0]

Now, if you think, "Oh, I'm gonna stand up to the mob because my people are gonna, you know, adore me," that's not why you have moral courage. You have moral courage 'cause you can't live with yourself if you don't do more.

00:22:38,251 --> 00:22:39,171[00:22:38,251 --> 00:22:39,171] - [speaker_3]

Yeah. Right.

00:22:39,171 --> 00:22:55,071[00:22:39,171 --> 00:22:55,071] - [speaker_0]

Now, there are people who have moral courage who have purposes and causes that I don't agree with. I, I fundamentally disagree with them. If they're motivated by their own conscience, then I can respect that. If they're motivated by the crowd, uh, I'm not interested. That's bur-

00:22:55,071 --> 00:22:55,771[00:22:55,071 --> 00:22:55,771] - [speaker_3]

Right.

00:22:55,771 --> 00:23:03,471[00:22:55,771 --> 00:23:03,471] - [speaker_0]

... you know, when, when people do good and they videotape it and then they post it, and it's like, (laughs) nah.

00:23:03,471 --> 00:23:03,951[00:23:03,471 --> 00:23:03,951] - [speaker_3]

(laughs)

00:23:03,951 --> 00:23:06,091[00:23:03,951 --> 00:23:06,091] - [speaker_0]

I, I, I, I don't have any time for that.

00:23:06,091 --> 00:23:27,311[00:23:06,091 --> 00:23:27,311] - [speaker_3]

(laughs) Yeah. No, that's, that's incredible. How could you, uh, I guess, what's, like, some advice you would give to somebody who can, who's, who's wanting to be a hero in those situations? What can they do day to day to train their brain to, or find even the morals behind an act like that?

00:23:27,311 --> 00:23:49,451[00:23:27,311 --> 00:23:49,451] - [speaker_0]

Well, you know, it, it, courage is developed on the path that's put before us. You know, there, there are people who are seeking to be some sort of hero. That's not how it happens. Uh, they, they don't go looking, they're not like vigilantes going out to look for who they can, you know, help. Um, that's, that's, that's not the right-

00:23:49,451 --> 00:23:49,611[00:23:49,451 --> 00:23:49,611] - [speaker_3]

Yeah.

00:23:49,611 --> 00:23:54,991[00:23:49,611 --> 00:23:54,991] - [speaker_0]

... the right path. It's, it's, it's the path that's put in front of you. That's how courage is developed-

00:23:54,991 --> 00:23:55,431[00:23:54,991 --> 00:23:55,431] - [speaker_3]

Mm-hmm.

00:23:55,431 --> 00:24:05,631[00:23:55,431 --> 00:24:05,631] - [speaker_0]

... is how do I act in accordance with my conscience, in accordance with my best and better self-

00:24:05,631 --> 00:24:06,131[00:24:05,631 --> 00:24:06,131] - [speaker_3]

Mm-hmm.

00:24:06,602 --> 00:24:13,321[00:24:06,602 --> 00:24:13,321] - [speaker_0]

... every day. It- it- y- you know, you're not gonna go by a burning building every day. You're-

00:24:13,321 --> 00:24:14,141[00:24:13,321 --> 00:24:14,141] - [speaker_3]

(laughs) No, no.

00:24:14,141 --> 00:24:24,302[00:24:14,141 --> 00:24:24,302] - [speaker_0]

But you're gonna have opportunity to help people, to go out of your way to do the right thing, because you're telling yourself, "I don't think I can live with myself if I don't do something about this."

00:24:24,302 --> 00:24:24,861[00:24:24,302 --> 00:24:24,861] - [speaker_3]

Mm. I see.

00:24:24,861 --> 00:24:39,921[00:24:24,861 --> 00:24:39,921] - [speaker_0]

And it's all in the little things. How are you gonna help in the little things? Um, I'll give an example. Um, I- I witnessed a car crash years ago. Minivan flipped on its side.

00:24:39,921 --> 00:24:40,142[00:24:39,921 --> 00:24:40,142] - [speaker_3]

Ugh.

00:24:40,142 --> 00:24:53,142[00:24:40,142 --> 00:24:53,142] - [speaker_0]

And everybody's just standing around like, um, "Wow, that's too bad." Well, there's a woman inside. So I'm in, like, dress clothes, I had these Italian leather loafers on and I'm trying-

00:24:53,142 --> 00:24:54,822[00:24:53,142 --> 00:24:54,822] - [speaker_3]

Oh, no. Gotcha.

00:24:54,822 --> 00:25:00,962[00:24:54,822 --> 00:25:00,962] - [speaker_0]

... to climb up the bottom of the car to get in and I can't, I can't get purchase with these leather things, which is why-

00:25:00,962 --> 00:25:01,142[00:25:00,962 --> 00:25:01,142] - [speaker_3]

Uh-huh.

00:25:01,142 --> 00:25:03,901[00:25:01,142 --> 00:25:03,901] - [speaker_0]

... I no longer wear loafers anymore.

