---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In a world where so much is 'facticity'…"
description: "\"“In a world where so much is 'facticity' and outside our control, anxiety makes us aware of our possibilities. It is, so to speak, the price we pay for..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa6/hans-w-cohn-241433_anxiety_in-a-world-where-so-much-is-facticity-an_148425.jpg"
---

#  In a world where so much is 'facticity' and outside our…

![“In a world where so much is 'facticity' and outside our control, anxiety makes us aware of our possibilities. It is, so to speak, the price we pay for that freedom.” quote by Hans W. Cohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa6/hans-w-cohn-241433_anxiety_in-a-world-where-so-much-is-facticity-an_148425.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa6/hans-w-cohn-241433_anxiety_in-a-world-where-so-much-is-facticity-an_148425.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa6/hans-w-cohn-241433_anxiety_in-a-world-where-so-much-is-facticity-an_148425.jpg)

> ““In a world where so much is 'facticity' and outside our control, anxiety makes us aware of our possibilities. It is, so to speak, the price we pay for that freedom.””

Hans W. Cohn

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Anxiety, arising from uncontrollable facts, alerts us to possibilities; it is the price of freedom.

**In simple terms:** Anxiety signals possibilities and costs freedom.

Key Takeaway

Embrace anxiety as a guide.

Themes

anxiety freedom possibility

Mood

contemplative analytical

Type

philosophical reflective

When to use this quote

- decision making
- creative work
- personal growth

Key Concepts

philosophy psychology existentialism

Questions to Reflect On

- How does anxiety shape your choices?
- What freedoms do you value?

A Different Perspective

Too much anxiety can paralyze.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/)

## Related quotes

> [Anything you're trying to will is focused on the future; it's always associated with some sort of anxiety that makes the present moment somewhat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/anything-you-re-trying-to-will-is-focused-on-the-future-it-s-always/)

[Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/)

> [I've learned to control my anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bert-kreischer/i-ve-learned-to-control-my-anxiety/)

[Bert Kreischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bert-kreischer/)

> [“ “I Think I’m Ugly” Social anxiety can lead to distorted perceptions, and the fear of outright rejection based on looks diminishes as self-help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-berent/i-think-i-m-ugly-social-anxiety-can-lead-to-distorted-perceptions-and/)

[Jonathan Berent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-berent/)

> [“Just get to lunch,” I muttered to myself. It was the only way I could control my anxiety. In 1998, I’d made it through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-owen/just-get-to-lunch-i-muttered-to-myself-it-was-the-only-way-i-could/)

[Mark Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-owen/)

> [As I write, I control my anxiety and anguish thanks to the invaluable aid of irony and humor. But every night I am subdued…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enrique-vila-matas/as-i-write-i-control-my-anxiety-and-anguish-thanks-to-the-invaluable/)

[Enrique Vila-Matas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enrique-vila-matas/)

> [I just have never been a drinker. No matter how much I try I just can't stand the taste of it or the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-solomon/i-just-have-never-been-a-drinker-no-matter-how-much-i-try-i-just-can/)

[Stacey Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-solomon/)

> [“Anxiety does not exist to control you. You exist to control it. It is, as I said, a simple fact of life that can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-berent/anxiety-does-not-exist-to-control-you-you-exist-to-control-it-it-is/)

[Jonathan Berent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-berent/)

> [“Because you are reading this book, you probably know that social anxiety has a large impact on your life. It creates problems in school,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-moehn/because-you-are-reading-this-book-you-probably-know-that-social/)

[Heather Moehn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-moehn/)

> [No amount of anxiety makes any difference to anything that is going to happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/no-amount-of-anxiety-makes-any-difference-to-anything-that-is-going/)

[Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/)

> [I used to get comments off people saying, 'I think it's a disgrace, you need to be relaxing, you're pregnant, you need to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vogue-williams/i-used-to-get-comments-off-people-saying-i-think-it-s-a-disgrace-you/)

[Vogue Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vogue-williams/)

> [You can't use anxiety to deal with your anxiety it only makes you more anxious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/you-can-t-use-anxiety-to-deal-with-your-anxiety-it-only-makes-you/)

[Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/)

> [I think my anxiety is part of what makes me try to create something that I love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-demetriou/i-think-my-anxiety-is-part-of-what-makes-me-try-to-create-something/)

[Jamie Demetriou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-demetriou/)

