--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Fearful as reality is, it is less fearful…" description: "\"Fearful as reality is, it is less fearful than evasions of reality. Look steadfastly into the slit, pinpointed malignant eyes of reality as an old-hand..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d16/caitlin-thomas-17205_beast_fearful-as-reality-is-it-is-less-fearful_3013881.png" --- # Fearful as reality is, it is less fearful than evasions of… ![“Fearful as reality is, it is less fearful than evasions of reality. Look steadfastly into the slit, pinpointed malignant eyes of reality as an old-hand trainer dominates his wild beasts.” quote by Caitlin Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d16/caitlin-thomas-17205_beast_fearful-as-reality-is-it-is-less-fearful_3013881.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d16/caitlin-thomas-17205_beast_fearful-as-reality-is-it-is-less-fearful_3013881.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d16/caitlin-thomas-17205_beast_fearful-as-reality-is-it-is-less-fearful_3013881.png) > “Fearful as reality is, it is less fearful than evasions of reality. Look steadfastly into the slit, pinpointed malignant eyes of reality as an old-hand trainer dominates his wild beasts.” [Caitlin Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-thomas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Facing reality directly is less terrifying than avoiding it. **In simple terms:** Confront reality, not escape it. Key Takeaway Choose truth over avoidance. Themes reality fear courage Mood serious encouraging Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - addiction - denial - personal crises Key Concepts existentialism psychology Questions to Reflect On - What reality are you avoiding? - How can you practice confronting it? A Different Perspective May be too abstract for action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beast/) [Evasions Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evasions-reality-1435425/) [Eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eye/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Fearful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fearful/) [Fearful Evasions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fearful-evasions-2980869/) [Fearful Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fearful-reality-2980868/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Reality Fearful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality-fearful-2980867/) [Trainers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trainers/) [Wild beast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wild-beast/) ## Related quotes > [“Fearful as reality is, it is less fearful than evasions of reality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-thomas/fearful-as-reality-is-it-is-less-fearful-than-evasions-of-reality/) [Caitlin Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-thomas/) > [So it is useless to evade reality, because it only makes it more virulent in the end. But instead, look steadfastly into the slit,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-thomas/so-it-is-useless-to-evade-reality-because-it-only-makes-it-more/) [Caitlin Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-thomas/) > [The modern history of economic theory is a tale of evasions of reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-balogh-baron-balogh/the-modern-history-of-economic-theory-is-a-tale-of-evasions-of-reality/) [Thomas Balogh, Baron Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-balogh-baron-balogh/) > [“The peculiarity of pains of this nature, in which that which is pitiless—that is to say, that which is brutalizing—predominates, is to transform a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/the-peculiarity-of-pains-of-this-nature-in-which-that-which-is/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“Orpheus chose to be the leader of mankind. Ah, not even Orpheus had attained such a goal, not even his immortal greatness had justified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-broch/orpheus-chose-to-be-the-leader-of-mankind-ah-not-even-orpheus-had/) [Hermann Broch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-broch/) > [“Jonathan Edwards, the dear old soul, who, if his doctrine is true, is now in heaven rubbing his holy hands with glee, as he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-g-ingersoll/jonathan-edwards-the-dear-old-soul-who-if-his-doctrine-is-true-is-now/) [Robert G. Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-g-ingersoll/) > [He who delights in solitude is either a wild beast or a god.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/he-who-delights-in-solitude-is-either-a-wild-beast-or-a-god/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Does not a man physically tremble under the mere look of a wild beast or fellow-man that is stronger than himself? Does not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-welsh-carlyle/does-not-a-man-physically-tremble-under-the-mere-look-of-a-wild-beast/) [Jane Welsh Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-welsh-carlyle/) > [Speaking of the murder of the younger Hanan, and other eminent nobles and hierarchs, Josephus says, "I cannot but think that it was because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-farrar/speaking-of-the-murder-of-the-younger-hanan-and-other-eminent-nobles/) [Frederic Farrar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-farrar/) > [“The Marquis De Sade said that the most important experiences a man can have are those that take him to the very