00:25:03,901 --> 00:25:04,482[00:25:03,901 --> 00:25:04,482] - [speaker_3]

(laughs)

00:25:04,482 --> 00:25:09,561[00:25:04,482 --> 00:25:09,561] - [speaker_0]

I- I don't, it's because of that. I- I, you know, I buy shoes with grip on the bottom and laces.

00:25:09,561 --> 00:25:09,581[00:25:09,561 --> 00:25:09,581] - [speaker_3]

(laughs)

00:25:09,581 --> 00:25:15,582[00:25:09,581 --> 00:25:15,582] - [speaker_0]

Because I think, if this ever happens again, I'm gonna make sure I can get my, I can get purchase.

00:25:15,582 --> 00:25:15,981[00:25:15,582 --> 00:25:15,981] - [speaker_3]

Okay.

00:25:15,981 --> 00:25:26,441[00:25:15,981 --> 00:25:26,441] - [speaker_0]

So I'm trying to figure out, how do I get up the side of this car? And this dude, like... and he was a dumpy guy. This dude leaps over me-

00:25:26,441 --> 00:25:27,222[00:25:26,441 --> 00:25:27,222] - [speaker_3]

Leaps. (laughs)

00:25:27,222 --> 00:25:30,962[00:25:27,222 --> 00:25:30,962] - [speaker_0]

... stands on the top of the car, it's like, where did he come from?

00:25:30,962 --> 00:25:31,481[00:25:30,962 --> 00:25:31,481] - [speaker_3]

Whoa. (laughs)

00:25:31,481 --> 00:25:34,721[00:25:31,481 --> 00:25:34,721] - [speaker_0]

Opens the door, drags the woman out.

00:25:34,721 --> 00:25:35,462[00:25:34,721 --> 00:25:35,462] - [speaker_3]

Whoa.

00:25:35,462 --> 00:25:40,321[00:25:35,462 --> 00:25:40,321] - [speaker_0]

Flips her on the side of the car. I help her down. I got an assist. Um-

00:25:40,321 --> 00:25:40,841[00:25:40,321 --> 00:25:40,841] - [speaker_3]

(laughs)

00:25:40,841 --> 00:25:54,702[00:25:40,841 --> 00:25:54,702] - [speaker_0]

(laughs) Um, you know, I help her down to the ground, and this is the beautiful thing. He hops down and then goes back to his tow truck. He's a tow truck driver.

00:25:54,702 --> 00:25:54,702[00:25:54,702 --> 00:25:54,702] - [speaker_3]

Ah.

00:25:54,702 --> 00:25:56,141[00:25:54,702 --> 00:25:56,141] - [speaker_0]

And he drives off.

00:25:56,141 --> 00:25:56,161[00:25:56,141 --> 00:25:56,161] - [speaker_3]

Ah.

00:25:56,161 --> 00:26:00,901[00:25:56,161 --> 00:26:00,901] - [speaker_0]

It's like, you're not gonna give a police report or anything? He's like, "Okay, my work is over."

00:26:00,901 --> 00:26:02,501[00:26:00,901 --> 00:26:02,501] - [speaker_3]

He's onto the next one, that's why. (laughs)

00:26:02,501 --> 00:26:07,481[00:26:02,501 --> 00:26:07,481] - [speaker_0]

Yep. Right, he's going to the next one. So this tow truck driver, he knows how to help people.

00:26:07,481 --> 00:26:08,141[00:26:07,481 --> 00:26:08,141] - [speaker_3]

Wow.

00:26:08,141 --> 00:26:10,721[00:26:08,141 --> 00:26:10,721] - [speaker_0]

That's kinda his MO. And-

00:26:10,721 --> 00:26:11,322[00:26:10,721 --> 00:26:11,322] - [speaker_3]

That's crazy.

00:26:11,322 --> 00:26:17,301[00:26:11,322 --> 00:26:17,301] - [speaker_0]

... he's not doing it for the people around, like, "Look at me! Look at me!" Uh, he's like-

00:26:17,301 --> 00:26:17,341[00:26:17,301 --> 00:26:17,341] - [speaker_3]

Yeah.

00:26:17,341 --> 00:26:21,441[00:26:17,341 --> 00:26:21,441] - [speaker_0]

... "I got, I got work to do. Time to go back to work. Bye." (laughs)

00:26:21,441 --> 00:26:23,041[00:26:21,441 --> 00:26:23,041] - [speaker_3]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. (laughs)

00:26:23,041 --> 00:26:30,662[00:26:23,041 --> 00:26:30,662] - [speaker_0]

So I look at guys like that and I think, "Okay, he's practicing helping people every day." And he had boots.

00:26:30,662 --> 00:26:31,261[00:26:30,662 --> 00:26:31,261] - [speaker_3]

Mm.

00:26:31,261 --> 00:26:32,461[00:26:31,261 --> 00:26:32,461] - [speaker_0]

So it's just, you know-

00:26:32,461 --> 00:26:33,521[00:26:32,461 --> 00:26:33,521] - [speaker_3]

Yeah, he was ready. (laughs)

00:26:33,521 --> 00:26:35,061[00:26:33,521 --> 00:26:35,061] - [speaker_0]

Foot- footwear is important. Um-

00:26:35,061 --> 00:26:36,661[00:26:35,061 --> 00:26:36,661] - [speaker_3]

(laughs)

00:26:36,661 --> 00:26:50,981[00:26:36,661 --> 00:26:50,981] - [speaker_0]

Um, so, so he practiced every day. All the people sitting around, you know, drinking their lattes, looking at this woman trapped in the car, they didn't practice. He did.