> [Stress makes us prone to tunnel vision, less likely to take in the information we need. Anxiety makes us more risk-averse than we would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noreena-hertz/stress-makes-us-prone-to-tunnel-vision-less-likely-to-take-in-the/)

[Noreena Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noreena-hertz/)

> [Thinking about death makes you analyse what life is. Anxiety makes you curious, and curiosity leads to understanding. I wouldn't be a writer without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-haig/thinking-about-death-makes-you-analyse-what-life-is-anxiety-makes-you/)

[Matt Haig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-haig/)

> [I admit that I suffer from anxiety. This anxiety makes me latch onto you because I'm afraid of losing you... but I've never had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bd/i-admit-that-i-suffer-from-anxiety-this-anxiety-makes-me-latch-onto/)

BD

## More Anxiety quotes

> [“Anything that you find yourself worrying about regularly may find you suddenly wanting unrealistic changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagisa-tatsumi/anything-that-you-find-yourself-worrying-about-regularly-may-find-you/)

Nagisa Tatsumi

> [Bein Crazy is the least of my worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/bein-crazy-is-the-least-of-my-worries/)

[Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/)

> [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/)

[Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/)

> [“Fear of seeing a police car pull into the drive. Fear of falling asleep at night. Fear of not falling asleep. Fear of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/fear-of-seeing-a-police-car-pull-into-the-drive-fear-of-falling/)

[Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/)

> [I get nervous when I don't get nervous. If I'm nervous I know I'm going to have a good show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce-knowles/i-get-nervous-when-i-don-t-get-nervous-if-i-m-nervous-i-know-i-m/)

[Beyonce Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce-knowles/)

> [“Every invention comes through anxiousness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-wadhwani/every-invention-comes-through-anxiousness/)

[Rakesh Wadhwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-wadhwani/)

> [“Do Not Be Anxious 25 e “Therefore I tell you,  f do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-not-be-anxious-25-e-therefore-i-tell-you-f-do-not-be-anxious-about/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Nothing happens on its own, you have to make things happen. If you really want to come out of your stressful situation than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subodh-gupta/nothing-happens-on-its-own-you-have-to-make-things-happen-if-you/)

[Subodh Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subodh-gupta/)

> [“I guess if we're talking about my anxiety, the even truthier truth is it started way before that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-winfrey/i-guess-if-we-re-talking-about-my-anxiety-the-even-truthier-truth-is/)

[Kerry Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-winfrey/)

> [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/)

[Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/)

> [“The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-suspense-the-fearful-acute-suspense-of-standing-idly-by-while-the/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/)

[Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/)

> [As you know, I have been very open about my struggle with social anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-walker/as-you-know-i-have-been-very-open-about-my-struggle-with-social/)

[Summer Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-walker/)

> [Anxiety is not to be managed it is a sin that needs to be repented of](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/anxiety-is-not-to-be-managed-it-is-a-sin-that-needs-to-be-repented-of/)

[Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/)

> [“I’ve always seen this in you, ever since you were a little girl — this hunger to love other people into their highest selves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-elisabeth/i-ve-always-seen-this-in-you-ever-since-you-were-a-little-girl-this/)

[Jennifer Elisabeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-elisabeth/)

[Browse all 4,944 Anxiety quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“In a world where so much is 'facticity' and outside our control, anxiety makes us aware of our possibilities. It is, so to speak, the price we pay for that freedom.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Hans W. Cohn"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-w-cohn/in-a-world-where-so-much-is-facticity-and-outside-our-control-anxiety/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Anxiety"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-w-cohn/in-a-world-where-so-much-is-facticity-and-outside-our-control-anxiety/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa6/hans-w-cohn-241433_anxiety_in-a-world-where-so-much-is-facticity-an_148425.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa6/hans-w-cohn-241433_anxiety_in-a-world-where-so-much-is-facticity-an_148425.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa6/hans-w-cohn-241433_anxiety_in-a-world-where-so-much-is-facticity-an_148425.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“In a world where so much is 'facticity' and outside our control, anxiety makes us aware of our…” — Hans W. Cohn",
                "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": "Hans W. Cohn",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-w-cohn/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“In a world where so much...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-w-cohn/in-a-world-where-so-much-is-facticity-and-outside-our-control-anxiety/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-w-cohn/in-a-world-where-so-much-is-facticity-and-outside-our-control-anxiety/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
