--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you think there's a bogeyman - turn on…" description: "\"If you think there's a bogeyman - turn on the light.\" — Dorothy Thompson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/910/dorothy-thompson-17557_ifs_if-you-think-there-s-a-bogeyman-turn-on_1215987.jpg" --- # If you think there's a bogeyman - turn on the light. ![“If you think there's a bogeyman - turn on the light.” quote by Dorothy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/910/dorothy-thompson-17557_ifs_if-you-think-there-s-a-bogeyman-turn-on_1215987.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/910/dorothy-thompson-17557_ifs_if-you-think-there-s-a-bogeyman-turn-on_1215987.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/910/dorothy-thompson-17557_ifs_if-you-think-there-s-a-bogeyman-turn-on_1215987.jpg) > “If you think there's a bogeyman - turn on the light.” [Dorothy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-thompson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Facing fear is as simple as exposing it to light, dispelling imagined threats. **In simple terms:** Light defeats imagined fear. Key Takeaway Confront fears directly. Themes fear light confidence myths Mood encouraging determined Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - public speaking - personal anxiety - nighttime worries Key Concepts psychology self‑help Questions to Reflect On - What 'bog you you confronting? - How does illumination change perception? A Different Perspective Some fears persist despite exposure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bogeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bogeyman/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [We all walk in the dark and each of us must learn to turn on his or her own light.\[so we can see the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-nightingale/we-all-walk-in-the-dark-and-each-of-us-must-learn-to-turn-on-his-or/) [Earl Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-nightingale/) > [“Fear grows in darkness; if you think there's a bogeyman around, turn on the light.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-thompson/fear-grows-in-darkness-if-you-think-there-s-a-bogeyman-around-turn-on/) [DOROTHY THOMPSON](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-thompson/) > [It is never too late to turn on the light. Your ability to break an unhealthy habit or turn off an old tape doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-salzberg/it-is-never-too-late-to-turn-on-the-light-your-ability-to-break-an/) [Sharon Salzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-salzberg/) > [If you are in a dark room, don’t beat at the darkness with a stick, but rather try to turn on the light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/if-you-are-in-a-dark-room-don-t-beat-at-the-darkness-with-a-stick-but/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [If you want to end darkness you cannot beat it with a baseball bat, you have to turn on a light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/if-you-want-to-end-darkness-you-cannot-beat-it-with-a-baseball-bat/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [I know she's just trying to make things nice, so I do my part. Now, when I get up to use the bathroom in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ferrara/i-know-she-s-just-trying-to-make-things-nice-so-i-do-my-part-now-when/) [Adam Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ferrara/) > [Light must come from inside. You cannot ask the darkness to leave; you must turn on the light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sogyal-rinpoche/light-must-come-from-inside-you-cannot-ask-the-darkness-to-leave-you/) [Sogyal Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sogyal-rinpoche/) > [It doesn't matter how long we may have been stuck in a sense of our limitations. If we go into a darkened room and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-salzberg/it-doesn-t-matter-how-long-we-may-have-been-stuck-in-a-sense-of-our/) [Sharon Salzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-salzberg/) > [Absorbing and haunting! BOGEYMAN spills creepily across the page with Steve Jackson's hellacious verve and insight, reminding us there are few better explorers of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-franscell/absorbing-and-haunting-bogeyman-spills-creepily-across-the-page-with/) [Ron Franscell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-franscell/) > [“Hm,' said Bond. 'Bogeyman stuff.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-fleming/hm-said-bond-bogeyman-stuff/) [Ian Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-fleming/) > [“Stay down if you know what's good for you." Colin said. He put his foot on the man's neck and applied a little weight.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-carroll/stay-down-if-you-know-what-s-good-for-you-colin-said-he-put-his-foot/) Michael Carroll > [“Well, I just don’t want you to think that this piece of shit is anything other than a pathetic, human defect. Nothing more. Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jhonen-vasquez/well-i-just-don-t-want-you-to-think-that-this-piece-of-shit-is/) [Jhonen Vasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jhonen-vasquez/) > [“Me? I'm the king of the twentieth century. I'm the bogeyman. The villain...The black sheep of the family.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-moore/me-i-m-the-king-of-the-twentieth-century-i-m-the-bogeyman-the-villain/) [Alan Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-moore/) > [I produced a play in New York that got nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award for Best American Play.The play is called Stalking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-richman/i-produced-a-play-in-new-york-that-got-nominated-for-an-outer-critics/) [Adam Richman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-richman/) > [“Everybody has a bogeyman.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavie-tidhar/everybody-has-a-bogeyman/) [Lavie Tidhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavie-tidhar/) ## More by Dorothy Thompson > [Peace has to be created, in order to be maintained. It is the product of Faith, Strength, Energy, Will, Sympathy, Justice, Imagination, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-thompson/peace-has-to-be-created-in-order-to-be-maintained-it-is-the-product/) [Dorothy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-thompson/) > [“When liberty is taken away by force, it can be restored by force. When it is relinquished by default it can never be recovered.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-thompson/when-liberty-is-taken-away-by-force-it-can-be-restored-by-force-when/) [Dorothy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-thompson/) > [Courage, it would seem, is nothing less than the power to overcome danger, misfortune, fear, injustice, while continuing to affirm inwardly that life with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-thompson/courage-it-would-seem-is-nothing-less-than-the-power-to-overcome/) [Dorothy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-thompson/) > [“Peace is not the absence of conflict but the presence of creative alternatives for responding to conflict”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-thompson/peace-is-not-the-absence-of-conflict-but-the-presence-of-creative/) [Dorothy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-thompson/) > [The instinct to worship is hardly less strong than the instinct to eat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-thompson/the-instinct-to-worship-is-hardly-less-strong-than-the-instinct-to-eat/) [Dorothy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-thompson/) > [Age is not measured by years. Nature does not equally distribute energy. Some people are born old and tired while others are going strong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-thompson/age-is-not-measured-by-years-nature-does-not-equally-distribute/) [Dorothy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-thompson/) > [Can one preach at home inequality of races and nations and advocate abroad good-will towards all men?