Bravery, Politics, and Morality
By Chidike Okeem
The practice of calling people brave for articulating different political positions is more harmful than it is useful. It can be a toxic practice because it puts personalities at the epicenter of attention and diminishes the importance of judging the merit of ideas. It is also used effectively as a tool of manipulation. Far too many people are labeled ‘brave’ as a reward for promoting heinous ideas. What matters most is not the bravery to articulate certain political or social views, but the morality and sensibleness of the positions that people take.