limit; that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-marquis-de-sade-said-that-the-most-important-experiences-a-man/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“There is a twofold liberty, natural (I mean as our nature is now corrupt) and civil or federal. The first is common to man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/there-is-a-twofold-liberty-natural-i-mean-as-our-nature-is-now/) [Alexis De Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [“he disclosed that he had been set upon by two Bedlamites, both of whom had jumped out from behind a bush, roaring at him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgette-heyer/he-disclosed-that-he-had-been-set-upon-by-two-bedlamites-both-of-whom/) [Georgette Heyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgette-heyer/) > [I am writing to all the churches to let it be known that I will gladly die for God if only you do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-antioch/i-am-writing-to-all-the-churches-to-let-it-be-known-that-i-will/) [Ignatius of Antioch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-antioch/) > [“Lysandra chuckled, a surprisingly deep, wicked sound—probably a laugh she never let Arobynn or her clients hear. “Some night soon, I’ll sneak back in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/lysandra-chuckled-a-surprisingly-deep-wicked-sound-probably-a-laugh/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [May nothing entice me till I happily make my way to Jesus Christ! Fire, cross, struggles with wild beasts, wrenching of bones, mangling of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-antioch/may-nothing-entice-me-till-i-happily-make-my-way-to-jesus-christ-fire/) [Ignatius of Antioch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-antioch/) ## More by Caitlin Thomas > [A lot of warm vulgarity is incomparably preferable to a little bit of pinched niceness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-thomas/a-lot-of-warm-vulgarity-is-incomparably-preferable-to-a-little-bit-of/) [Caitlin Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-thomas/) > [Sex divorced from love is the thief of personal dignity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-thomas/sex-divorced-from-love-is-the-thief-of-personal-dignity/) [Caitlin Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-thomas/) > [The wretched Artist himself is alternatively the lowest worm that ever crawled when no fire is in him; or the loftiest God that ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-thomas/the-wretched-artist-himself-is-alternatively-the-lowest-worm-that/) [Caitlin Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-thomas/) > [there is no gaiety as gay as the gaiety of grief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-thomas/there-is-no-gaiety-as-gay-as-the-gaiety-of-grief/) [Caitlin Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-thomas/) > [When the desire is on for one particular person, nobody else will do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-thomas/when-the-desire-is-on-for-one-particular-person-nobody-else-will-do/) [Caitlin Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-thomas/) > [There is nothing harder for an Artist than to retain his Artistic integrity in the tomb of success. A tomb, nevertheless, which nearly every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-thomas/there-is-nothing-harder-for-an-artist-than-to-retain-his-artistic/) [Caitlin Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-thomas/) > [anybody who drinks seriously is poor: so poor, poor, extra poor, me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-thomas/anybody-who-drinks-seriously-is-poor-so-poor-poor-extra-poor-me/) [Caitlin Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-thomas/) > [There is, happily, no limit to the faith of human nature in believing what it wants to believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-thomas/there-is-happily-no-limit-to-the-faith-of-human-nature-in-believing/) [Caitlin Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-thomas/) > [resignation, perhaps the most stifling word in the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-thomas/resignation-perhaps-the-most-stifling-word-in-the-language/) [Caitlin Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-thomas/) > [ \[On journalists:\] ... however lyingly libellous they may be: nobody can seriously hurt the reputation of a Great person. If he is hurt: he… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-thomas/on-journalists-however-lyingly-libellous-they-may-be-nobody-can/) [Caitlin Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-thomas/) > [ \[On journalists:\] They are as disruptive a menace to the public body: as grating turds in the intestines are to the private body. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-thomas/on-journalists-they-are-as-disruptive-a-menace-to-the-public-body-as/) [Caitlin Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-thomas/) > [There is a brotherliness about a drinking person, which is coldly lacking in the straight and narrow enemies of drink; the difference between the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-thomas/there-is-a-brotherliness-about-a-drinking-person-which-is-coldly/) [Caitlin Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-thomas/) > [England, where nobody ever says what they mean: and by denying feeling, kill it off stone-cold at the roots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-thomas/england-where-nobody-ever-says-what-they-mean-and-by-denying-feeling/) [Caitlin Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-thomas/) > [money ... is only