--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To be afraid is to behave as if the truth…" description: "\"To be afraid is to behave as if the truth were not true.\" — Bayard Rustin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/620/bayard-rustin-13318_behave_to-be-afraid-is-to-behave-as-if-the-trut_2049812.jpg" --- # To be afraid is to behave as if the truth were not true. ![“To be afraid is to behave as if the truth were not true.” quote by Bayard Rustin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/620/bayard-rustin-13318_behave_to-be-afraid-is-to-behave-as-if-the-trut_2049812.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/620/bayard-rustin-13318_behave_to-be-afraid-is-to-behave-as-if-the-trut_2049812.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/620/bayard-rustin-13318_behave_to-be-afraid-is-to-behave-as-if-the-trut_2049812.jpg) > “To be afraid is to behave as if the truth were not true.” [Bayard Rustin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bayard-rustin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fear causes denial of truth; pretending truth isn’t real is a form of avoidance. **In simple terms:** Fear hides truth. Key Takeaway Confront fear to see reality. Themes fear truth denial courage social justice Mood serious hopeful Type political philosophical When to use this quote - activism - personal growth - public discourse - education Key Concepts psychology of fear ethical truth Questions to Reflect On - What truths do you avoid? - How can you face fear constructively? A Different Perspective Denial can be a coping mechanism, not always harmful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afraid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid/) [Afraid Behave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid-behave-3857758/) [Behave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behave/) [Behave Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behave-truth-3857759/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truth True](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-true-413143/) ## Related quotes > [“The mind of man is capable of anything-because everything is in it, all the past as well as all the future. 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I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“Carrie Fisher. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/carrie-fisher-stay-afraid-but-do-it-anyway/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [I used to be afraid of my temper, but it turns out I don't really have one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/i-used-to-be-afraid-of-my-temper-but-it-turns-out-i-don-t-really-have/) [Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I'm a pretty fearless person. I'm afraid of, like, creepy men in white vans and sidewalks with no streetlights. But I'm not afraid to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-totah/i-m-a-pretty-fearless-person-i-m-afraid-of-like-creepy-men-in-white/) [Josie Totah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-totah/) > [I will support my party when they are right on an issue, but am not afraid to stand up to party bosses who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darlene-senger/i-will-support-my-party-when-they-are-right-on-an-issue-but-am-not/) [Darlene Senger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darlene-senger/) > [Why am I so afraid to loose you,when you're not even mine?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-am-i-so-afraid-to-loose-you-when-you-re-not-even-mine/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I want to tell you, but I cant, becuase I'm afraid if I do you'll never treat me same the again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-orante/i-want-to-tell-you-but-i-cant-becuase-i-m-afraid-if-i-do-you-ll-never/) [Cristina Orante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-orante/) > [Mistakes I've made in the past make me afraid to try new things in the future. I want to be perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/mistakes-i-ve-made-in-the-past-make-me-afraid-to-try-new-things-in/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“Humans are naturally scared and confused beings. They not only fear the unknown, as they live fearing themselves... ☥”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-marques/humans-are-naturally-scared-and-confused-beings-they-not-only-fear/) [Luis Marques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-marques/) > [If you are too afraid of failure, you cant possibly do what needs to be done to succeed in living a fulfilling life. 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