# Is it better to be a Live Coward, or a Dead Hero?
**URL:** https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/t/is-it-better-to-be-a-live-coward-or-a-dead-hero/21049
**Category:** Philosophy
**Created:** [April 28, 2008, 6:39pm UTC](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/t/is-it-better-to-be-a-live-coward-or-a-dead-hero/21049 "2008-04-28T18:39:21Z")
**Posts on this page:** 12
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Cangiz](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/u/Cangiz)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2008, 6:39pm UTC](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/t/is-it-better-to-be-a-live-coward-or-a-dead-hero/21049/1 "2008-04-28T18:39:21Z")
Hello everyone,
I would like to ask this question upon you all.
Is it better to be a Live Coward or a Dead Hero?
I personally think, that cowardice, while not noble, is the right choice. We as humans are instinctively born to 1. survive, 2. to start a family line. While being a hero sounds glorious, you are dead, and nothing more can be done. Denying human nature does not work out as well in movies. I personally would rather survive and possibly be labeled a coward, then end my life saving someone.
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### Author:  [@realunoriginal](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/u/realunoriginal)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2008, 6:43pm UTC](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/t/is-it-better-to-be-a-live-coward-or-a-dead-hero/21049/2 "2008-04-28T18:43:12Z")
> [@Cangiz](#):
>
> I personally would rather survive and possibly be labeled a coward, then end my life saving someone.
Hello Cangiz,
It appears that you have never loved anybody enough worth dying for, or felt that somebody loved you enough worth dying for you.
I can empathize with your circumstance, but I assure you, your mind will change someday or you will be destined to wander in oblivion forever.
Depending on which fate you would choose, you should and will make it a reality for yourself.
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### Author:  [@Kriswest](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/u/Kriswest)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2008, 6:44pm UTC](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/t/is-it-better-to-be-a-live-coward-or-a-dead-hero/21049/3 "2008-04-28T18:44:31Z")
It really depends upon each person’s personality. Either one is right for someone. A dead hero is a person that probably died being heroically stupid, they probably made a bad judgment call or swerved when they should have ducked. A coward that runs is not someone I would want with me, near me or in my close circles, but, I can understand the fear that makes one run. Not all people have the same heart. I would not totally condemn a coward I would just avoid them in the future once I realized they deserted me or mine.
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### Author:  [@Cyrene](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/u/Cyrene)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2008, 6:58pm UTC](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/t/is-it-better-to-be-a-live-coward-or-a-dead-hero/21049/4 "2008-04-28T18:58:34Z")
Yeah, its not an issue of stupidity or going against human nature or whatever to die a hero. Its a judgement call, an emotional judgement call. If someone wants to risk their life at the possibility of saving others its not ‘stupid’ its a emotional judgement call on their part, theres really no way to judge it based on idiocy or intelligence.
Its an issue of how much someone values their life in comparison to whatever they’re doing to risk it.
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### Author:  [@Wonderer](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/u/Wonderer)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2008, 7:08pm UTC](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/t/is-it-better-to-be-a-live-coward-or-a-dead-hero/21049/5 "2008-04-28T19:08:35Z")
it depends on who you’re going to save
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### Author:  [@humegotitright](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/u/humegotitright)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2008, 7:35pm UTC](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/t/is-it-better-to-be-a-live-coward-or-a-dead-hero/21049/6 "2008-04-28T19:35:21Z")
It depends what my heroic act is.
Also better for who?
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### Author:  [@Wonderer](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/u/Wonderer)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2008, 7:39pm UTC](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/t/is-it-better-to-be-a-live-coward-or-a-dead-hero/21049/7 "2008-04-28T19:39:23Z")
> [@humegotitright](#):
>
> It depends what my heroic act is.
>
> Also better for who?
lets say that i had to save everyone i ever knew… i would probably do it…
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### Author:  [@humegotitright](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/u/humegotitright)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2008, 7:49pm UTC](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/t/is-it-better-to-be-a-live-coward-or-a-dead-hero/21049/8 "2008-04-28T19:49:06Z")
Yeah, even more limited if my act were to save someone I loved more than myself, then I’d do it.
On a utilitarian view, if the act would gain more utility than my continued life, then I probably should do it to.
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### Author:  [@realunoriginal](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/u/realunoriginal)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2008, 7:59pm UTC](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/t/is-it-better-to-be-a-live-coward-or-a-dead-hero/21049/9 "2008-04-28T19:59:36Z")
Utilitarianism still makes me cringe every time I hear the word…
😊 :-&
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### Author:  [@Mad\_Man\_P](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/u/Mad_Man_P)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2008, 9:20pm UTC](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/t/is-it-better-to-be-a-live-coward-or-a-dead-hero/21049/10 "2008-04-28T21:20:18Z")
Well… evolution would favor the coward… unless that act cost the lives of his offpsring… but you can always have more of those…
Likely I’d be a coward… My genes are too precious 
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### Author:  [@joekoba](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/u/joekoba)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2008, 9:33pm UTC](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/t/is-it-better-to-be-a-live-coward-or-a-dead-hero/21049/11 "2008-04-28T21:33:52Z")
Better to live as a hero! Even though evolution says genes are important, they do not have to be important to me. In the universe’s perspective of time, our lives are mere seconds. Might as well go out a hero.
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### Author:  [@Cyrene](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/u/Cyrene)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2008, 10:06pm UTC](https://www.ilovephilosophy.com/t/is-it-better-to-be-a-live-coward-or-a-dead-hero/21049/12 "2008-04-28T22:06:47Z")
haha, evolution favors bravery in plenty of situations, which can lead to death.
Hunter-gatherers who raid each other are not unbrave.
though in plenty of circumstances it favors cowardice too.