Authority Quote by Gus Van Sant
“I was petrified because all my friends would be going to Washington, DC, to protest. I was sixteen, and I was like, "I don't think I'll be going with you guys," just because I was scared. Then you saw the news, and cops - not students in schools with guns - cops are killing sixteen year old protesters on the news. To me that was more horrifying, to have the authority figures actually killing people on the evening news, than to have another student firing a gun.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Documentary on Youth Activism, 2020
Fear can paralyze, but witnessing injustice can ignite courage and action.
In simple terms: Fear stops you; injustice can push you forward.
Key Takeaway
Let fear motivate, not stop you.
Themes
courage
justice
activism
Mood
anxious
determined
Type
motivational
reflective
When to use this quote
- protest participation
- community organizing
- personal growth
Key Concepts
psychology
social influence
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you turn fear into purposeful action?
- What role does witnessing injustice play in personal change?
A Different Perspective
Fear may also cause inaction if not addressed.
![“On one occasion some one put a very little wine into a [glass], and said that it was sixteen years old. 'It is very small for its age,' said Gnathaena.” quote by Athenaeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b56/athenaeus-42740_age_on-one-occasion-some-one-put-a-very-litt_1478753.jpg)
![“The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the formulas of nations at war, where any heinousness is justified on the grounds that the enemy is either an inferior [part of the] species or…” quote by Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/895/kate-millett-7301_accompany_the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imp_8896.jpg)