A Code Of Honour; Its Ethos.

Presidential hopeful Donald J Trump came close to death at the hands of an assassin during a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday. After receiving a grazing wound to his right ear in this near-fatal shooting, Donald Trump reacted defiantly with a fist held high. He encouraged his supporters to fight, fight, fight while being shuffled away from potential ongoing danger to his life by security and police.

Donald Trump’s initial reaction to having been shot was one of defiance in the face of danger, and the media pundits have been dissecting his reaction non-stop since the assassination attempt.

Self-preservation is one of the strongest instincts of all—fear of death. The overriding desire to survive can be found in all of us. The natural impulse to flee from danger, such as an armed killer, the code of honour, and its ethos, can materialise through various impulses: Shame, Honour or downright bloody-mindedness. In Trump’s case, all of the above apply. However, for Trump, it is inherent to hold his ground against all comers. There is no room for Trump to flee; his ethos demands he stands and fights, defending his sense of purpose and integrity. While Trump is no Knight in shining armour, his reaction to the shooting should encourage us all to strive for mastery over our weaknesses and our instinct to capitulate to forces wishing to do us harm.