THE GREATEST WORD IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Coward: one who shows disgraceful fear or timidity (Webster)
Etymology: Middle English, from French cuard, from cue, coe tail, from Latin cauda
"One who shows disgraceful fear or timidity"... what a concise and perfect definition. Predictably, coward is derived from a French word. Its origin literally means "to turn tail". To fully appreciate the greatness of the word "coward" one must understand the nature of man. Contrary to modern ideas that say otherwise, humans are war-like creatures. Our species evolved under, and as a result of tremendous external pressures; Ice Ages, disease, famine, armed struggle and continental migration. We, as men, were responsible for our families, our tribes, our clans and later, our cities and nations.
Men have staged epic battles... Marathon, Thermoplyae, Teutoberg Forest, The Persian Gate, Tours, Stamford Bridge, Paschendale, Stalingrad, The Bulge, Normandy, Iwo Jima... these names need no explanation. If you are any type of man, these words should conjure images of empires won and lost, millions of men left dying proudly for their people, and most importantly, the history of Western Civilization. The world we live in was fought for, died for, and created by these struggles. No invention, vaccine or written word could ever match the impact of these clashes. War is the lifeblood of mankind. Without it, we are aimless and self-destructive. Everyone of us is descended from a warrior. No culture worth a damn developed from peace. Why? Those cultures were subjugated and annihilated by warrior cultures.
When men fight for a cause greater than themselves they achieve greatness. The will and spirit to fight is in our DNA. There are those who will disagree and they are dead wrong. Need proof? Go watch a group of six year old boys. Inevitably, a kid (usually the biggest, strongest kid or "bully") will confront another boy. The big kid will typically push the smaller boy and call him a name and the smaller boy has two options, fight back or run away. If the smaller boy runs away the other boys will snicker and lose respect for him. If he chooses to fight, even knowing that an ass-beating is coming, he is revered and silently congratulated. That is not some societal learned behavior... it is the essence of man. On the schoolyard blacktop, that kid would derisively be referred to as a "pussy" or a "scaredy-cat-cat", that same behavior, after puberty, is cowardice.
It is clear to me that men have been hard wired with a genetic disdain for cowards. In wartime, a coward is known as a traitor and his offense is punishable by death. This practice is an ancient tradition. Do you think that a Spartan general would tolerate a soldier who refused to properly secure his section of the Phalanx? To accept that would be tantamount to suicide. This mortal need for men to work together in battle to achieve a cause greater themselves made being a coward the worst possible offense. To ancient generals, a coward was not worthy of a glorious death on the battlefield. There is a reason the ancient Greeks considered it an insult to die on the field of battle with a spear in your back... and an honor to take one through the gut, the neck, or the face. The coward chooses himself over glory. Instead of embracing honor, the coward turns his back.
A real man hates a coward. That is why the word "coward" is so great. Simply put, by calling a man a coward, you are saying that he is not a man. To me, a coward is like a eunuch; no testosterone, incapable of masculinity and unworthy of his predecessors. Does that sound like anyone you know? I am sure it does. We live in a society of cowards. That is why I am imploring you to bring back this ancient and most masculine of traditions. How? When you see a male act like a girl... make your disdain known by calling him a coward.
Sidebar...I like the word "fucking" before coward. It sets it up well. Readers from The Commonwealth could certainly use "bloody" as a substitute. Both are acceptable and highly encouraged.
Calling a guy a coward is one of the greatest things in the world. "Coward" is no ordinary insult. Yeah... all of us call guys "pussies", "bitches", "mongoloids" (a personal favorite of mine) and so on and so forth. But calling a man a coward strikes to his very core. Next time you see a guy acting like a girl just say "You are a fucking coward" or simply "coward" and prepare to get a strange reaction. Instead of insulting you back, typically the guy will react with "I am not a coward" or some excuse to explain his actions. You see, that is what makes "coward" so great... Every time you call another man a coward to his face, you give him an opportunity to prove he is not a coward... not likely. Unlike so many other insults, "coward" is not overused, and it is a bold statement. It still means something... so if you really want to insult a man and prove your superiority Viking style, call him a fucking coward to his face. It isn't an insult... it is a challenge. When his response falls short... it becomes the ultimate insult.
It is important that you do not overuse this word. Let's look at a real world situation so that I can educate you to the proper use of this powerful insult.
A couple that you know is discussing their plans for the weekend. You and your buddy were slated to go out and have a beer and watch some football. He calls you on Friday night to let you know that there is a bridal show in town and he is going to that with his fiance and ditching your beer and football plan. You feel a bit slighted but more than anything you feel sorry for your friend knowing that he is completely pussy whipped. Rather than call him whipped... drop this "That right there is bullshit sir, this is a big game... stop being a fucking coward". You are challenging him. If he says "Hold on, I'll talk to her and call you back" and goes out with you, he passed the test. If he backpedals and explains that the bridal show is important, he has failed and proved his "coward" status.
Another common form of cowardice is not owning your decisions. We see this everyday in the world of politics. A notable political coward is Mitt Romney. As Governor of Massachusetts, he upheld draconian gun restrictions, abortion laws, and signed a socialist health care system into law. While running for President, he was confronted about these decisions. A real man would say something to the effect that he was merely doing his job by upholding the laws of his state and the will of the people. Instead, Governor Romney went to the dishonest "I had a change of heart and mind and I would have not done that now" response. He was unwilling to own up to his decisions and for that, Mr. Romney showed the world that he is a fucking coward.
I want to practice what I preach here so...
Neville Chamberlain- Prime Minister of Great Britain in the late 1930s. Decided that giving some land to Hitler was better than going to war. You cannot utter the world "appeasement" without talking about Chamberlain. Sir... you were a bloody coward.
Jimmy Carter- President of the US 1976-1980. Watched and sat on his hands while the Shah of Iran fell to the insane Ayatollah Khomeini in 1979. Begged and pleaded for the release of American hostages at the US Embassy. Was replaced in large part due to his hand-wringing. Fucking Coward!
I could go on all day listing cowards like these guys...but that would keep you from doing it yourself. Be a proper Viking man and call it how you see it. Remember, by allowing limp-wristed acts to go unpunished you are being the very thing we hate... a fucking coward.
|
