- Author Randy Gonzalez
In a 21st century post-modern context, ripe with the incestuous urgings of global electronics, and associated techno-wizardry, a more profound delineation of cowardice is found. Subtle, behind the scenes, cunning linguistics, and sleight of hand memes, foolhardy notions absent credibility argue the sad defect of a mainstream gone increasingly more stupid. Well-groomed, laced to the hilt, bound to the silk, the smoothed skin arrogance of self perpetrates treacheries with purposeful stealth. For the cowards of modern times, the laptop, the cell-phone, the swipe of masked digital selfiness ejaculates the egregious fallacies of fraudulent spew. As to a coward, there are diverse representations. From an attempt at etymology, the unfolding human ecology represents admonition of centuries long past. On a simplistic spectrum, perhaps even a basic primordial range, cowardly ways are that which shuns the courage to meet a threat, a danger or a delicate probing adventure. Modernistic perspectives find cowardice more broadly applied.
Using the bully as one possible example, the weakling has changed. Bullies are cowards, but their disguises are more cunning and deceptive. Of tormenters, intimidators and oppressors, their intimidation tactics and techniques are diverse. Here, reference is not the generic movie making blather of backing away from an actually physical fist fight. Instead, it is of a deeper moral sense of individuality versus maladaptive status quo consensus. The standard issue usual template of the bully versus the victim in physical confrontation devolves to a more sinister reality. Cowardice has become more covert and deceptive, so much so, the average person will miss it.
While it does not take extraordinary effort to be smarter than the average, beyond thinking and acting at an 8th grade middle school level, most will fear the sacrifice of intellectual betterment. Regardless, cowards come in all sizes, dimensions and expressions of selfishness. From academia to government, from corporate intrigues to mass marketing consumptive gluttony, pontificating gurus of “celebrity worship” conspire to spoof their adherents. with the shortcomings of their wadded superficiality, the haughtiness of infantile narcissism respects no boundaries. For a moment pause, that suggests the origins of such dissonance as to the characterizations. From an Anglo-French to an Italian derivation, the word dissects toward a derogatory reference of a “tail” of something. In a metaphoric sense, as may be associated with the alimentary canal and the expulsion of excremental wastes, verbiage likely refers to “tucking the tail between the legs”. Or, could apply to the expressiveness of suggesting “turning tail and running”. Regardless, such descriptors take on divergent perspectives in contemporary application.
With more fascinating reference, an Old-English manifestation is that of the “cow-herd”. Or, also a “pulpit”, by which an appeal to authority castigates or otherwise discourages dissent, controversy, challenge, debate and argumentation. Other historic and philosophical distinctions suggest fearfulness related to a spiritual, physical and psychic sense of individuality. But, suffice it to say more fun can be postulated by the playfulness offered in use of “cow-herd”, or maybe a cow in a herd. In no way does the mention here reflect negatively upon hard working agriculture interests in any way. Rather, the suggestion is toward those of a fraudulent and deceitful nature. Wonderful metaphorical ascriptions can unfold in a jesting manner. This could be particularly satirical in application to politicians and political processes where hypocrisy and untruthfulness roam freely. As to that point, the modern coward resents truthfulness, facts and rationality over the expanse of logical analyses. One writer calls it the fear of honesty.
In one article from a blog about politics and society, the author lists a number of malevolent characteristics of the modern coward. Distressed that others might disagree with him or her, and that some will argue with authentic credibility, the scaredy-cat is terrified his or her “world of fiction” will be exposed for the fraud that it is. The psycho-physical weakling elevates his or her fantasies to pretentious and unrealistic expectations for self-gratification. Intentionally insulating the selfiness against the harsh realities of the real world, social media along with mainstream media ignorance reinforce nebulous notions in emotional reactivity. While lying is not particularly creative, as savvy inquisitors easily observe, the coward relies on herded collusions.
The cowardly come through loud and clear for the astute observer. In a mass-marketing culture, where everything is for sale and everything can be justified, the insidious and incessant promotion for gluttonous consumption is everywhere. In an expression of contemporary philosophical inclination, reflecting what one researcher lamented, that a lifetime of ease invites softness and weakness for the senses to please. From that, words come to mind. Soft, weak, timid, emotional and cowed. There is that reflection to the “cow-herd”, which infers intimidation, browbeaten, scared, and bullied. As such, from a vast profit-making corporate monstrosity of infotainment industry, the proliferation of scare mongering is good for business. Superficial, shallow, dishonest and deleterious to social ascendancy, the poisonous spew of bloated conjecture admonishes the independence and individuality of courageous creativity. So easily, the fear mongering colluded to the success of promoting weakness and perpetual subservience.
