--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Superstitions, and especially the early…" description: "\"Superstitions, and especially the early cultivation of religion, with its \"fear of the Lord\" and of unknown mysterious agencies, are especially potent ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/875/boris-sidis-27589_affection_superstitions-and-especially-the-early-c_2927266.jpg" --- # Superstitions, and especially the early cultivation of… ![“Superstitions, and especially the early cultivation of religion, with its "fear of the Lord" and of unknown mysterious agencies, are especially potent in the development of the instinct of fear. Even the early cultivation of morality and conscientiousness, with their fears of right and wrong…” quote by Boris Sidis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/875/boris-sidis-27589_affection_superstitions-and-especially-the-early-c_2927266.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/875/boris-sidis-27589_affection_superstitions-and-especially-the-early-c_2927266.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/875/boris-sidis-27589_affection_superstitions-and-especially-the-early-c_2927266.jpg) > “Superstitions, and especially the early cultivation of religion, with its "fear of the Lord" and of unknown mysterious agencies, are especially potent in the development of the instinct of fear. Even the early cultivation of morality and conscientiousness, with their fears of right and wrong, often causes psychoneurotic states in later life. Religious, social, and moral taboos and superstitions, associated with apprehension of threatening impending evil, based on the fear instinct, form the germs of psychopathic affections.” [Boris Sidis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-sidis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early religious and moral teachings can embed deep fear, later leading to neurotic patterns and psychopathic tendencies. **In simple terms:** Early fear teachings may cause later mental issues. Key Takeaway Recognize and address fear‑based conditioning. Themes fear religion morality psychology neurosis Mood anxious reflective Type analytical psychological When to use this quote - childhood religious upbringing - moral education - cultural taboos - psychotherapy - self‑reflection Key Concepts instinct of fear psychopathic affections taboos neurotic states Questions to Reflect On - How do early fears shape adult behavior? - Can fear be transformed into constructive vigilance? A Different Perspective Fear can also motivate positive caution and ethical behavior. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affection/) [Apprehension](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apprehension/) [Conscientiousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscientiousness/) [Cultivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cultivation/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Fear Of The Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear-of-the-lord/) [Instinct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instinct/) [Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lord/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality/) [Mysterious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mysterious/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Right and wrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-and-wrong/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Superstitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superstitions/) [Taboo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taboo/) ## Related quotes > [The main source of psychopathic diseases is the fundamental instinct of fear with its manifestations, the feeling of anxiety, anguish, and worry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-sidis/the-main-source-of-psychopathic-diseases-is-the-fundamental-instinct/) [Boris Sidis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-sidis/) > [“Our study of psychoneurotic disturbances points to a more comprehensive explanation, which includes that of Westermarck. When a wife loses her husband, or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/our-study-of-psychoneurotic-disturbances-points-to-a-more/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [“You think my first instinct is to protect you. Because you're small, or a girl, or a Stiff. But you're wrong." He leans his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/you-think-my-first-instinct-is-to-protect-you-because-you-re-small-or-3/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [Fear is a survival instinct; fear in its way is a comfort for it means that somewhere hope is alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-sturgeon/fear-is-a-survival-instinct-fear-in-its-way-is-a-comfort-for-it-means/) [Theodore Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-sturgeon/) > [Instinct Versus Intuition: Instinct is fear based, designed to protect. 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It adds new worlds to ours, and thus brings us hope of new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-cioran/religion-comforts-us-for-the-defeat-of-our-will-to-power-it-adds-new/) [Emil Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-cioran/) > [I'm an atheist. I suppose you can call me a sort of libertarian anarchist. I regard religion with fear and suspicion. It's not enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-thompson/i-m-an-atheist-i-suppose-you-can-call-me-a-sort-of-libertarian/) [Emma Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-thompson/) > [“It is not alone the first beginnings of religion that are full of fear. So long as love is imperfect, there is room for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/it-is-not-alone-the-first-beginnings-of-religion-that-are-full-of/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Syncretism can be disturbing to people. They have often been taught, "You have to have solid faith and must be sure of your religion,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninian-smart/syncretism-can-be-disturbing-to-people-they-have-often-been-taught/) [Ninian Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninian-smart/) > [Many people are afraid to embrace religion, for fear they shall not succeed in maintaining it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/many-people-are-afraid-to-embrace-religion-for-fear-they-shall-not/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [“The development from a religion of fear to moral religion is a great step in peoples' lives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-development-from-a-religion-of-fear-to-moral-religion-is-a-great/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“Undoubtedly the most important source of religion is fear; this can be seen in the present day, since anything that causes alarm is apt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/undoubtedly-the-most-important-source-of-religion-is-fear-this-can-be/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Religion is the fear of God, and its demonstration good works; and faith is the root of both: For without faith we cannot please…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/religion-is-the-fear-of-god-and-its-demonstration-good-works-and/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) ## 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