--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The most destructive element in the human…" description: "\"The most destructive element in the human mind is fear. Fear creates aggressiveness.\" — Dorothy Thompson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b1/dorothy-thompson-17557_destructive_the-most-destructive-element-in-the-huma_664703.jpg" --- # The most destructive element in the human mind is fear… ![“The most destructive element in the human mind is fear. Fear creates aggressiveness.” quote by Dorothy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b1/dorothy-thompson-17557_destructive_the-most-destructive-element-in-the-huma_664703.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b1/dorothy-thompson-17557_destructive_the-most-destructive-element-in-the-huma_664703.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b1/dorothy-thompson-17557_destructive_the-most-destructive-element-in-the-huma_664703.jpg) > “The most destructive element in the human mind is fear. Fear creates aggressiveness.” [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. Fear drives aggression and destructive behavior in humanity. **In simple terms:** Fear leads to aggression. Key Takeaway Recognize and manage fear. Themes fear aggression psychology Mood cautious serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - politics - personal relationships - conflict resolution Key Concepts emotional regulation social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What triggers your fear? - How can fear be transformed? A Different Perspective Fear can also motivate protective actions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human/) [Human mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-mind/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) ## Related quotes > [The most destructive element in the human mind is fear. Fear creates aggressiveness; aggressiveness engenders hostility; hostility engenders fear, a disastrous circle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-thompson/the-most-destructive-element-in-the-human-mind-is-fear-fear-creates-2/) [Dorothy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-thompson/) > [“Clarity is blinding and can be the most destructive element of all in human relations.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-peter-nettl/clarity-is-blinding-and-can-be-the-most-destructive-element-of-all-in/) [John Peter Nettl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-peter-nettl/) > [“In the destructive element immerse.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/in-the-destructive-element-immerse/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [“long as they are their mind, what they fear and resist most is their own awakening.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/long-as-they-are-their-mind-what-they-fear-and-resist-most-is-their/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high Where knowledge is free …](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/where-the-mind-is-without-fear-and-the-head-is-held-high-where-3/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [It is the characteristic of a weak and diseased mind to fear the unfamiliar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/it-is-the-characteristic-of-a-weak-and-diseased-mind-to-fear-the/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [When one’s mind is made up... fear diminishes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosa-parks/when-one-s-mind-is-made-up-fear-diminishes/) [Rosa Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosa-parks/) > [Fear is an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm. Fear is simply because you are not living with self…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/fear-is-an-unpleasant-emotion-caused-by-the-threat-of-danger-pain-or/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) > [“He thought the fear of death was perhaps the root of all art, perhaps also of all things of the mind. We fear death,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/he-thought-the-fear-of-death-was-perhaps-the-root-of-all-art-perhaps/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [...heaven may be only the mind's fear of the wonders it imagines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-digges/heaven-may-be-only-the-mind-s-fear-of-the-wonders-it-imagines/) Deborah Digges > [To rule by fettering the mind through fear of punishment in another world is just as base as to use force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hypatia/to-rule-by-fettering-the-mind-through-fear-of-punishment-in-another-2/) [Hypatia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hypatia/) > [“To rule by fettering the mind through fear of punishment in another world, is just as base as to use force... Reserve your right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hypatia/to-rule-by-fettering-the-mind-through-fear-of-punishment-in-another/) [Hypatia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hypatia/) > [A child of broken mind, the fear that I hide behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ozzy-osbourne/a-child-of-broken-mind-the-fear-that-i-hide-behind/) [Ozzy Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ozzy-osbourne/) > [If you share your secrets even your deep darkest it can help free your mind. The fear must be faced to get relief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devjean/if-you-share-your-secrets-even-your-deep-darkest-it-can-help-free/) DevJean > [Disease is an experience of a so-called mortal mind. It is fear made manifest on the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-baker-eddy/disease-is-an-experience-of-a-so-called-mortal-mind-it-is-fear-made/) [Mary Baker Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-baker-eddy/) ## 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/) > [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/) > [Hate smolders and eventually destroys, not the hated but the hater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-thompson/hate-smolders-and-eventually-destroys-not-the-hated-but-the-hater/) [Dorothy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-thompson/) [Explore all 37 Dorothy Thompson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-thompson/) ## More Destructive quotes > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [It is proposed that a form of free dialogue may well be one of the most effective ways of investigating the crisis which faces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bohm/it-is-proposed-that-a-form-of-free-dialogue-may-well-be-one-of-the/) [David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bohm/) > [What I was concerned about when I wrote the 'Downward Spiral' record was being a self-centred destructive force. The point was tearing down everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-reznor/what-i-was-concerned-about-when-i-wrote-the-downward-spiral-record/) [Trent Reznor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-reznor/) > ['The Hunger Games' takes place in Panem, a country which is part of America. It's post-apocalyptic. There's been a global war. The Panem country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-hemsworth/the-hunger-games-takes-place-in-panem-a-country-which-is-part-of/) [Liam Hemsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-hemsworth/) > [People project a grey energy that is very destructive to weaken you, to drain you - just as the snake uses position to capture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/people-project-a-grey-energy-that-is-very-destructive-to-weaken-you/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“Slander does to a soul what cancer does to a cell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/slander-does-to-a-soul-what-cancer-does-to-a-cell/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [Information from destructive activities going back a hundred years right up until today is being incorporated into the system. And as that happens the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-hawken/information-from-destructive-activities-going-back-a-hundred-years/) [Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) > [Early on in my life, I had a broken soul. I was abused by my father, abandoned by my mother and ended up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/early-on-in-my-life-i-had-a-broken-soul-i-was-abused-by-my-father/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [One of the most destructive mistakes we Christians make is to prioritize shared beliefs over shared relationship, which is deeply ironic considering we worship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/one-of-the-most-destructive-mistakes-we-christians-make-is-to/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [I think that, honestly, people's censorship issues are personal but I disagree with most of those personal choices that I see others make. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-rogen/i-think-that-honestly-people-s-censorship-issues-are-personal-but-i/) [Seth Rogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-rogen/) > [Liberalism's fatal flaw,... is that it has no permanent norms, only a succession of enthusiasms espoused by minor prophets. Each of these seems like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-sobran/liberalism-s-fatal-flaw-is-that-it-has-no-permanent-norms-only-a/) [Joseph Sobran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-sobran/) > [A label is a soul-tattoo that is ingrained deep in our hearts, so much so that it determines how we see ourselves, And how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derwin-l-gray/a-label-is-a-soul-tattoo-that-is-ingrained-deep-in-our-hearts-so-much/) [Derwin L. Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derwin-l-gray/) > [Downsizing itself is an inevitable part of any creatively destructive economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/downsizing-itself-is-an-inevitable-part-of-any-creatively-destructive/) [James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) > [I still have highs and lows, just like any other person. What's missing is the lack of control over the super highs, which became…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-duke/i-still-have-highs-and-lows-just-like-any-other-person-what-s-missing/) [Patty Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-duke/) > [I don't think there's any harm at all in allowing a kid to fantasize. In fact, I think to stop people from fantasizing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-don-t-think-there-s-any-harm-at-all-in-allowing-a-kid-to-fantasize/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) Browse all 1,057 Destructive quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The most destructive element in the human mind is fear. 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