Fighting...

Is it easier to fight with dignity than surrender in shame?

I think that's easier to fight with dignity than surrender in shame. If you have dignity, you don't feel as if you can just be ran over. It gives you something to fight for: yourself. If you give it all you have, then you know that you did your best and you don't have any regrets. If you surrender in shame then you have to live with that repuation and decision for the rest of your life. You are constantly reminded that you gave up the fight and didn't do anything about the other person. You reputation has a blemish and others now recognize you as a shameful person. Some even tend to shy away from people like that.

In the ancient times, it seems, it was more honorable to take your own life, than to die by the hand of the enemy. Therefore it is easier to fight with dignity than surrender with shame. The prize is not that you won, although winning is nice, it's that you didn't let yourself down and you did the best you could. In the end, that's all that really matters.