important when you have none; and though it may not be everything, it goes a very long way towards blocking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-thomas/money-is-only-important-when-you-have-none-and-though-it-may-not-be/) [Caitlin Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-thomas/) > [“Fearful as reality is, it is less fearful than evasions of reality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-thomas/fearful-as-reality-is-it-is-less-fearful-than-evasions-of-reality/) [Caitlin Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-thomas/) [Explore all 37 Caitlin Thomas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-thomas/) ## More Beast quotes > [We became Homo sapiens not that long ago, from the scientific perspective, and we've retained a lot of our beast nature. We've done all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangechi-mutu/we-became-homo-sapiens-not-that-long-ago-from-the-scientific/) [Wangechi Mutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangechi-mutu/) > [“Once upon a time, there was a naïve and innocent girl who thought she could tame the beast and live happily ever after. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nenia-campbell/once-upon-a-time-there-was-a-na-ve-and-innocent-girl-who-thought-she/) [Nenia Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nenia-campbell/) > [Is man no more than this? Consider him well. Thou ow'st the worm no silk, the beast no hide, the sheep no wool, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/is-man-no-more-than-this-consider-him-well-thou-ow-st-the-worm-no/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [In giving us dominion over the animal kingdom God has signified His will that we subdue the beast within ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lancaster-spalding/in-giving-us-dominion-over-the-animal-kingdom-god-has-signified-his/) [John Lancaster Spalding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lancaster-spalding/) > [ No visiting angel, or explorer from another planet, could have guessed that this bland orb \[Earth\] teemed with vermin, with world-mastering, self-torturing, incipiently angelic… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/no-visiting-angel-or-explorer-from-another-planet-could-have-guessed/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [As a beast of toil an ox is fixed capital. If he is eaten, he no longer functions as an instrument of labour, nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/as-a-beast-of-toil-an-ox-is-fixed-capital-if-he-is-eaten-he-no-longer/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [« He squeezed his hands into fists. I picked up a grapefruit-sized rock and handed it to him. It went flying. Home run, Beast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/he-squeezed-his-hands-into-fists-i-picked-up-a-grapefruit-sized-rock/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [Was man made stupid to see his own stupidity? Is God by definition indifferent, beyond us all? Is the eternal truth man's fighting soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-eberhart/was-man-made-stupid-to-see-his-own-stupidity-is-god-by-definition/) [Richard Eberhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-eberhart/) > [When a man is treated like a beast, he says, 'After all, I'm human.' When he behaves like a beast, he says 'After all,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/when-a-man-is-treated-like-a-beast-he-says-after-all-i-m-human-when/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [The American people are incredibly generous and even playful when you open yourself up and feed the media beast until it goes away satisfied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/the-american-people-are-incredibly-generous-and-even-playful-when-you/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) > [Wherever I am, I see the yoke on women in some form or another. On some it sits easy for they are but beasts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-may-alcott/wherever-i-am-i-see-the-yoke-on-women-in-some-form-or-another-on-some/) [Abby May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-may-alcott/) > [“He's a beast. A monster. And he looks like he wants to devour me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/he-s-a-beast-a-monster-and-he-looks-like-he-wants-to-devour-me/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [ Antichrist is the pope and the Turk \[Muslim\] together. A beast full of life must have a body and soul. The spirit or soul… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/antichrist-is-the-pope-and-the-turk-muslim-together-a-beast-full-of/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [My hero among heroes is my grandmother, she's the epitome of strength and I try to mock that strength all the time. She's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeriel-miranda/my-hero-among-heroes-is-my-grandmother-she-s-the-epitome-of-strength/) [Aeriel Miranda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeriel-miranda/) > [You've heard tales of beauty and the beast. How a fair maid falls in love with a monster and sees the beauty of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-maitland/you-ve-heard-tales-of-beauty-and-the-beast-how-a-fair-maid-falls-in/) [Karen Maitland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-maitland/) [Browse all 1,640 Beast quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beast/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Fearful as reality is, it is less fearful than evasions of reality. 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