00:26:50,981 --> 00:27:02,721[00:26:50,981 --> 00:27:02,721] - [speaker_3]

Yeah. Yeah. Wow. Yeah. So I think I guess a, a big takeaway for me is make sure my morals are in check. Like, what am I, what am I living for almost? (laughs) You know?

00:27:02,721 --> 00:27:14,281[00:27:02,721 --> 00:27:14,281] - [speaker_0]

Well, yeah, what, what are you living for? For what purpose are you put on this world? If it's hedonism and if it's, if it's immediate pleasure, man, there's no reason to help other people.

00:27:14,281 --> 00:27:15,541[00:27:14,281 --> 00:27:15,541] - [speaker_3]

Yeah.

00:27:15,541 --> 00:27:16,161[00:27:15,541 --> 00:27:16,161] - [speaker_0]

Um-

00:27:16,161 --> 00:27:16,621[00:27:16,161 --> 00:27:16,621] - [speaker_3]

Yeah.

00:27:16,621 --> 00:27:40,061[00:27:16,621 --> 00:27:40,061] - [speaker_0]

If, if you're, if you're making moral choices each day to improve your character and it's, and it's, it's, it's, it's all the tiny little you know, do you, you know, if, if you, if there's an elderly woman or elderly man and they're, and they're going slow, do you, like, slow down and let them move through? Or do you push around and go, "Old people." You know?

00:27:40,061 --> 00:27:40,161[00:27:40,061 --> 00:27:40,161] - [speaker_3]

Yeah.

00:27:40,161 --> 00:27:44,421[00:27:40,161 --> 00:27:44,421] - [speaker_0]

I mean, that, that says something about you. That's a moral choice you're making.

00:27:44,421 --> 00:27:44,861[00:27:44,421 --> 00:27:44,861] - [speaker_3]

Yeah.

00:27:44,861 --> 00:27:48,021[00:27:44,861 --> 00:27:48,021] - [speaker_0]

Uh, do you need to be the first in line?

00:27:48,021 --> 00:27:48,081[00:27:48,021 --> 00:27:48,081] - [speaker_3]

Mm.

00:27:48,081 --> 00:27:51,201[00:27:48,081 --> 00:27:51,201] - [speaker_0]

Um, it- it's all those little things.

00:27:51,201 --> 00:28:00,501[00:27:51,201 --> 00:28:00,501] - [speaker_3]

Wow. Uh, tho- that is probably some of the most powerful stuff you've said just because it's- it's so convicting to me. (laughs)

00:28:00,501 --> 00:28:00,821[00:28:00,501 --> 00:28:00,821] - [speaker_0]

(laughs)

00:28:00,821 --> 00:28:05,581[00:28:00,821 --> 00:28:05,581] - [speaker_3]

And probably to a lot of other people. I'll be checking myself after this for sure. (laughs)

00:28:05,581 --> 00:28:11,861[00:28:05,581 --> 00:28:11,861] - [speaker_0]

Courage is developed on the path that, uh, you're walking on. It's on the path-

00:28:11,861 --> 00:28:11,881[00:28:11,861 --> 00:28:11,881] - [speaker_3]

Mm.

00:28:11,881 --> 00:28:15,881[00:28:11,881 --> 00:28:15,881] - [speaker_0]

... before you. You don't have to go seek it out. You don't have to try to be a hero.

00:28:15,881 --> 00:28:16,181[00:28:15,881 --> 00:28:16,181] - [speaker_3]

Mm.

00:28:16,181 --> 00:28:21,901[00:28:16,181 --> 00:28:21,901] - [speaker_0]

There, there's tons of opportunities to help people. And what heroes do is they help other people.

00:28:21,901 --> 00:28:22,521[00:28:21,901 --> 00:28:22,521] - [speaker_3]

Right.

00:28:22,521 --> 00:28:26,981[00:28:22,521 --> 00:28:26,981] - [speaker_0]

And it isn't for the audience. It's for their own conscience or for God.

00:28:26,981 --> 00:28:30,041[00:28:26,981 --> 00:28:30,041] - [speaker_3]

Yeah. Well, thank you, Roger.

00:28:30,041 --> 00:28:30,641[00:28:30,041 --> 00:28:30,641] - [speaker_0]

Absolutely.

00:28:30,641 --> 00:28:31,881[00:28:30,641 --> 00:28:31,881] - [speaker_3]

That's inspiring.

00:28:31,881 --> 00:28:58,881[00:28:31,881 --> 00:28:58,881] - [speaker_0]

Absolutely. So practice every day, 100, 100 little things every day. You got, you've got decisions every day where you can practice this. Thanks for watching. Thanks for listening. If you liked this content, please like and subscribe, and it would be fantastic, it would, it would be a, a real honor to me if you would share this with people that you know and love. So thank you.