--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Fear has made them sloppy. The world…" description: "\"Fear has made them sloppy. The world teeters at a precipe. All scared to take a step in case they put a foot into empty air. The instinct of self-prese..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b31/joe-abercrombie-791_air_fear-has-made-them-sloppy-the-world-teet_223263.png" --- # Fear has made them sloppy. The world teeters at a precipe… ![“Fear has made them sloppy. The world teeters at a precipe. All scared to take a step in case they put a foot into empty air. The instinct of self-preservation. It can destroy a man's efficiency.” quote by Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b31/joe-abercrombie-791_air_fear-has-made-them-sloppy-the-world-teet_223263.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b31/joe-abercrombie-791_air_fear-has-made-them-sloppy-the-world-teet_223263.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b31/joe-abercrombie-791_air_fear-has-made-them-sloppy-the-world-teet_223263.png) > “Fear has made them sloppy. The world teeters at a precipe. All scared to take a step in case they put a foot into empty air. The instinct of self-preservation. It can destroy a man's efficiency.” [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fear paralyzes action, leading to inefficiency and missed opportunities. **In simple terms:** Fear blocks progress. Key Takeaway Confront fear to act. Themes fear efficiency action psychology Mood anxious reflective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - career decisions - personal relationships - creative projects - risk‑taking Key Concepts self‑preservation risk aversion motivation Questions to Reflect On - What would you try if fear vanished? - How does fear sometimes help you? A Different Perspective Fear can also protect from reckless choices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Efficiency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/efficiency/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Instinct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instinct/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Preservation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preservation/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self preservation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-preservation/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Hunger, love, pain, fear are some of those inner forces which rule the individual's instinct for self preservation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/hunger-love-pain-fear-are-some-of-those-inner-forces-which-rule-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [With the exception of the instinct of self-preservation, the propensity for emulation is probably the strongest and most alert and persistent of the economic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorstein-veblen/with-the-exception-of-the-instinct-of-self-preservation-the/) [Thorstein Veblen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorstein-veblen/) > [The white men were roused by a mere instinct of self-preservation—until at last there had sprung into existence a great Ku Klux Klan, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/the-white-men-were-roused-by-a-mere-instinct-of-self-preservation/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) > [An insatiable appetite for glory leads to sacrifice and death, but innate instinct leads to self-preservation and life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-marti/an-insatiable-appetite-for-glory-leads-to-sacrifice-and-death-but/) [Jose Marti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-marti/) > [Niggas want me dead, but they scared to step to me. Rip they guts out; like a hysterectomy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ghostface-killah/niggas-want-me-dead-but-they-scared-to-step-to-me-rip-they-guts-out/) [Ghostface Killah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ghostface-killah/) > [I still get very scared when I step in front of a live audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-sandler/i-still-get-very-scared-when-i-step-in-front-of-a-live-audience/) [Adam Sandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-sandler/) > [A lot of artists are scared to do that, they are scared to step out on their own. What am I the super villain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-bunting/a-lot-of-artists-are-scared-to-do-that-they-are-scared-to-step-out-on/) [Shane Bunting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-bunting/) > [It feels great to deliver a hit. After all the criticism I got for 'Veer,' I was scared to even step out of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zareen-khan/it-feels-great-to-deliver-a-hit-after-all-the-criticism-i-got-for/) [Zareen Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zareen-khan/) > [We legislate against forestalling and monopoly; we would have a common granary for the poor; but the selfishness which hoards thecorn for high prices,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/we-legislate-against-forestalling-and-monopoly-we-would-have-a-common/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [It is in vain to oppose constitutional barriers to the impulse of self-preservation. It is worse than in vain; because it plants in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/it-is-in-vain-to-oppose-constitutional-barriers-to-the-impulse-of/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [And, lastly, to vindicate these rights, when actually violated and attacked, the subjects of England are entitled, in the first place, to the regular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blackstone/and-lastly-to-vindicate-these-rights-when-actually-violated-and/) [William Blackstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blackstone/) > [Among the natural rights of the colonists are these: first, a right to life; second, to liberty; third, to property; together with the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/among-the-natural-rights-of-the-colonists-are-these-first-a-right-to/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [When a totally offensive tax hits a few million people, Washington is prepared to look the other way. But when everyone is harmed, self…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hassett/when-a-totally-offensive-tax-hits-a-few-million-people-washington-is/) [Kevin Hassett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hassett/) > [I consider kissing her right there on the dirty couch, but self-preservation stops me. Once someone hurts you, it’s harder to relax around them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/i-consider-kissing-her-right-there-on-the-dirty-couch-but-self/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [Two ideas are psychologically deep-rooted in man: self-protection and self-preservation. For self-protection man has created God, on whom he depends for his own protection,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walpola-rahula/two-ideas-are-psychologically-deep-rooted-in-man-self-protection-and/) [Walpola Rahula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walpola-rahula/) ## More by Joe Abercrombie > [“She shrugged. “I fell. I’m a clumsy fool.” “I know how you feel. I’m such a fool I knocked half my teeth out and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/she-shrugged-i-fell-i-m-a-clumsy-fool-i-know-how-you-feel-i-m-such-a/) [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) > [Things aren't what they used to be' is the rallying cry of small minds. When men say things used to be better, they invariably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/things-aren-t-what-they-used-to-be-is-the-rallying-cry-of-small-minds/) [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) > [“Mercy and weakness are the same thing in war, and there's no prize for nice behavior.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/mercy-and-weakness-are-the-same-thing-in-war-and-there-s-no-prize-for/) [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) > [“The lowly have small ambitions, and are satisfied with small indulgences. They need not get fair treatment. They need only think that they do... ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/the-lowly-have-small-ambitions-and-are-satisfied-with-small/) [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) > [“What do the dice say?" Dice say nothing. They are dice." Why roll'em, then?" They are dice. What else would I do with them?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/what-do-the-dice-say-dice-say-nothing-they-are-dice-why-roll-em-then/) [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) > [“You have to realistic about these things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/you-have-to-realistic-about-these-things/) [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) > [“That was the difference between a hero and a villain, a soldier and a murderer, a victory and a crime. Which side of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/that-was-the-difference-between-a-hero-and-a-villain-a-soldier-and-a/) [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) > [“Nostalgia was becoming a favoured hobby of his. Strange, how the best moments of our lives we scarcely notice except in looking back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/nostalgia-was-becoming-a-favoured-hobby-of-his-strange-how-the-best/) [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) > [“The only difference between war and murder is the number of dead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/the-only-difference-between-war-and-murder-is-the-number-of-dead/) [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) > [Names turned over by time, like the plough turning the soil. Bringing up the new while the old were buried in the mud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/names-turned-over-by-time-like-the-plough-turning-the-soil-bringing/) [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) > [“Knives,’ muttered Calder, ‘and threats, and bribes, and war?’ Bayaz’ eyes shone with the lamplight. ‘Yes?’ ‘What kind of a fucking wizard are you?’…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/knives-muttered-calder-and-threats-and-bribes-and-war-bayaz-eyes/) [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) > [“Straining and straining, getting nowhere, but unable to stop pushing in case the rock should fall and crush him. Meanwhile, arrogant bastards who were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/straining-and-straining-getting-nowhere-but-unable-to-stop-pushing-in/) [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) > [“Yarvi: 'If we had known the hardship of it, we might have chosen another.' Shidwala: 'So it is with many choices.' Yarvi: 'All we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/yarvi-if-we-had-known-the-hardship-of-it-we-might-have-chosen-another/) [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) > [Sometimes men change for the better. Sometimes men change for the worse. And often, very often, given time and opportunity . . .’ He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/sometimes-men-change-for-the-better-sometimes-men-change-for-the/) [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) > [“A bitter ending' said Yarvi. 'Many sweet stories have them', said Jaud.