--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have become this very fear-based…" description: "\"We have become this very fear-based culture, especially post-9/11. Fear is the opposite of love, in my opinion. I think there would be more love in the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/286/bren-brown-280_acceptance_we-have-become-this-very-fear-based-cult_77367.jpg" --- # We have become this very fear-based culture, especially… ![“We have become this very fear-based culture, especially post-9/11. Fear is the opposite of love, in my opinion. I think there would be more love in the world. I'm not talking about rainbows and unicorns and '70s Coca-Cola commercials. I'm talking about gritty, dangerous, wild-eyed love. Radical…” quote by Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/286/bren-brown-280_acceptance_we-have-become-this-very-fear-based-cult_77367.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/286/bren-brown-280_acceptance_we-have-become-this-very-fear-based-cult_77367.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/286/bren-brown-280_acceptance_we-have-become-this-very-fear-based-cult_77367.jpg) > “We have become this very fear-based culture, especially post-9/11. Fear is the opposite of love, in my opinion. I think there would be more love in the world. I'm not talking about rainbows and unicorns and '70s Coca-Cola commercials. I'm talking about gritty, dangerous, wild-eyed love. Radical acceptance of people. Belonging. A good, goofy kind of love.” [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker critiques a culture dominated by fear, especially after 9/11, and argues that love—raw, radical, and inclusive—can counteract that fear, fostering belonging and genuine connection. **In simple terms:** Fear fuels division; love fosters belonging. Key Takeaway Radical love counters fear. Themes Fear vs. love Post-9/11 cultural shift Radical acceptance Belonging Authentic connection Mood hopeful reflective determined Type philosophical motivational social commentary When to use this quote - Community building - Therapeutic settings - Social activism - Personal relationships - Corporate culture Key Concepts Cultural critique Emotional intelligence Social cohesion Practical Applications - Designing inclusive policies - Facilitating empathy workshops Questions to Reflect On - How can we cultivate radical love in fear-driven environments? - What practices transform fear into belonging? A Different Perspective Some may argue that fear can be a protective mechanism, not merely a negative force. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acceptance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acceptance/) [Belonging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belonging/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Goofy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goofy/) [Kinds of love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kinds-of-love/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Not talking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/not-talking/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Opposites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposites/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Radical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/radical/) [Radical acceptance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/radical-acceptance/) [Rainbow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rainbow/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Unicorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unicorn/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Fear is the opposite of love, in my opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/fear-is-the-opposite-of-love-in-my-opinion/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Fear is not the opposite of courage. Fear is the catalyst of courage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/fear-is-not-the-opposite-of-courage-fear-is-the-catalyst-of-courage/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [“Fear has to be the opposite of God because it is the opposite of love. Fear is selfish, needy and focused on you. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-giles/fear-has-to-be-the-opposite-of-god-because-it-is-the-opposite-of-love/) [Kimberly Giles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-giles/) > [Growth demands a temporary surrender of security. It may mean a giving up of familiar but limiting patterns, safe but unrewarding work, values no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-sheehy/growth-demands-a-temporary-surrender-of-security-it-may-mean-a-giving/) [Gail Sheehy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-sheehy/) > [“Fear is the opposite of faith”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyd-k-packer/fear-is-the-opposite-of-faith/) [Boyd K. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyd-k-packer/) > [“The only thing that separates any one of us from excellence is fear and the opposite of fear is faith. I am careful not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-fox/the-only-thing-that-separates-any-one-of-us-from-excellence-is-fear/) [Michael J. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-fox/) > [I was walking around trying to act cool, like I had no fear at all. But I was afraid, afraid that somebody would find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stevie-ray-vaughan/i-was-walking-around-trying-to-act-cool-like-i-had-no-fear-at-all-but/) [Stevie Ray Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stevie-ray-vaughan/) > [Fear is the opposite of everything you are, and so has an effect of opposition to your mental and physical health. Fear is worry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/fear-is-the-opposite-of-everything-you-are-and-so-has-an-effect-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I bear witness of the power of the priesthood given to the Church to protect us and guide us. And because we have that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyd-k-packer/i-bear-witness-of-the-power-of-the-priesthood-given-to-the-church-to/) [Boyd K. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyd-k-packer/) > [Love and fear are the two opposite ends of the continuum, as far as I'm concerned. When we are not in love, we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-canfield/love-and-fear-are-the-two-opposite-ends-of-the-continuum-as-far-as-i/) [Jack Canfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-canfield/) > [“Permission to be excited and goofy and to have fun.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/permission-to-be-excited-and-goofy-and-to-have-fun/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Learning to pause is the first step in the practice of Radical Acceptance. A pause is a suspension of activity, a time of temporary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-brach/learning-to-pause-is-the-first-step-in-the-practice-of-radical/) [Tara Brach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-brach/) > [“One who lives out of the box must learn to master the art of homelessness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-tyrone-jones/one-who-lives-out-of-the-box-must-learn-to-master-the-art-of/) [Curtis Tyrone Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-tyrone-jones/) > [“Can you imagine NOT craving to be different than you are right now? Take a breath. For just a moment... can you stop craving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-laporte/can-you-imagine-not-craving-to-be-different-than-you-are-right-now/) [Danielle LaPorte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-laporte/) > [“The greatest satisfaction comes not from chasing pleasure and avoiding pain, but from the radical acceptance of life as it is, without fighting and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-levine/the-greatest-satisfaction-comes-not-from-chasing-pleasure-and/) [Noah Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-levine/) ## More by Brené Brown > [We're raising children who have little tolerance for disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-re-raising-children-who-have-little-tolerance-for-disappointment/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“always put off writing by reorganizing my entire house and spending way too much time and money buying office supplies and organizing systems. Every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/always-put-off-writing-by-reorganizing-my-entire-house-and-spending/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [When you ask people about love, they tell you about heartbreak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/when-you-ask-people-about-love-they-tell-you-about-heartbreak/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“I can recognize shame when it’s happening.