--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The oldest and strongest emotion of…" description: "\"The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear.\" — Anonymous" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/749/anonymous-1_emotion_the-oldest-and-strongest-emotion-of-mank_2907551.jpg" --- # The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear. ![“The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear.” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/749/anonymous-1_emotion_the-oldest-and-strongest-emotion-of-mank_2907551.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/749/anonymous-1_emotion_the-oldest-and-strongest-emotion-of-mank_2907551.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/749/anonymous-1_emotion_the-oldest-and-strongest-emotion-of-mank_2907551.jpg) > “The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear.” [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fear is a fundamental, pervasive emotion that drives much of human behavior. **In simple terms:** Fear shapes actions. Key Takeaway Understand and manage fear. Themes psychology emotion survival motivation Mood cautious reflective Type emotional motivational When to use this quote - personal decisions - risk assessment - leadership Key Concepts neurobiology cognitive response Questions to Reflect On - What fears hold you back? - How can you transform fear into action? A Different Perspective Fear can be paralyzing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion/) [Emotion Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion-mankind-1334681/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mankind/) [Mankind Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mankind-fear-2096797/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Oldest Strongest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oldest-strongest-4168980/) [Strongest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strongest/) [Strongest Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strongest-emotion-1114408/) ## Related quotes > [The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-oldest-and-strongest-emotion-of-mankind-is-fear-and-the-oldest-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear. And the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown. —H.P. Lovecraft”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-scott/the-oldest-and-strongest-emotion-of-mankind-is-fear-and-the-oldest/) [Emma Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-scott/) > [In the mass of mankind, I fear, there is too great a majority of fools and knaves; who, singly from their number, must to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-the-mass-of-mankind-i-fear-there-is-too-great-a-majority-of-fools/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“many souls in their young nudity are tumbled out among incongruities and left to ‘find their feet’ among them, while their elders go about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/many-souls-in-their-young-nudity-are-tumbled-out-among-incongruities/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [“That element of tragedy which lies in the very fact of frequency, has not yet wrought itself into the coarse emotion of mankind; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/that-element-of-tragedy-which-lies-in-the-very-fact-of-frequency-has/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [Some discouragement, some faintness of heart at the new real future which replaces the imaginary, is not unusual, and we do not expect people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/some-discouragement-some-faintness-of-heart-at-the-new-real-future/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [You can believe that he was taught to love and respect all mankind - but to fear no man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wellington-mara/you-can-believe-that-he-was-taught-to-love-and-respect-all-mankind/) [Wellington Mara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wellington-mara/) > [The plague of mankind is the fear and rejection of diversity: monotheism, monarchy, monogamy and, in our age, monomedicine. The belief that there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-szasz/the-plague-of-mankind-is-the-fear-and-rejection-of-diversity/) [Thomas Szasz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-szasz/) > [“The average person wastes his life. He has a great deal of energy but he wastes it. The life of an average person seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/the-average-person-wastes-his-life-he-has-a-great-deal-of-energy-but/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [“As mankind lifts to a new potential, what must happen is that those things that were called into being by mankind in fear, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-selig/as-mankind-lifts-to-a-new-potential-what-must-happen-is-that-those/) [Paul Selig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-selig/) > [“fear is our deepest and strongest emotion, and the one which best lends itself to the creation of nature-defying illusions. Horror”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-p-lovecraft-2/fear-is-our-deepest-and-strongest-emotion-and-the-one-which-best-2/) [H.P. Lovecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-p-lovecraft-2/) > [Fear is our deepest and strongest emotion, and the one which best lends itself to the creation of nature-defying illusions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-p-lovecraft/fear-is-our-deepest-and-strongest-emotion-and-the-one-which-best/) [H. P. Lovecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-p-lovecraft/) > [Love songs in particular are so compelling because love is probably the strongest emotion you can have, and I think it's relatable to absolutely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-smith/love-songs-in-particular-are-so-compelling-because-love-is-probably/) [Sam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-smith/) > [“love is the strongest emotion. we never feels the distance. even at large distances apart from each other, both lovers will feel the closeness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mathew/love-is-the-strongest-emotion-we-never-feels-the-distance-even-at/) [Joseph Mathew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mathew/) > [“Love of England is very nearly the strongest emotion that I possess.