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/a-bitter-ending-said-yarvi-many-sweet-stories-have-them-said-jaud/) [Joe Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) [Explore all 364 Joe Abercrombie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/) ## More Air quotes > [I will be a tireless advocate for our District's defense priorities including Sheppard Air Force Base, Pantex, Bell Helicopter, universities conducting important research, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronny-jackson/i-will-be-a-tireless-advocate-for-our-district-s-defense-priorities/) [Ronny Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronny-jackson/) > [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/) [Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/) > [If U.S. air, naval, missile, and ground forces were not in and around Korea, and if we were not treaty-bound to fight alongside South…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/if-u-s-air-naval-missile-and-ground-forces-were-not-in-and-around/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [The cooler days have brought a wistful mood upon him. The smell of coalsmoke in the air at night. Old times, dead years. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/the-cooler-days-have-brought-a-wistful-mood-upon-him-the-smell-of/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [I'm a candle flame that sways in currents of air you can't see. You need to be the one who steadies me to burn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-gordimer/i-m-a-candle-flame-that-sways-in-currents-of-air-you-can-t-see-you/) [Nadine Gordimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-gordimer/) > [It is sometimes said that scientists are unromantic, that their passion to figure out robs the world of beauty and mystery. But is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/it-is-sometimes-said-that-scientists-are-unromantic-that-their/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [ Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs \[Less Developed Countries\]?... I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-world-bank-be-encouraging-more/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [After a few mouthfuls of moon-flavored air, even the stubbornly drowsy can find themselves wide-eyed.. All the normal noises of life were gone, leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/after-a-few-mouthfuls-of-moon-flavored-air-even-the-stubbornly-drowsy/) [N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) > [There was a little nook on Air Force Two that contained the vice presidential seal, and I would sort of wedge myself in there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-biden/there-was-a-little-nook-on-air-force-two-that-contained-the-vice/) [Jill Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-biden/) > [Words are substance strange. Speak one and the air ripples into another's ears. Write one and the eye laps it up. But the sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-beachy-quick/words-are-substance-strange-speak-one-and-the-air-ripples-into/) [Dan Beachy-Quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-beachy-quick/) > [ \[A\]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. Do a lot of spitting out the hot air.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/a-s-you-partake-of-the-world-s-bill-of-fare-that-s-darned-good-advice/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [...As the disparity between the rich and the poor grows, the fight to corner resources is intensifying. To push through their "sweetheart deals," to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/as-the-disparity-between-the-rich-and-the-poor-grows-the-fight-to/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Washington bureaucrats have classified the very air we exhale as a pollutant and have gone unchallenged in this incredible assertion. The logical consequence is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/washington-bureaucrats-have-classified-the-very-air-we-exhale-as-a/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [“It is unnatural to fear something natural.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/it-is-unnatural-to-fear-something-natural/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) Browse all 6,278 Air quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Fear has made them sloppy. The world teeters at a precipe. All scared to take a step in case they put a foot into empty air. The instinct of self-preservation. It can destroy a man's efficiency.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joe Abercrombie" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/fear-has-made-them-sloppy-the-world-teeters-at-a-precipe-all-scared/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Air" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/fear-has-made-them-sloppy-the-world-teeters-at-a-precipe-all-scared/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b31/joe-abercrombie-791_air_fear-has-made-them-sloppy-the-world-teet_223263.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b31/joe-abercrombie-791_air_fear-has-made-them-sloppy-the-world-teet_223263.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b31/joe-abercrombie-791_air_fear-has-made-them-sloppy-the-world-teet_223263.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Fear has made them sloppy. The world teeters at a precipe. All scared to take a step in case they put a foot…” — Joe Abercrombie", "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": "Joe Abercrombie", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-abercrombie/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Fear has made them sloppy. The...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/fear-has-made-them-sloppy-the-world-teeters-at-a-precipe-all-scared/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-abercrombie/fear-has-made-them-sloppy-the-world-teeters-at-a-precipe-all-scared/#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 } } ] } ```