For the dark ages of modern times, the culture of cowardice reaches to every aspect of socio-economic interactivity. As a “herd animal”, a variety of historic philosophers accused western cultures as becoming intellectually malnourished, lazy, eager to please pretentious authorities, socially enslaved and uncreative. In rebellion to the malaise of fat and foolish complacency, a few valiant ones assert their liberation toward creative individuation. Heroic and passionate as to craft and vocation, their genius is found in their exceptionality to herded conformity. Again, as to the exhibition of their uninhibited personification, the brave ones reside in a niche of smaller contrast to the overwhelming tyranny of the massive mainstream. Quiet, courteous, humble and innovatively diligent, they are in stark contrast to the ostentatious selfiness of the crowd. There is singular and potent expression in their aloof anonymity. Building a “higher self”, theirs is not one of constantly reinforced of communal validation. Transformation is essential.
For a brevity of life chances, the cost of being human, the vast majority mirror the sentiments of past historians who assert the selfishness of the majority. Shunned conceptually and physically, many reject the nobility of individuality, separation from “cow-herd”, and solitude of ingenuity. Among the human chattel of grazing idleness, the adventurous spirited sensuality of the mature ones is frightening. As children in adult bodies cower in confrontation with such noble individuality, social media flows with deception, hypocrisy and deadly animosity. As such, the proliferation of malevolent recriminations unfolds with divisive context. Among the sluggish and contemptable, the incompetent and the impotent, societal degradation prefers the cowardice of immaturity in collective consensus. Timidity finds refuge in greater numbers.
Run, hide, and cringe, fear the mysteries lurking on the fringe. As a person enslaves himself or herself, or whatever self, around him or her others enslave themselves. In the surrounding collective, and attention is paid to that word, the status quo consensus is typically contrived by those more influential and manipulated for selfish interests. Astute investigators pay attention to key words. For the aggregated many, the group, the crowd, etc., the collusion is in the collectivism of the motivational factors. In the activism of power and control, the centrality of interaction aims to ensure a lesser role for individuality and identity and dominance of the collective. The hive, the group, and all the associated consensus building, diminishes the role of the individual and stifle imaginative creativity. Freedom, liberation of the senses, visionary creativity flourishes when the nature of individuation roams willfully free. Yet, constraints manifest in diverse ways through interaction within a multiplicity of institutional frameworks.
Unfortunately, and to the detriment of social processes, including free expression of ideas in various artistic forms, the social mainstream fears singular differentiation. Instead, for most one size fits all, one template for everything and one equation explains the simplicity of complexity. Among the worst offenders for the “free expression thereof…” comes from the corporate monstrosities of infotainment. Politicians are easy, they fall in line quickly given the ease by which they salacious gratify their egoistic ambitions. Pundits, politicians, proselytes of collective contrivances enjoy the smug piety of their immaturity. Habituated to the collective conformity of pretentious normality, the vast majority of the populace relishes in the complacency of dulled expectations. In reference to one writer’s admonishment of contemporary society, the majority sips the bitter venom of servitude in small doses over time. Cowardice is easily embraced.
One researcher, writing about the “pussification of America”, cites with fascination the characteristics of becoming sissified. Taking liberties with the book references, and keeping an association with classical criminology, such is the intentional process of purposefully acquiescing to the lower realms of infantile narcissism. It is the many-faced purposes of clinging to the immaturity of child-like selfishness, and forsaking the viability of individual growth and maturation. Added to that, is the resistance to self-evolve into a more profound and wisely ascended individual. As to that admonition, gender is irrelevant, courage of convictions and pursuit of heroic quests become the vibrant and energetic impetus for transformation. For the stupidity of simplistic and magical thinking, the warrior pursues his or her journey of intense authentic realization. He or she fights back against the idiocy of cowardly cultural oppressions.
Added to this debasing mix of cowardly oppressions comes the rise of the “techno oligarchs”. Self-righteous smugly pious, presumed pontiffs of cyber culture, divine right of tech-aristocracy for cultural normalcy, adult children claim societal rulership. Self-centered infantile narcissism among the vast reaches of the infotainment ministries of thought control assert their domination. For the “gulags” of social media ostracizing, or the “corrective labor camps” of thought control, the power elite have new faces and old intentions. By what is really the limp and impotent immaturity of adults with privilege throwing temper tantrums like spoiled children, wealthy technocrats strive to dictate the status quo. No deviations are allowed, free speech becomes a threat, individuality is dangerous, and alternate ideas are seen as contrary to the collective. Power, control and domination over the population manifests in sinister instigations. Everyone must be the same and relish in the safe mediocrity of gluttonous consumer subservience.