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-thompson/can-one-preach-at-home-inequality-of-races-and-nations-and-advocate/) [Dorothy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-thompson/) > [After the earthquake and the fire comes the still, small voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-thompson/after-the-earthquake-and-the-fire-comes-the-still-small-voice/) [Dorothy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-thompson/) > [To have felt too much is to end in feeling nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-thompson/to-have-felt-too-much-is-to-end-in-feeling-nothing/) [Dorothy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-thompson/) > [The most destructive element in the human mind is fear. Fear creates aggressiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-thompson/the-most-destructive-element-in-the-human-mind-is-fear-fear-creates/) [Dorothy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-thompson/) > [Of all forms of government and society, those of free men and women are in many respects the most brittle. They give the fullest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-thompson/of-all-forms-of-government-and-society-those-of-free-men-and-women/) [Dorothy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-thompson/) > [“Fear grows in darkness; if you think there's a bogeyman around, turn on the light.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-thompson/fear-grows-in-darkness-if-you-think-there-s-a-bogeyman-around-turn-on/) [DOROTHY THOMPSON](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-thompson/) > [Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-thompson/only-when-we-are-no-longer-afraid-do-we-begin-to-live/) [Dorothy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-thompson/) > [Lawlessness is a self-perpetuating, ever-expanding habit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-thompson/lawlessness-is-a-self-perpetuating-ever-expanding-habit/) [Dorothy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-thompson/) > [Women have had the vote for over forty years and their organizations lobby in Washington for all sorts of causes; why, why, why don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-thompson/women-have-had-the-vote-for-over-forty-years-and-their-organizations/) [Dorothy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-thompson/) [Explore all 37 Dorothy Thompson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-thompson/) ## More Bogeyman quotes > [I produced a play in New York that got nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award for Best American Play.The play is called Stalking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-richman/i-produced-a-play-in-new-york-that-got-nominated-for-an-outer-critics/) [Adam Richman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-richman/) > [“Well, I just don’t want you to think that this piece of shit is anything other than a pathetic, human defect. Nothing more. Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jhonen-vasquez/well-i-just-don-t-want-you-to-think-that-this-piece-of-shit-is/) [Jhonen Vasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jhonen-vasquez/) > [“Stay down if you know what's good for you." Colin said. He put his foot on the man's neck and applied a little weight.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-carroll/stay-down-if-you-know-what-s-good-for-you-colin-said-he-put-his-foot/) Michael Carroll > [Absorbing and haunting! BOGEYMAN spills creepily across the page with Steve Jackson's hellacious verve and insight, reminding us there are few better explorers of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-franscell/absorbing-and-haunting-bogeyman-spills-creepily-across-the-page-with/) [Ron Franscell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-franscell/) > [“Everybody has a bogeyman.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavie-tidhar/everybody-has-a-bogeyman/) [Lavie Tidhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavie-tidhar/) > [“Hm,' said Bond. 'Bogeyman stuff.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-fleming/hm-said-bond-bogeyman-stuff/) [Ian Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-fleming/) > [“Me? I'm the king of the twentieth century. I'm the bogeyman. The villain...The black sheep of the family.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-moore/me-i-m-the-king-of-the-twentieth-century-i-m-the-bogeyman-the-villain/) [Alan Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-moore/) > [The Nephilim - the bogeyman for monsters, and all those who could be monsters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/the-nephilim-the-bogeyman-for-monsters-and-all-those-who-could-be/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [It's the oldest trick in Washington - when presented with a policy solution you don't like, characterize it as the bogeyman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-meadows/it-s-the-oldest-trick-in-washington-when-presented-with-a-policy/) [Mark Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-meadows/) > [“So this is the bogeyman.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-m-stasse/so-this-is-the-bogeyman/) [Lisa M. Stasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-m-stasse/) [Browse all 11 Bogeyman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bogeyman/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you think there's a bogeyman - turn on the light.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dorothy Thompson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-thompson/if-you-think-there-s-a-bogeyman-turn-on-the-light/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bogeyman" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-thompson/if-you-think-there-s-a-bogeyman-turn-on-the-light/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/910/dorothy-thompson-17557_ifs_if-you-think-there-s-a-bogeyman-turn-on_1215987.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/910/dorothy-thompson-17557_ifs_if-you-think-there-s-a-bogeyman-turn-on_1215987.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/910/dorothy-thompson-17557_ifs_if-you-think-there-s-a-bogeyman-turn-on_1215987.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you think there's a bogeyman - turn on the light.” — Dorothy Thompson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Dorothy Thompson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-thompson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you think there's a bogeyman...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-thompson/if-you-think-there-s-a-bogeyman-turn-on-the-light/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-thompson/if-you-think-there-s-a-bogeyman-turn-on-the-light/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```