--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can make people do anything if…" description: "\"You can make people do anything if they're afraid.\" — Jim McDermott" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6b/jim-mcdermott-44933_afraid_you-can-make-people-do-anything-if-they_1541862.png" --- # You can make people do anything if they're afraid. ![“You can make people do anything if they're afraid.” quote by Jim McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6b/jim-mcdermott-44933_afraid_you-can-make-people-do-anything-if-they_1541862.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6b/jim-mcdermott-44933_afraid_you-can-make-people-do-anything-if-they_1541862.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6b/jim-mcdermott-44933_afraid_you-can-make-people-do-anything-if-they_1541862.png) > “You can make people do anything if they're afraid.” [Jim McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mcdermott/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fear can be manipulated to compel obedience, revealing power of intimidation. **In simple terms:** Fear forces people to obey. Key Takeaway Resist manipulation by questioning fear. Themes fear power manipulation obedience Mood cautionary analytical Type political psychological When to use this quote - political campaigns - workplace management - personal relationships - advertising Key Concepts psychology of control authoritarianism Questions to Reflect On - When have you used fear to influence others? - How can you empower others without fear? A Different Perspective Fear may also inspire protective actions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [Some people are afraid of getting committed, not because they can't believe someone... but because they can't forget the time they had believed someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-people-are-afraid-of-getting-committed-not-because-they-can-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People who are afraid to fail can never experience the joys of success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richie/people-who-are-afraid-to-fail-can-never-experience-the-joys-of-success/) [Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richie/) > [You cannot oppress the people who are not afraid anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/you-cannot-oppress-the-people-who-are-not-afraid-anymore/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [Part of me is afraid to get close to people because I'm afraid that they're going to leave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-manson/part-of-me-is-afraid-to-get-close-to-people-because-i-m-afraid-that/) [Marilyn Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-manson/) > [Atheism is a fairy story for people afraid of the Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennox/atheism-is-a-fairy-story-for-people-afraid-of-the-light/) [John Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennox/) > [Fear is a ... it's a weird thing, when you think about it. People are only afraid of other things, they're never afraid of themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/fear-is-a-it-s-a-weird-thing-when-you-think-about-it-people-are-only/) [Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/) > [So many times, people are afraid to start something because of fear of failing. But it can be fabulous - because it leads you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupaul/so-many-times-people-are-afraid-to-start-something-because-of-fear-of/) [RuPaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupaul/) > [A fighter who is gay and a champion can make a huge difference in the lives of people who are afraid to come out,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-andrade/a-fighter-who-is-gay-and-a-champion-can-make-a-huge-difference-in-the/) [Jessica Andrade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-andrade/) > [People are afraid because I'm candid. They're always worried I'm going to get into trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-madden/people-are-afraid-because-i-m-candid-they-re-always-worried-i-m-going/) [Steve Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-madden/) > [People are afraid to die, and even more afraid to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-browne/people-are-afraid-to-die-and-even-more-afraid-to-live/) [Sylvia Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-browne/) > [The more people that are afraid when they see new creation, the happier I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rei-kawakubo/the-more-people-that-are-afraid-when-they-see-new-creation-the/) [Rei Kawakubo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rei-kawakubo/) > [I want people to be afraid of the women I dress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mcqueen/i-want-people-to-be-afraid-of-the-women-i-dress/) [Alexander McQueen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mcqueen/) > [When you leave good people afraid to speak on behalf of justice, however awkwardly or insensitively, those unafraid to speak will rise to power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-e-morgan/when-you-leave-good-people-afraid-to-speak-on-behalf-of-justice/) [C.E. Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-e-morgan/) > [It's always fun to make people laugh, and then make them afraid or cry at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-watros/it-s-always-fun-to-make-people-laugh-and-then-make-them-afraid-or-cry/) Cynthia Watros > [I like to make other people enjoy my football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joao-felix/i-like-to-make-other-people-enjoy-my-football/) [Joao Felix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joao-felix/) ## More by Jim McDermott > [I have stood on the front lines of the health care system as a doctor, patient and concerned parent. Those experiences have served as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mcdermott/i-have-stood-on-the-front-lines-of-the-health-care-system-as-a-doctor/) [Jim McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mcdermott/) > [But beyond the hysteria of phantom death panels, where is the abomination? Show me the provisions that will hurt consumers, because if you think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mcdermott/but-beyond-the-hysteria-of-phantom-death-panels-where-is-the/) [Jim McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mcdermott/) > [I have stood on the front lines of the health care system as a doctor, patient and concerned parent. Those experiences have served as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mcdermott/i-have-stood-on-the-front-lines-of-the-health-care-system-as-a-doctor-2/) [Jim McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mcdermott/) > [I think it's a trial balloon to see what happens, and I'm not impressed with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mcdermott/i-think-it-s-a-trial-balloon-to-see-what-happens-and-i-m-not/) [Jim McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mcdermott/) > [I'm not giving the president a blank check, period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mcdermott/i-m-not-giving-the-president-a-blank-check-period/) [Jim McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mcdermott/) > [There's nothing wrong with the free-enterprise system. But it has to have some compassion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mcdermott/there-s-nothing-wrong-with-the-free-enterprise-system-but-it-has-to/) [Jim McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mcdermott/) > [I'm old enough to remember John Kennedy sending a few advisers into Vietnam. I'm very worried we'll get in and we'll get mired down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mcdermott/i-m-old-enough-to-remember-john-kennedy-sending-a-few-advisers-into/) [Jim McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mcdermott/) > [We pretended there was no problem with Agent Orange after Vietnam and later the Pentagon recanted, after untold suffering by veterans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mcdermott/we-pretended-there-was-no-problem-with-agent-orange-after-vietnam-and/) [Jim McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mcdermott/) [Explore all 9 Jim McDermott quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mcdermott/) ## More Afraid quotes > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. 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 > [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. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/if-you-are-too-afraid-of-failure-you-cant-possibly-do-what-needs-to/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [We cannot be afraid of the dark that they live in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burnie-burns/we-cannot-be-afraid-of-the-dark-that-they-live-in/) [Burnie Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burnie-burns/) > [“I think the reason we're cruel sometimes is that we're afraid we're going to like something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/i-think-the-reason-we-re-cruel-sometimes-is-that-we-re-afraid-we-re/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [I'm still with that feeling that I am afraid of doing the wrong thing, because somebody is going to punish me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-m-still-with-that-feeling-that-i-am-afraid-of-doing-the-wrong-thing/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) Browse all 5,519 Afraid quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can make people do anything if they're afraid.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jim McDermott" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mcdermott/you-can-make-people-do-anything-if-they-re-afraid/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Afraid" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mcdermott/you-can-make-people-do-anything-if-they-re-afraid/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6b/jim-mcdermott-44933_afraid_you-can-make-people-do-anything-if-they_1541862.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6b/jim-mcdermott-44933_afraid_you-can-make-people-do-anything-if-they_1541862.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6b/jim-mcdermott-44933_afraid_you-can-make-people-do-anything-if-they_1541862.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You can make people do anything if they're afraid.” — Jim McDermott", "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": "Jim McDermott", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mcdermott/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You can make people do anything...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mcdermott/you-can-make-people-do-anything-if-they-re-afraid/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mcdermott/you-can-make-people-do-anything-if-they-re-afraid/#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 } } ] } ```