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Fear Quote by Aldous Huxley

“Love casts out fear; but conversely fear casts out love. And not only love. Fear also casts out intelligence, casts out goodness, casts out all thought of beauty and truth. What remains in the bum or studiedly jocular desperation of one who is aware of the obscene Presence in the corner of the…” quote by Aldous Huxley
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““Love casts out fear; but conversely fear casts out love. And not only love. Fear also casts out intelligence, casts out goodness, casts out all thought of beauty and truth. What remains in the bum or studiedly jocular desperation of one who is aware of the obscene Presence in the corner of the room and knows that the door is locked, that there aren’t any windows. And now the thing bears down on him. He feels a hand on his sleeve, smells a stinking breath, as the executioner’s assistant leans almost amorously toward him. “Your turn next, brother. Kindly step this way.” And in an instant his quiet terror is transmuted into a frenzy as violent as it is futile. There is no longer a man among his fellow men, no longer a rational being speaking articulately to other rational beings; there is only a lacerated animal, screaming and struggling in the trap. For in the end fear casts out even a man’s humanity. And fear, my good friends, fear is the very basis and foundation of modern life. Fear of the much touted technology which, while it raises out standard of living, increases the probability of our violently dying. Fear of the science which takes away the one hand even more than what it so profusely gives with the other. Fear of the demonstrably fatal institutions for while, in our suicidal loyalty, we are ready to kill and die. Fear of the Great Men whom we have raised, and by popular acclaim, to a power which they use, inevitably, to murder and enslave us. Fear of the war we don’t want yet do everything we can to bring about.””

Aldous Huxley

About This Quote

Source Novel: Brave New World, Aldous Huxley, 1932

Fear erodes love, intelligence, goodness, and humanity, becoming the foundation of modern anxieties and oppressive structures.

In simple terms: Fear destroys love and humanity, shaping modern life.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and confront fear to preserve humanity.

Themes

fear humanity technology power war

Mood

anxious critical reflective

Type

philosophical warning

When to use this quote

  • personal crisis
  • political activism
  • technological adoption
  • social movements

Key Concepts

existentialism psychology political critique

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does fear shape your daily decisions?
  • Can fear be transformed into constructive change?
A Different Perspective

Fear can also motivate protective action, not just oppression.

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