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Countdown to Christmas
8 - Courage

3.1 Minutes
IAF Advent #8
  • Courage is the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, or adversity with fearlessness and bravery. It involves the ability to confront and overcome one's fears, take risks, and persevere in the face of challenges. Courage is often associated with moral or ethical strength, as it may involve standing up for what is right, even when faced with opposition or potential harm.
  • Courage can manifest in various forms, including physical courage, which involves facing physical threats or dangers, and moral courage, which involves standing up for principles or values despite social, political, or personal consequences. It is a virtue that is highly regarded in many cultures and is often seen as a key component of personal and societal well-being. Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the ability to act in spite of fear.
  • In the realm of politics, courage refers to the willingness and ability of individuals, particularly leaders, to make difficult decisions, take principled stands, and confront challenges even when faced with opposition, criticism, or potential negative consequences. Political courage involves acting in the best interest of the public or a particular cause, often in the face of adversity.
IAF - 8

Fortitude is portrayed as a young woman wearing armour over her graceful dress and holding a ruler’s sceptre. In spite of the military attributes, the Virtue alludes to strength and perseverance in the pursuit of good. She is one of the seven heavenly virtues. The young woman is feminine, yet projects a sense of powerful, steady strength. What makes the painting special to me, is that the young Botticelli (this painting was his first paid commission), managed to put a lot of emotions into his work: He did not only visually express courage through armour and weapons as an unambiguous embodiment of bravery, but Fortitude as a young women with a gaze that is melancholic and pensive, possibly a sign that of the fact that being courageous is not always easy. Courage is commendable, but that doesn’t mean that it is easy to muster.

IAF - 8vs
Verena Schweickhard

Additional Resources

Navalny - Official Trailer

Poison always leaves a trail. The fly-on-the-wall documentary follows Russian opposition leader, Alexey Navalny, through his political rise, attempted assassination and search to uncover the truth.

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