Is it cowardly to walk away?

[mulvita]

When you've had to wrestle a gun away from someone in a fight, you learn that fighting solves nothing. Our society has set up different ways of solving conflict. As you get older, the consequences get more severe. Also, you'd be hearing from my lawyer

[Cinnamohn]

I had this happen to me once when I was very young, only difference is I was with 2 friends (one was Korean, the other was white). I was living in South Korea at the time and a couple of high schoolers were hogging the only playground on the apartment complex. My white friend asked them to leave (yelling from a distance) and they seemed to take offense to it. Before I even realized I was in trouble, the entire group of them started dashing towards both of us with him yelling at me to run. My Korean friend on the other hand, managed to talk to them in their language and get himself out of trouble, but there were still a couple others after us. Let's just say I found the inner black in me that day and ran faster than I ever had before.

Is it cowardly to walk away? Maybe. Is it ever worth fighting, though? Unless it's to protect someone, it usually isn't.

[Tommy T]

I'd just force shit my pants. No one wants to fight a guy covered in shit.

You just made me laugh out loud. A mean feat over the internet. Congratulations.


I will also remember this next time I'm in this situation.

[rakhakash]

Always fight back, the people will never forget your heroism!

[StationaryHawk]

I don't really see why you would fight them.

[GKLeatherCraft]

Personally i would choose option C, I've been in situations where i've been outnumbered and it was never an option to run, because where i grew up if you run away then that's it, you're always going to be a target once word gets round, Plus I've never seen the problem with gouging/biting whatever, I fight like a maniac lol and if any part of me, is near any part of them with which i can hurt them, i do so, generaly in a 1v1 /2v1 it's just punches and kicks

But it's not cowardly to run, I've always said that my son needs to either know how to fight very well, Or run very fast lol, But i would never stand down from a fight, Some people call that stupid, but some people call running, or turning your back on someone stupid, so i think it really comes down to where you like, and the consequences of each action

---------- Post added 2013-01-21 at 11:41 PM ----------

I'd just force shit my pants. No one wants to fight a guy covered in shit.

This is very true, out of all the fights I've had, if any of them had been covered in shit, you can bet i wouldn't have gone through with it xD

[Xargoth6634]

I've never been in a multiple attacker situation, and I've only been in a few fights and only if I can't avoid it. I've never lost a fight, but it's not because I'm a badass. The three times I was aggressively attacked, on all occasions I tried walking away but was followed by someone physically assaulting me. Although I avoid violence I'm not an extreme pacifist and I stood my ground, avoided the initial flurry and waited for the opportunity and then finished the fight quickly and efficiently. You don't have to be a blackbelt to win a fight when your attacker is irrationally angry or drunk, you just have to be smart about your approach.

[stuartj1992]

Most of the time these idiots are just looking for a reaction, to amuse their inferior brains and inflate their egos - they want to see that they've 'got to you'. Any action which shows them that they haven't achieved this is often enough.

But no, in answer to the question, it's not cowardly to walk away from a fight. Especially if the odds are heavily stacked against you. Why should you respond to the actions and wills of people who are so far below you, after all?

I would compare them to the stereotypical image of an neanderthal, grunting, aggressive and stupid, but frankly, that'd be an insult to the neanderthals.

[Giants41]

I'd go with C. Only if i thought i could take them. I can take people in a fight but 4v1 is hard for anyone. I would assess them and make my decision.

[Theodon]

It's only cowardice if fear is what motivates you. If you walk away because you don't see what good would come of fighting them then fear isn't motivating you, your logic and reasoning is.

[Idrinkwhiterussians]

I have been in two fights ever in my life, and I am not proud of either, as I put both of those people into the hospital.

I rather walk away than having the distinct possibility of seriously injuring someone.

[Frozen Death Knight]

If 5 guys try to gang up on one person, then they are the ones who are cowards. No exceptions.

Even if it was possible to beat them all down, sinking to their level is hardly worth it. There is a difference between fighting for fighting's sake and have something worth fighting for. In this scenario, there is no reason to fight them at all. If they actually try to beat you up first, then you have a good reason to.

[TheWerebison]

Cowardly is needing 3 or 4 people with you to pick on and antagonize one person. It would be the group that are the cowards, because the "strength" they are showing is nothing more than the emotionally aggressive version of a feedback loop. They like as not wouldn't do more than look at you out of the corner of their eyes if they were alone.

Walking away is a sound tactical move. There is no shame in picking your fights (if you choose to fight at all).

[Seegtease]

Sometimes, walking and ignoring them provokes them further. (Don't you walk away from me, bitch!)

Sometimes, trying to talk them out of it provokes them further.

You have to look at the situation and decide which is best. Being smart does not make you a coward. Cowardice is not defined by not being Mr. Tough Guy, cowardice is running away from personal responsibility.

[-Zait-]

Suicidal=/=Cowardly

In that particular scenario I'd say no it wouldn't be cowardly to walk away from that.

[Mormolyce]

It's not cowardice to walk away from a fight against four guys. It's arithmetic.

[krunksmash]

to walk away from a fight is to show wisdom of years; however, not all fights can be avoided and to fight becomes the only recourse. when a fight is not avoidable a true warior fights with mind and body.

[madethisfor1post]

If it's chav's then you are going to get stabbed.

Nothing wrong with knowing when to walk away.

Of course if you've had a bad day and had a cricket bat handy...

[Damax]

It actually happened to me when I was younger. I was maybe 13 ambushed by 5-6 of them 9-11 years old. thing is they came on bike and I was walking. I say 5-6 but it seemed like 12 but my brother who was there (16 years old looked like an adult but was farther away so it looked like I was alone) said it was 6-7 with one of em being held off by himself.

All I remember is they circled me faster than I could think lets run nor would it have been an option for a fat ass like i used to be. the sad story is I remember the first charging at me, i grabbed him and spun around using him as a weapon while the others stayed back afraid to get kicked. I threw him on one of them. 2 of the others who didn't get touch pushed me on the bike (one of them behind me to make me trip on it) I spring back up after falling, picked up the bike, spun it around like I did with the kid and I got one in the face and another as I threw it. I then started jumping on another bike's wheel to break it and as I got off it they took it up and ran away.

old story aside. I would challenge them to a one on one combat but I wouldn't go down without a fight. if they have a knife and plan to kill someone that day fighting them off won't be a deciding factor because they could still catch me or retry some other time if I tried to run away. so Imo just go saurfang on their ass and cleave them off. there's always some kind of weapon nearby!

[iceberg265]

I'd probably point out to them that they would a lot less brave if it wasn't 4-5v1 and then attempt to walk away.