For the new “robber barons”, the high-tech gurus of pretentious silicone enclaves, tech is good, tech is for everyone, tech fits all and tech is god. Those who control the nexus of the cyber networks dictate the dogmas of behavioral consistency. To deviate, to question and to resist is dangerous to the slick corporate cyber con artists. For the few and the rebellious, the true social warrior, not the fake foolish ignorant ones, differentiation to a higher state of personal being is the mission of private individuation. Speaking out and expressing conflicting and confrontational perspectives threatens the adult-child to actually consider the freedom of ideas. Tyranny is cowardice, like cultural complicity to enforce collective consistency, the cowardly invoke all manner of condescension and derision to those who resist. The force of individuality is in danger, as communal complicity reinvents the simplistic templates of sameness.
And yet, thinking outside the box, or the incestuous relationship with techno gadgetry, is challenging to the independent free thinker. Cowardice of culture for collusive consensus spans a spectrum of multiplicity in a complexity of cyber interactivity. To recall the reflection of one literary luminary of 19th century America, the antidote to social media and government abuses of liberty is the individual who demonstrates the potency of his or her character and growth. In the past, the brutality of dictatorships devalued the vitality and importance of individual creativity. As to the modern context, in an alleged democratic republic, tyrannical instigations transcend freedom of expression by diverse means. Politicians, pundits, and self-appointed proselytes of “rules for behavior”, as from techno-empires of mainstream media, subtly decry and oppress the important nature of individuality. Cowardice in culture is found in herded ideologies.
For the false bravado of hiding behind techno gadgetry, the cowards among us fear the damning terminal nature of their terrestrial existence. Villainy of all manner unfolds. As one cultural anthropologist asserted, most people are terrified by the dark terrors that life and death invite. On the one hand, extraordinary heroism, the creativity of the ascending mindfulness of individuality. Fingers of the other clap the admonition to higher enlightenment. Yet, at the same time, the hand that shakes the first one loathes the necessity of its nobility. Instead, for many, the efficacy of truth devolves to the selfish reflections of infantile self-worship. By contrast, the other dimension, or multiple psychic frameworks, demand an overcoming of mundane rudimentary subsistence. To the carnal desires of one’s eye, peering through the maze of darker intentions, resisting the heartfelt passions of ingenuity beyond self, purposes collude to perpetrate deadly inflictions.
As to the presupposition of personal divinity, the creator of loftier possibilities retreats into the malevolence of disingenuous motivations. For nothing of this is new, except for the egregious ignorance of all that has been done before. Demon or demigod, evil or potentiality of good, the duplicity struggles to know what it would. For the sake of the enslavement to the ease of status quo abatement, in the sheep filled crowds of subservient weakness, many adhere to the dominance of a lashed whipping for self-punishment of gutless weeping. As opposed to claiming the godly qualities of profound creativity, the demonic insistence to primordial collectivist absurdity profanes the essential vitality of exceptional differentiation. In the cowardice of culture for collusive consensus, negating the fearful horror of final termination, bargains and even begs illicit conspiracies for salacious personal enrichment. No limit as to the evils of timidity.
In earlier times, eras lost and gone and seldom re-discovered, the brutal disdain for cowardice expressed astonishing disgust. Shunned, avoided, cast out, and excommunicated from the realm, cowardly behaviors received severe retribution. To lose shield, sword or spear, metaphorically speaking of course, to fail to stand up for oneself exuded the sweated stench of faint-hearted childishness. Nakedly brave, unclothed by virtue of self-evolving uninhibited bravery claims the divinity of individual distinction. From a diverse more dynamic metaphysical perspective, heroism in the unique madness to claim courage, to overrule fearfulness, the valiant warrior asserts his or her liberation in personal transformation. By prosocial activity in selfless service, imaginative ascendancy in genre of artful invention, he or she labors strongly to go beyond the commonplace. By an assortment of settings in modern times, personal warfare has many fronts. As to that, courage of convictions frightens the cowardice of culture for collusive consensus.
Randy Gonzalez is a veteran of the law enforcement community for the past 40 years. He also is a college professor of criminology, former police chief and police academy director.
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