So pitiful that almost everyone was willing to sacrifice all freedom, morality and law just to obtain a few more years of life. Humans don't live long, but they were so afraid of death, they have been willing to do anything.

I never knew Cowardice was a sin until I search for it. Makes you wonder why it has been downplayed. I found this short discussion about it https://www.donnalcampbell.com/salt--light-devotionals/cowardice-is-a-sin

"Cattle die and kinsmen die, thyself too must die, but one thing never will die, the fame of one who has done well." Hávamál ("sayings of the high one") is a collection of Old Norse poems from the Viking Age. They present advice for living, proper conduct and wisdom.

This isn't exactly true, given how much disinfo is around, but at least they acknowledged that the preservation of their own life was not the highest good.