Cowards: Two Types?

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

Yep, sadly...there are two types of cowards out there. 

 

Most of you know the first type...the one who runs away in fear when faced with a situation because they simply "just can't do it because they're scared". 

 

But...some people don't know there's actually a second type of coward. 

 

This second type...is far worse...these type of cowards think they're "tough" and just go around bullying and messing with people just so they can show that they are "all that". Really, they're just cowards hiding behind what is known as a "toughie shield", meaning a false image that makes you look and act tough, but really, soon or later that toughie shield's gonna break and what then. A basic example of this is S1 Gilda. The fact that she had the audacity to roar at Fluttershy just because she accidentally bumped into her, makes no sense at all. Gilda was hiding behind a toughie shield all episode long, but soon dropped it when S5 E8 rolled along.

 

This is exactly what happens when one stands up to a bully. They start as a type 2 coward and end up as a type 1 for a period of time. But we all know the reason for this: insecurity, the way they were raised and maturity levels.

 

Thoughts?  

[Gestum 2,493]

I don't see how hiding behind a so called "toughie shield" makes you a coward. A coward is someone who lacks courage, and it takes a certain amount of courage to bully or to mess with someone. So in reality they're the opposite of cowards.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

I don't see how hiding behind a so called "toughie shield" makes you a coward. A coward is someone who lacks courage, and it takes a certain amount of courage to bully or to mess with someone. So in reality they're the opposite of cowards.

 

Hiding behind a "toughie shield" makes you a coward because you're literally changing who you are just so you can prove something. It's really just putting up "false courage".

[Gestum 2,493]

 

 

Hiding behind a "toughie shield" makes you a coward because you're literally changing who you are just so you can prove something.

But are they really changing who they are? No, they just show another side of themselves. 

[Hovershy 3,814]

Yes I agree, it's like they go around trying to prove something to others and act tough because they are too scared to just be themselves. They put others down to feel better about their own insecurities.

[BastementSparkle 20,326]

 

 

Hiding behind a "toughie shield" makes you a coward because you're literally changing who you are just so you can prove something. It's really just putting up "false courage"

 

A "Tough shield" can be to some extent a good thing though. Courage isn't about not being afraid, it's being afraid but doing what you have to do anyway. How is it bravery if you aren't scared in the first place? I wish I could put up a tough shield sometimes instead of just letting everything spill out like I do.

 

 I'd say that tough shield is only cowardly when used to hurt others, putting them down to make yourself feel better, instead of dealing with your emotions more maturely. Of course it can also take courage to open your emotions up to people, to be vulnerable, and hiding yourself away from everyone certainly isn't a good thing...

 

So really, it's a bit more complicated than that.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

 

 

 I'd say that tough shield is only cowardly when used to hurt others, putting them down to make yourself feel better, instead of dealing with your emotions more maturely. Of course it can also take courage to open your emotions up to ponies, to be vulnerable, and hiding yourself away from everypony certainly isn't a good thing...  

 

Oh wow! I never even thought of that! And perhaps that toughie shield could become a part of you in a good way... 

[TedEbear 8]

I don't know, in the modern society pretty much everyone is a coward in their own way... a coward isn't those that show fear it's how they react in the face of it. in a situation where you have to make the tough choice, there are those that cry and those that piss themselves, people vomit and so on, it's whether or not that you keep pushing forward after that that is important... and if you don't ever have fear and you don't ever have anything to over come what does it say about you? that in itself is a lack of humanity. it's hard to get something all inclusive so it shouldn't be sought after there really is a good enough when it comes to human behavior... for the most part the more you need to prove your merit the less merit there is to prove... if you are king must you say it... if your point is worth proving can it stand on it's own or do you have to raise your voice?

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 41,616]

Honestly, being a coward is not a detriment. In some ways it can show that one has the sense to stay out of a situation that they need not be involved in. I mean, me, I am a super coward with everything, though I think I have my reasons. It is just too deep to lump it into two different groups when the human mind is a fragile thing. Who knows what can make someone afraid of something, anxiety, PTSD, there are many variables involved.

[Catpone Cerberus 23,604]

''type 2'' coward is shared to good and bad (in my opinion), ''good'' side is when hide behind "Tough shield" in public only so you're left alone, to protect from bullying etc.

And ''bad'' is when you ''use'' "Tough shield" to control others somehow., hurting them, etc.