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Started by Dropkick Punt
Sun, 15 Jan 2006 00:41
Is courage finite?
Author: Dropkick Punt
Date: Sun, 15 Jan 2006 00:41
Date: Sun, 15 Jan 2006 00:41
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I remember hearing something about this on a radio story. I can't remember the precise science behind it, but the practical upshot was that "courage is a finite resource". Basically, so it goes, for an average person your nervous system will only allow you to go through so many hair-raising, life threatening experiences. After a certain number of them you develop the shakes at the prospect of being forced to put your life on the line, beyond that you risk going insane. Is this true? If so, anyone know any keywords I can use to find out about the science of this?
Re: Is courage finite?
Author: Don Phillipson
Date: Sun, 15 Jan 2006 00:50
Date: Sun, 15 Jan 2006 00:50
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"Dropkick Punt" <notrealaddress@all.com> wrote in message news:dqc5mp$dus$1@news-02.connect.com.au... > I remember hearing something about this on a radio story. I can't remember > the precise science behind it, but the practical upshot was that "courage > is a finite resource". > > Basically, so it goes, for an average person your nervous system will only > allow you to go through so many hair-raising, life threatening > experiences. After a certain number of them you develop the shakes at the > prospect of being forced to put your life on the line, beyond that you > risk going insane. This is not a new idea. Psychologists approx. 1900 (including Freud) thought that every person had a finite quantity of "life energy," i.e. what he spent on art or inventing or chasing girls would be unavailable for building a family, running for electoral office, stock market speculation etc. -- Don Phillipson Carlsbad Springs (Ottawa, Canada)
Re: Is courage finite?
Author: David Moss
Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2006 15:51
Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2006 15:51
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In article <dqc5mp$dus$1@news-02.connect.com.au>, notrealaddress@all.com writes... > I remember hearing something about this on a radio story. I can't remember > the precise science behind it, but the practical upshot was that "courage > is a finite resource". > > Basically, so it goes, for an average person your nervous system will only > allow you to go through so many hair-raising, life threatening > experiences. After a certain number of them you develop the shakes at the > prospect of being forced to put your life on the line, beyond that you > risk going insane. > > Is this true? If so, anyone know any keywords I can use to find out about > the science of this? Hmm. Doubt its true. Humans have a surprising capacity to adapt. What scares the shit out of a bloke one day will hardly raise his pulse after it has happened more than a few times. Of course when something does goes wrong it can often go wrong in a big way. And permanently. I don't think the number of incidents has anything to do with it though. Some people get PTSD after a single incident, others after hundreds or even thousands. In case anyone jumps to the conclusion I believe people with PTSD are lacking in courage, the opposite is true. Its a medical condition that can make a person hypersensitive to percieved danger. "Psychophysiological alterations associated with PTSD include hyper- arousal of the sympathetic nervous system, increased sensitivity of the startle reflex, and sleep abnormalities." ( http://www.ncptsd.va.gov/facts/general/fs_what_is_ptsd.html ) Anyone who goes through life with PTSD has more courage than usual, not less. But it may stop them functioning at all, never mind do what society might call brave deeds. -- DM personal opinion only
Re: Is courage finite?
Author: David Moss
Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2006 15:53
Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2006 15:53
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In article <dqc5mp$dus$1@news-02.connect.com.au>, notrealaddress@all.com writes... > I remember hearing something about this on a radio story. I can't remember > the precise science behind it, but the practical upshot was that "courage > is a finite resource". > > Basically, so it goes, for an average person your nervous system will only > allow you to go through so many hair-raising, life threatening > experiences. After a certain number of them you develop the shakes at the > prospect of being forced to put your life on the line, beyond that you > risk going insane. > > Is this true? If so, anyone know any keywords I can use to find out about > the science of this? Hmm. Doubt its true. Humans have a surprising capacity to adapt. What scares the shit out of a bloke one day will hardly raise his pulse after it has happened more than a few times. Of course when something does goes wrong it can often go wrong in a big way. And permanently. I don't think the number of incidents has anything to do with it though. Some people get PTSD after a single incident, others after hundreds or even thousands. In case anyone jumps to the conclusion I believe people with PTSD are lacking in courage, the opposite is true. Its a medical condition that can make a person hypersensitive to perceived danger. "Psychophysiological alterations associated with PTSD include hyper- arousal of the sympathetic nervous system, increased sensitivity of the startle reflex, and sleep abnormalities." ( http://www.ncptsd.va.gov/facts/general/fs_what_is_ptsd.html ) Anyone who goes through life with PTSD has more courage than usual, not less. But it may stop them functioning at all, never mind do what society might call brave deeds. -- DM personal opinion only
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