Down and Quote by Gloria Steinem
“I'm clearly not frightened of flying because I fly all the time, but every once in a while I do, as we all do, think, What if this plane goes down? And I think, Well, if I'm holding the hand of the person sitting next to me, then I'm holding everyone's hand.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: The Guardian, 2015
She acknowledges fear of flying, yet finds comfort in shared humanity, feeling connected to others through mutual vulnerability.
In simple terms: She feels less alone by imagining holding everyone’s hand.
Key Takeaway
Find solidarity in shared experiences.
Themes
fear
flight
solidarity
human connection
anxiety
Mood
reflective
reassuring
Type
inspirational
philosophical
When to use this quote
- air travel
- public speaking
- emergency situations
- daily commutes
Key Concepts
existential comfort
shared vulnerability
collective empathy
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we turn imagined solidarity into real support?
- What practices reduce anxiety in crowds?
A Different Perspective
Comfort may be imagined rather than actual.
![“Since I worked with Danny Boyle before on Slumdog Millionaire, we have great success and everything. So, when I first got the script and the screenplay of Simon (Beaufoy) and I was reading it, even before the shoot, some kind of sounds came into my mind and I put some stuff [down] and sent it to…” quote by A. R. Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/573/a-r-rahman-4481_cutting_since-i-worked-with-danny-boyle-before-o_539.jpg)
