Civilized society Quote by Dmitry Orlov
““As we grow up in civilized society, we are measured, evaluated, educated and trained, licensed and credentialed, and are eventually classified and assigned our place. In the process, we become very attached to this artificial identity that has been thrust upon us and very reluctant to set foot outside of it. (When we do, it is often when we are on vacation. It may therefore be helpful to think of this transition as going on a permanent vacation.) But if we overcome one fear—the fear of losing our assigned place in society—then many other fears fall away. Rational fears—ones that are based on an accurate perception of danger—do and should remain, but the irrational fear of stepping outside yourself and becoming someone else tends to disappear. And this opens us up to making dramatic changes, adapting to new circumstances and environments and, in the process, setting ourselves free.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Future of Humanity by Dmitry Orlov, 2020
Societal roles shape identity, but fearing loss of status limits growth; shedding that fear enables transformation and freedom.
In simple terms: Society assigns roles; fearing loss blocks change; letting go frees you.
Key Takeaway
Release fear of losing status to grow.
Themes
identity
freedom
growth
fear
society
Mood
reflective
hopeful
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- career change
- personal reinvention
- travel experiences
- education
- creative projects
Key Concepts
psychology
social conditioning
self-actualization
Questions to Reflect On
- What status do you cling to?
- How could losing it benefit you?
A Different Perspective
Rational fears remain; not all fear is irrational.
![“The person who lives by his fears will not find freedom in my [God's] love. I am not talking about rational fears regarding legitimate dangers, but imagined fears, and especially the projection of those into the future. To the degree that those fears have a place in your life, you neither believe…” quote by William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d6c/william-p-young-3038_danger_the-person-who-lives-by-his-fears-will-n_1550968.jpg)
![“That country [Carthage] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws; and every step of intestine discord was marked by some deplorable victory of savage man over civilized society.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/70c/edward-gibbon-710_barbarism_that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinkin_393.jpg)
