Courage: A Misplaced Virtue

The courage of women during childbirth...

 

          Karl Marx once observed that, “Religion is the opiate of the masses”. If he were alive today and still prone to making grandiose pontifications, I suspect that ‘religion’ would be replaced by ‘spectator sports’.  They are widely embraced with a similar degree of fervor often mimicking the effects of an opiate. With a final reference to religion, many of the most prominent contemporary athletes have been adopted as the patron saints of our societies. I confess to being an ardent spectator of several sports. Baseball, American football and golf are the main focus of my attention (although I may boycott the Super Bowl due to its lack of diversity). There are a host of other sports which I also enjoy watching from time to time. I draw the line, however, at curling. To my mind, such as it is, curling ranks as one of the most tedious enterprises ever devised by Man. Still, it enjoys great popularity in Norway and Japan. I’m sure it’s only a coincidence but, those two countries enjoy very high rates of suicide.

         Star athletes are paid inordinate amounts of money, not only for their extraordinary skills on the playing field but, for sponsoring products which they may know little about. Considering the vast revenues that these athletes generate, I suppose they earn what they get. Nevertheless, what I do object to are some of the virtues that are attributed to them. Courage is the one I consider to be the most misplaced. Far too often, a sports commentator will assert that so & so manifested “great courage” or showed “real guts” in making a shot, passing a ball or blocking a goal. Those maneuvers may require nerve but, that’s it. According to Winston Churchill, “Courage is the first of human qualities because it is the quality that guarantees all the others”. It doesn’t take courage to make a twenty foot putt or sink a game winning jump shot. Nerve? Yes. Skill? Yes, again. Courage? Never!

         On April Fools’ Day of last year I had an opportunity to witness genuine courage.  My wife (Nak) had been in the delivery room for more than four hours. The final two & a half hours were excruciatingly painful but, she was determined to deliver the child naturally and without anesthetics.  In keeping with the spirit of the day, the baby repeatedly poked out head and immediately drew it back in. Those shenanigans went on for nearly an hour. The doctor advised a C-section. Even I whispered in her ear to give up. Nak refused. Perhaps, the child wasn’t too keen on leaving her lap of luxury. I was much the same. Due on February 1^st, I didn’t opt to patronize the planet until March 10^th. I liked it on the inside. In any case, our daughter (Bailey) popped out amidst the medical personnel’s cheers and my wife’s screams. ..a beautiful, flawless little girl. Ten months later, she is cuter and more of a joy everyday…just like her mother.

         The point is this: my wife, like so many women, demonstrated more courage in that delivery room than has ever been manifest on a golf course or any other athletic venue in the history of sports. Husbands and fathers, sons and daughters should keep that in mind next time they hear the word “courage” while watching a sporting event.

P.S. The Churchill quote reminded me of my favorite of his. While at a cocktail party  in conversation with Lady Astor she became so exacerbated with some of his views that she said, “Winston, if I were married to you I’d put poison in your coffee.” To which Churchill replied, “Madame, if I were married to you I’d drink it.”