--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But, commonly, men are as much afraid of…" description: "\"But, commonly, men are as much afraid of love as of hate.\" — Henry David Thoreau" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/456/henry-david-thoreau-20_afraid_but-commonly-men-are-as-much-afraid-of-l_615516.jpg" --- # But, commonly, men are as much afraid of love as of hate. ![“But, commonly, men are as much afraid of love as of hate.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/456/henry-david-thoreau-20_afraid_but-commonly-men-are-as-much-afraid-of-l_615516.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/456/henry-david-thoreau-20_afraid_but-commonly-men-are-as-much-afraid-of-l_615516.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/456/henry-david-thoreau-20_afraid_but-commonly-men-are-as-much-afraid-of-l_615516.jpg) > “But, commonly, men are as much afraid of love as of hate.” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Men often fear love as intensely as they fear hate, revealing deep emotional vulnerability. **In simple terms:** Love can be as scary as hate. Key Takeaway Acknowledge and confront the fear of love. Themes emotions relationships fear Mood thoughtful introspective Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - dating - friendships - conflict resolution Key Concepts psychology of love masculine vulnerability Questions to Reflect On - What experiences shape your fear of love? - Can you reframe love as a growth opportunity? A Different Perspective Some may argue love is less threatening than hate for many. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afraid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid/) [Afraid Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid-love/) [Afraid of love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid-of-love/) [Afraid to love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid-to-love/) [Commonly Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commonly-men-1191461/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-hate/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men Afraid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-afraid/) ## Related quotes > [Because I had already resolved that if you're afraid of love, your heart will break anyway, only in not half so nice a fashion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-rinaldi/because-i-had-already-resolved-that-if-you-re-afraid-of-love-your/) [Ann Rinaldi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-rinaldi/) > [“But dear, don’t be afraid of love it’s only magic.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-dear-don-t-be-afraid-of-love-it-s-only-magic/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I’m afraid of love, because it involves things that are beyond our understanding; it sheds such a brilliant light, but the shadow it casts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-m-afraid-of-love-because-it-involves-things-that-are-beyond-our/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [One is always a little afraid of love, but above all, one is afraid of pain or causing pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/one-is-always-a-little-afraid-of-love-but-above-all-one-is-afraid-of/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“You mustn’t be afraid of love, Blake. 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Fear is always afraid of love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-chinmoy/love-is-never-afraid-of-fear-fear-is-always-afraid-of-love/) [Sri Chinmoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-chinmoy/) > [I meant I’m not afraid of love being difficult. If it was easy, then everyone would find it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/i-meant-i-m-not-afraid-of-love-being-difficult-if-it-was-easy-then/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [People have become afraid of love because in love also, death penetrates. If two lovers are sitting side by side in deep love and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/people-have-become-afraid-of-love-because-in-love-also-death/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [We do not commonly find men of superior sense amongst those of the highest fortune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/we-do-not-commonly-find-men-of-superior-sense-amongst-those-of-the/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [I'm not afraid of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-mena/i-m-not-afraid-of-love/) [Erica Mena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-mena/) ## More by Henry David Thoreau > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. 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I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“Carrie Fisher. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/carrie-fisher-stay-afraid-but-do-it-anyway/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [I used to be afraid of my temper, but it turns out I don't really have one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/i-used-to-be-afraid-of-my-temper-but-it-turns-out-i-don-t-really-have/) [Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I'm a pretty fearless person. I'm afraid of, like, creepy men in white vans and sidewalks with no streetlights. But I'm not afraid to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-totah/i-m-a-pretty-fearless-person-i-m-afraid-of-like-creepy-men-in-white/) [Josie Totah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-totah/) > [I will support my party when they are right on an issue, but am not afraid to stand up to party bosses who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darlene-senger/i-will-support-my-party-when-they-are-right-on-an-issue-but-am-not/) [Darlene Senger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darlene-senger/) > [Why am I so afraid to loose you,when you're not even mine?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-am-i-so-afraid-to-loose-you-when-you-re-not-even-mine/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I want to tell you, but I cant, becuase I'm afraid if I do you'll never treat me same the again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-orante/i-want-to-tell-you-but-i-cant-becuase-i-m-afraid-if-i-do-you-ll-never/) [Cristina Orante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-orante/) > [Mistakes I've made in the past make me afraid to try new things in the future. I want to be perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/mistakes-i-ve-made-in-the-past-make-me-afraid-to-try-new-things-in/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“Humans are naturally scared and confused beings. They not only fear the unknown, as they live fearing themselves... ☥”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-marques/humans-are-naturally-scared-and-confused-beings-they-not-only-fear/) [Luis Marques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-marques/) > [If you are too afraid of failure, you cant possibly do what needs to be done to succeed in living a fulfilling life. 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