--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The opposite of courage is not cowardice…" description: "\"“The opposite of courage is not cowardice, it is conformity.”\" — Jim Hightower" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6f/jim-hightower-10047_conformity_the-opposite-of-courage-is-not-cowardice_2343759.jpg" --- # The opposite of courage is not cowardice, it is conformity. ![“The opposite of courage is not cowardice, it is conformity.” quote by Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6f/jim-hightower-10047_conformity_the-opposite-of-courage-is-not-cowardice_2343759.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6f/jim-hightower-10047_conformity_the-opposite-of-courage-is-not-cowardice_2343759.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6f/jim-hightower-10047_conformity_the-opposite-of-courage-is-not-cowardice_2343759.jpg) > ““The opposite of courage is not cowardice, it is conformity.”” [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True conformity, not fear, is the real opposite of courage, as it suppresses individuality. **In simple terms:** Conformity, not cowardice, opposes courage. Key Takeaway Resist pressure to conform. Themes courage conformity individuality Mood challenging encouraging Type political philosophical When to use this quote - activism - personal integrity - creative work Key Concepts social pressure groupthink Questions to Reflect On - When have you felt pressured to conform? - What steps protect your authenticity? A Different Perspective Conformity can be a survival strategy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conformity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conformity/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Cowardice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cowardice/) ## Related quotes > [The opposite for courage is not cowardice, it is conformity. 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It takes courage to break out of the settled mold, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/many-people-feel-they-are-powerless-to-do-anything-effective-with/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [There is danger in courage. Cowardice is a power for good. We hardly know what it prevents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivy-compton-burnett/there-is-danger-in-courage-cowardice-is-a-power-for-good-we-hardly/) [Ivy Compton-Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivy-compton-burnett/) > [Like a fellow running from or toward a gun ain't got time to worry whether the word for what he is doing is courage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/like-a-fellow-running-from-or-toward-a-gun-ain-t-got-time-to-worry/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [“...for everyone there is something unendurable - something that cannot be contemplated. Courage and cowardice are not involved. If you are falling from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/for-everyone-there-is-something-unendurable-something-that-cannot-be/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [If you do not speak up when it matters, when would it matter that you speak? The opposite of courage is conformity. Even a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickson-gracie/if-you-do-not-speak-up-when-it-matters-when-would-it-matter-that-you/) [Rickson Gracie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickson-gracie/) > [The opposite of courage is conformity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickson-gracie/the-opposite-of-courage-is-conformity/) [Rickson Gracie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickson-gracie/) > [Even a dead fish can go with the flow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/even-a-dead-fish-can-go-with-the-flow/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [“I thought maybe Against Nature would be a book about someone who viewed things the way I did - someone trying to live a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elif-batuman/i-thought-maybe-against-nature-would-be-a-book-about-someone-who/) [Elif Batuman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elif-batuman/) > [The opposite of bravery is not cowardice but conformity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anthony/the-opposite-of-bravery-is-not-cowardice-but-conformity/) [Robert Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anthony/) > [“Still there was so much to say. How the rain never stopped. How the cold worked into your bones. Sometimes the bravest thing on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/still-there-was-so-much-to-say-how-the-rain-never-stopped-how-the/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [“Are there any two words in all of the English language more closely twinned than courage and cowardice? I do not think there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-brooks/are-there-any-two-words-in-all-of-the-english-language-more-closely/) [Geraldine Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-brooks/) > [Only the difference between truth and lies, courage and cowardice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/only-the-difference-between-truth-and-lies-courage-and-cowardice/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Jim Hightower > [The original Greek word "idiotes" referred to people who might have had a high IQ, but were so self-involved that they focused exclusively on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/the-original-greek-word-idiotes-referred-to-people-who-might-have-had/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [It's hard to believe President George Bush gave a speech in New Orleans about disaster recovery and failed to mention the word 'farm' or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/it-s-hard-to-believe-president-george-bush-gave-a-speech-in-new/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Do something. If it doesn't work, do something else. No idea is too crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/do-something-if-it-doesn-t-work-do-something-else-no-idea-is-too-crazy/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [The opposite for courage is not cowardice, it is conformity. Even a dead fish can go with the flow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/the-opposite-for-courage-is-not-cowardice-it-is-conformity-even-a/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Some people say we need a third party. I wish we had a second one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/some-people-say-we-need-a-third-party-i-wish-we-had-a-second-one/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Populism is not a style, it's a people's rebellion against the iron grip that big corporations have on our country - including our economy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/populism-is-not-a-style-it-s-a-people-s-rebellion-against-the-iron/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Even a dead fish can go with the flow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/even-a-dead-fish-can-go-with-the-flow/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [There's enormous progressive activism and, more often than not, success at the grassroots level - everything from living wage campaigns to efforts to finance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/there-s-enormous-progressive-activism-and-more-often-than-not-success/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [If it's dangerous to talk to yourself, it's probably even dicier to listen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/if-it-s-dangerous-to-talk-to-yourself-it-s-probably-even-dicier-to/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [You have to learn to read between the lies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/you-have-to-learn-to-read-between-the-lies/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Liberals want to manage the damage with government programs to take care of those who have fallen between the cracks. 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They are looking down from the top floors.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/part-of-the-failure-of-the-corporate-media-is-that-they-don-t-dig-out/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Politics ought to be fun. It shouldn't be just boring meetings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/politics-ought-to-be-fun-it-shouldn-t-be-just-boring-meetings/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) [Explore all 68 Jim Hightower quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) ## More Conformity quotes > [“So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-supertramp-chris-mccandless/so-many-people-live-within-unhappy-circumstances-and-yet-will-not/) Alexander Supertramp Chris McCandless > [“All to often, on the long road up, young leaders become servants of what is rather than shapers of what might be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gardner/all-to-often-on-the-long-road-up-young-leaders-become-servants-of/) [John Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gardner/) > [The Chains of conformity click in tiresomely monotonous unison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-sweet/the-chains-of-conformity-click-in-tiresomely-monotonous-unison/) [Leonard Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-sweet/) > [No shepherd and one herd! 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Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-s-baker/) > [Alas, everything that men say to one another is alike; the ideas they exchange are almost always the same, in their conversation. But inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-de-musset/alas-everything-that-men-say-to-one-another-is-alike-the-ideas-they/) [Alfred de Musset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-de-musset/) > [The search for truth is a cooperative, unending endeavor. We can, and should, engage in it to the extent we can and encourage others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-search-for-truth-is-a-cooperative-unending-endeavor-we-can-and/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Seeds have the power to preserve species, to enhance cultural as well as genetic diversity, to counter economic monopoly and to check the advance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/seeds-have-the-power-to-preserve-species-to-enhance-cultural-as-well/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [“Brontë was attempting to depict a character that adheres to the unchanging principles of her faith though she refused conformity to the particular practices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-swallow-prior/bront-was-attempting-to-depict-a-character-that-adheres-to-the/) [Karen Swallow Prior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-swallow-prior/) > [Officers conditioned to conformity in peacetime cannot be expected to behave boldly and flexibly in combat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-yingling/officers-conditioned-to-conformity-in-peacetime-cannot-be-expected-to/) Paul Yingling > [The more civilized a nation, the more conformed its population, until that civilization's last age arrives, when multiplicity wages war with conformity. The former…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-erikson/the-more-civilized-a-nation-the-more-conformed-its-population-until/) [Steven Erikson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-erikson/) > [Society everywhere is in conspiracy against the manhood of every one of its members. The virtue in most request is conformity. 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