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/i-can-recognize-shame-when-it-s-happening/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [I carry a small sheet of paper in my wallet that has written on it the names of people whose opinions of me matter.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/i-carry-a-small-sheet-of-paper-in-my-wallet-that-has-written-on-it/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/courage-starts-with-showing-up-and-letting-ourselves-be-seen/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Waking up every day and loving someone who may or may not love us back, whose safety we can't ensure, who may stay in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/waking-up-every-day-and-loving-someone-who-may-or-may-not-love-us/) [Brene Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“No matter how separated we are by what we think and believe, we are part of the same spiritual story.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/no-matter-how-separated-we-are-by-what-we-think-and-believe-we-are/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Perfectionism is self-destructive simply because there is no such thing as perfect. Perfection is an unattainable goal. Additionally, perfectionism is more about perception -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/perfectionism-is-self-destructive-simply-because-there-is-no-such/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Shame corrodes the very part of us that believes we are capable of change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/shame-corrodes-the-very-part-of-us-that-believes-we-are-capable-of/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [If you're also in the arena and you're putting your ideas out and you're owning them and you're saying "I disagree with you about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/if-you-re-also-in-the-arena-and-you-re-putting-your-ideas-out-and-you/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“I found that men and women with high levels of shame resilience share these four elements: They understand shame and recognize what messages and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/i-found-that-men-and-women-with-high-levels-of-shame-resilience-share/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Connection gives purpose and meaning to our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/connection-gives-purpose-and-meaning-to-our-lives/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“But here’s the tricky part about compassion and connecting: We can’t call just anyone. It’s not that simple. I have a lot of good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/but-here-s-the-tricky-part-about-compassion-and-connecting-we-can-t/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“It turns out to be the place of true belonging, and it's the bravest and most sacred place you'll stand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/it-turns-out-to-be-the-place-of-true-belonging-and-it-s-the-bravest/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) [Explore all 759 Brené Brown quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) ## More Acceptance quotes > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When one fib becomes due as it were, you must forge another to take up the old acceptance; and so the stock of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/when-one-fib-becomes-due-as-it-were-you-must-forge-another-to-take-up/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Acceptance of death when it arrives is one thing, but to allow it to upstage the joys of living is ingratitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-blythe/acceptance-of-death-when-it-arrives-is-one-thing-but-to-allow-it-to/) [Ronald Blythe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-blythe/) > [“Loving someone who does not love you back hurts, alot, i know. It is liking seeing these pair of shoes at the retail store…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nomthandazo-tsembeni/loving-someone-who-does-not-love-you-back-hurts-alot-i-know-it-is/) [Nomthandazo Tsembeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nomthandazo-tsembeni/) > [Take responsibily for your past, the bad memories of poor decisions you took were your choices once, and you liked them for the moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aruho-marvin/take-responsibily-for-your-past-the-bad-memories-of-poor-decisions/) [Aruho Marvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aruho-marvin/) > [Let us learn to accept and appreciate things now, and we'll find more happiness in every moment we live. Happiness comes when we stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/let-us-learn-to-accept-and-appreciate-things-now-and-we-ll-find-more/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [“Love first; ask questions later.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-courtney/love-first-ask-questions-later/) [Jeremy Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-courtney/) > [“There was beauty in chaos, she'd just never known it before.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-linsmeier/there-was-beauty-in-chaos-she-d-just-never-known-it-before/) [Amanda Linsmeier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-linsmeier/) > [Accepting the challenges in life makes it interesting and overcoming them makes it eloquent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/accepting-the-challenges-in-life-makes-it-interesting-and-overcoming/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Acceptance is the only thing you should teach. Be it Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Dalit, you must inculcate acceptance, not tolerance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamal-haasan/acceptance-is-the-only-thing-you-should-teach-be-it-christian-muslim/) [Kamal Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamal-haasan/) > [There just seems to be more acceptance now of other kinds of British films, than the picture-postcard ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-roth/there-just-seems-to-be-more-acceptance-now-of-other-kinds-of-british/) [Tim Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-roth/) > [You should never hate anyone, even your worst enemies. Everyone has something good about them. You have to find the redeeming quality and love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/you-should-never-hate-anyone-even-your-worst-enemies-everyone-has/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) > [The sense that in this universe we are treated as strangers, the longing to be acknowledged, to meet with some response, to bridge some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-sense-that-in-this-universe-we-are-treated-as-strangers-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 3,960 Acceptance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acceptance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We have become this very fear-based culture, especially post-9/11. Fear is the opposite of love, in my opinion. I think there would be more love in the world. I'm not talking about rainbows and unicorns and '70s Coca-Cola commercials. 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