Joseph Bruce Ismay (a.k.a. The Coward of the Titanic) was a snooty and rich British first-class passenger aboard the RMS Titanic. He was a businessman who served as Managing Director of the White Star Line. He was the gentleman who strongly encouraged the captain of the Titanic, despite the captain's protest, to speed up and arrive in New York ahead of schedule. He suggested this in hope of boosting the Titanic's reputation. But more importantly he suggested this idea in an effort to fuel his ego, which was the only thing he cared about. His obnoxious arrogance was one of the many reasons why Titanic hit the iceberg to begin with. He was one of the few survivors of the shipwreck because he cared about the lives of no one on the ship but his own. For this he was branded by the public as a coward for the rest of his life.