Has this nation forgotten its courageous Madiba so soon?
By Alec Hogg
We can learn much from dead guys. Including some who lived thousands of years ago. When life was slower. When there was more time to think.
Over the weekend I was reminded of this when researching the concept of courage. It led to the great Greek philosopher Aristotle. He called courage The First Virtue because it is the one from which all other virtues flow.
But courage is often misunderstood. Aristotle taught that it stems from learning. From open minded inquiry which leads to understanding what is right and what is wrong. And then having the courage to consciously choose the right even though it is more difficult, unpopular, less likely to be applauded by our fellows.
Nelson Mandela was courageous. He chose right above popular, time and again. Most notably reconciliation rather than retribution. Knowing although more difficult, it would deliver the best result. It would be inconceivable for Mandela to perpetrate, much less defend Nkandla. Or take a private trip, at public expense, to pay homage to a Russian warmonger. Surely the nation cannot have forgotten its Madiba so quickly?
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