--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Humans always have fear of an unknown…" description: "\"Humans always have fear of an unknown situation -- this is normal. The important thing is what we do about it. If fear is permitted to become a paralyz..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e64/john-herschel-18983_action_humans-always-have-fear-of-an-unknown-si_1502654.png" --- # Humans always have fear of an unknown situation -- this is… ![“Humans always have fear of an unknown situation -- this is normal. The important thing is what we do about it. If fear is permitted to become a paralyzing thing that interferes with proper action, then it is harmful. The best antidote to fear is to know all we can about a situation.” quote by John Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e64/john-herschel-18983_action_humans-always-have-fear-of-an-unknown-si_1502654.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e64/john-herschel-18983_action_humans-always-have-fear-of-an-unknown-si_1502654.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e64/john-herschel-18983_action_humans-always-have-fear-of-an-unknown-si_1502654.png) > “Humans always have fear of an unknown situation -- this is normal. The important thing is what we do about it. If fear is permitted to become a paralyzing thing that interferes with proper action, then it is harmful. The best antidote to fear is to know all we can about a situation.” [John Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-herschel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding a situation reduces fear and enables effective action. **In simple terms:** Knowing reduces fear. Key Takeaway Learn before reacting. Themes fear knowledge action psychology Mood cautious analytical Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - preparing for exams - entering new jobs - traveling abroad - making medical decisions Key Concepts risk assessment information gathering psychological resilience Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance information gathering with decisive action? - When does caution become hindrance? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on information can cause analysis paralysis. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Important things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-things/) ## Related quotes > [Hope that is the only antidote to fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/hope-that-is-the-only-antidote-to-fear/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [ Knowledge is the antidote to fear. \[especially as fear often stands for false evidence appearing real!\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/knowledge-is-the-antidote-to-fear-especially-as-fear-often-stands-for/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The antidote to fear is faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-antidote-to-fear-is-faith/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Boredom is a pleasing antidote for fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/boredom-is-a-pleasing-antidote-for-fear/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Trust in the Lord is the only true antidote to fear. Focusing on God rather than the trial will keep us from sinking in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-briscoe/trust-in-the-lord-is-the-only-true-antidote-to-fear-focusing-on-god/) [Jill Briscoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-briscoe/) > [Faith is the antidote for fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-m-nelson/faith-is-the-antidote-for-fear/) [Russell M. Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-m-nelson/) > [Knowledge is the antidote to fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/knowledge-is-the-antidote-to-fear/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Gratitude is the antidote to fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sharma/gratitude-is-the-antidote-to-fear/) [Robin Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sharma/) > [Knowledge is the antidote to fear,- Knowledge, Use and Reason, with its higher aids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/knowledge-is-the-antidote-to-fear-knowledge-use-and-reason-with-its/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [If leaders don't have an antidote for fear they will be crushed by it. What is your antidote?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hybels/if-leaders-don-t-have-an-antidote-for-fear-they-will-be-crushed-by-it/) [Bill Hybels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hybels/) > [The antidote for fear of failure is not success but small doses of failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-batterson/the-antidote-for-fear-of-failure-is-not-success-but-small-doses-of/) [Mark Batterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-batterson/) > [“Humans serve cats as dogs serve humans. And sometimes, I fear, as ineptly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-evans/humans-serve-cats-as-dogs-serve-humans-and-sometimes-i-fear-as-ineptly/) [Jon Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-evans/) > [All humans have fear, and those of us who are fortunate have faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/all-humans-have-fear-and-those-of-us-who-are-fortunate-have-faith/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [We humans fear the beast within the wolf because we do not understand the beast within ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-hausman/we-humans-fear-the-beast-within-the-wolf-because-we-do-not-understand/) [Gerald Hausman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-hausman/) > [“Humans fear there are no miracles. Aurans know everything is one.” Aroll, jioth master, Libellula city.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-grace/humans-fear-there-are-no-miracles-aurans-know-everything-is-one-aroll/) [Taylor Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-grace/) ## More by John Herschel > [Self-respect,--the corner-stone of all virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-herschel/self-respect-the-corner-stone-of-all-virtue/) [John Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-herschel/) > [ \[When nature appears complicated:\] The moment we contemplate it as it is, and attain a position from which we can take a commanding view,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-herschel/when-nature-appears-complicated-the-moment-we-contemplate-it-as-it-is/) [John Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-herschel/) > [Music and dancing (the more the pity) have become so closely associated with ideas of riot and debauchery among the less cultivated classes, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-herschel/music-and-dancing-the-more-the-pity-have-become-so-closely-associated/) [John Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-herschel/) > [Music and dancing (the more the pity) have become so closely associated with ideas of riot and debauchery among the less cultivated classes, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-herschel/music-and-dancing-the-more-the-pity-have-become-so-closely-associated-2/) [John Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-herschel/) > [The novel, in its best form, I regard as one of the most powerful engines of civilization ever invented.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-herschel/the-novel-in-its-best-form-i-regard-as-one-of-the-most-powerful/) [John Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-herschel/) > [No doubt the testimony of natural reason, on whatever exercised, must, of necessity, stop short of those truths which it is the object of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-herschel/no-doubt-the-testimony-of-natural-reason-on-whatever-exercised-must/) [John Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-herschel/) > [The end of the eighteenth and the beginning of the nineteenth century were remarkable for the small amount of scientific movement going on in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-herschel/the-end-of-the-eighteenth-and-the-beginning-of-the-nineteenth-century/) [John Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-herschel/) > [Occurrences which according to received theories ought not to happen, are the facts which serve as clues to new discoveries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-herschel/occurrences-which-according-to-received-theories-ought-not-to-happen/) [John Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-herschel/) > [Almost all the greatest discoveries in astronomy have resulted from what we have elsewhere termed Residual Phenomena, of a qualitative or numerical kind, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-herschel/almost-all-the-greatest-discoveries-in-astronomy-have-resulted-from/) [John Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-herschel/) > [Accustomed to trace the operation of general causes, and the exemplification of general laws, in circumstances where the uninformed and unenquiring eye perceives neither…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-herschel/accustomed-to-trace-the-operation-of-general-causes-and-the/) [John Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-herschel/) > [Geology, in the magnitude and sublimity of the objects of which it treats, undoubtedly ranks, in the scale of the sciences, next to astronomy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-herschel/geology-in-the-magnitude-and-sublimity-of-the-objects-of-which-it/) [John Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-herschel/) > [Were I to pray for a taste which should stand me in good stead under every variety of circumstances and be a source of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-herschel/were-i-to-pray-for-a-taste-which-should-stand-me-in-good-stead-under/) [John Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-herschel/) > [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-herschel/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) [John Herschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-herschel/) > [First, In showing in how to avoid attempting impossibilities. 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