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/love-of-england-is-very-nearly-the-strongest-emotion-that-i-possess/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) ## More by Anonymous > [And a tear rolled down her cheek, as she said goodbye; because she's walking away, and she's never looking back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-a-tear-rolled-down-her-cheek-as-she-said-goodbye-because-she-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scrabble-the-game-is-available-in-braille-that-s-a-nice-fact-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Put on my J's and dance the whole night away Im naughty by nature like Im hip-hop hooray With my hands in the sky,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-on-my-j-s-and-dance-the-whole-night-away-im-naughty-by-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Me.. I have been through a lot, but I still manage to have a smile on my face. Im not worried about the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-i-have-been-through-a-lot-but-i-still-manage-to-have-a-smile-on-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Distance is a test of love. many will fail for those who can't withstand it, but for those who can, theres only one answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/distance-is-a-test-of-love-many-will-fail-for-those-who-can-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Im sorry I ever tried...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-sorry-i-ever-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being betrayed by the one you love is the worst feeling in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-betrayed-by-the-one-you-love-is-the-worst-feeling-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only person I've ever purposely caused pain here is myself...By simply sharing, caring too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-person-i-ve-ever-purposely-caused-pain-here-is-myself-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Explore all 162,899 Anonymous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More Emotion quotes > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Of course I like you. It's because I like you I don't wanna be with you. It's a complicated emotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlin/of-course-i-like-you-it-s-because-i-like-you-i-don-t-wanna-be-with/) [Marlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlin/) > [In discovering books, you became free to explore the full range of human motives, desires, secrets, and lies. All my life, people have scolded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/in-discovering-books-you-became-free-to-explore-the-full-range-of/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) > [“Emotion as well as reason belongs to the very stuff of history.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-smalley/emotion-as-well-as-reason-belongs-to-the-very-stuff-of-history/) [Beryl Smalley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-smalley/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) [Ryan Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-newman/) > [It is not my intention to explain Turkey, its culture and its problems. My literature has a universal concern: I want to bring people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orhan-pamuk/it-is-not-my-intention-to-explain-turkey-its-culture-and-its-problems/) [Orhan Pamuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orhan-pamuk/) > [For me, the term "psychotherapy" is limiting. It implies that we work with mind and emotions, but excludes the body and pays scant attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-diamond/for-me-the-term-psychotherapy-is-limiting-it-implies-that-we-work/) [Jed Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-diamond/) > [People are disturbed not by things but by the view they take of them. They may forget what you said, but they will never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/people-are-disturbed-not-by-things-but-by-the-view-they-take-of-them/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [There cannot be any communication except through form. If there is no form, you cannot create emotion in the spectator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-resnais/there-cannot-be-any-communication-except-through-form-if-there-is-no/) [Alain Resnais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-resnais/) > [A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-knowledge-of-the-existence-of-something-we-cannot-penetrate-of-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [ Music \[is\] the third rail of life. You grabbed it to shock yourself out of the dull drag of hours. To feel something. To… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hill/music-is-the-third-rail-of-life-you-grabbed-it-to-shock-yourself-out/) [Joe Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-hill/) > [“What if each time you experienced an emotion, you acknowledged it, accepted it, and became curious about its message for you (instead of trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vironika-tugaleva/what-if-each-time-you-experienced-an-emotion-you-acknowledged-it/) [Vironika Tugaleva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vironika-tugaleva/) > [For war to man, like childbirth to women, is simplifying in its emotions and activities. All the real problems of life can be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/for-war-to-man-like-childbirth-to-women-is-simplifying-in-its/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/many-humanists-have-argued-that-happiness-involves-a-combination-of/) [Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/) [Browse all 7,204 Emotion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anonymous" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-oldest-and-strongest-emotion-of-mankind-is-fear/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Emotion" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-oldest-and-strongest-emotion-of-mankind-is-fear/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/749/anonymous-1_emotion_the-oldest-and-strongest-emotion-of-mank_2907551.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/749/anonymous-1_emotion_the-oldest-and-strongest-emotion-of-mank_2907551.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/749/anonymous-1_emotion_the-oldest-and-strongest-emotion-of-mank_2907551.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear.” — Anonymous", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Anonymous", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The oldest and strongest emotion of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-oldest-and-strongest-emotion-of-mankind-is-fear/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-oldest-and-strongest-emotion-of-mankind-is-fear/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```