--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Would I rather be feared or loved? Easy…" description: "\"Would I rather be feared or loved? Easy, both. I want people to be afraid of how much they love me.\" — Michael Scott (The Office" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f6/michael-scott-the-office-47446_afraid_would-i-rather-be-feared-or-loved-easy-b_335246.jpg" --- # Would I rather be feared or loved? Easy, both. I want… ![“Would I rather be feared or loved? Easy, both. I want people to be afraid of how much they love me.” quote by Michael Scott (The Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f6/michael-scott-the-office-47446_afraid_would-i-rather-be-feared-or-loved-easy-b_335246.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f6/michael-scott-the-office-47446_afraid_would-i-rather-be-feared-or-loved-easy-b_335246.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f6/michael-scott-the-office-47446_afraid_would-i-rather-be-feared-or-loved-easy-b_335246.jpg) > “Would I rather be feared or loved? Easy, both. I want people to be afraid of how much they love me.” [Michael Scott (The Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scott-the-office/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker wishes to be both feared and loved, desiring admiration that borders on awe. **In simple terms:** Want both fear and love, especially intense admiration. Key Takeaway Seek respect that inspires awe. Themes leadership ego pop culture Mood humorous confident Type pop culture motivational When to use this quote - team management - public speaking - personal branding - social influence Key Concepts psychology status attention Questions to Reflect On - Is it possible to earn genuine love without fear? - How does fear affect loyalty? A Different Perspective Balancing fear and love can create resentment or distrust. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) ## Related quotes > [Do I want to be feared or loved? That's a good question. I want both. I want people to be afraid of how much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-i-want-to-be-feared-or-loved-that-s-a-good-question-i-want-both-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Machiavelli taught me it was better to be feared than loved. Because if you are loved they sense you might be weak. I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-king/machiavelli-taught-me-it-was-better-to-be-feared-than-loved-because/) [Don King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-king/) > [“Returning to the question of being feared or loved, I conclude that since men love at their own will and fear at the will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/returning-to-the-question-of-being-feared-or-loved-i-conclude-that/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“Would you prefer to be feared or loved Lord Ells?" He smiled crookedly at her, "You like quotes, don't you? So, it's as Machievelli…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristiane-serruya/would-you-prefer-to-be-feared-or-loved-lord-ells-he-smiled-crookedly/) [Cristiane Serruya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristiane-serruya/) > [“And here comes in the question whether it is better to be loved rather than feared, or feared rather than loved. It might perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/and-here-comes-in-the-question-whether-it-is-better-to-be-loved/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Safer to be feared than loved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-flynn/safer-to-be-feared-than-loved/) [Gillian Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-flynn/) > [“And…” Søren continued, “it’s safer to be feared than loved. At least where I’m concerned.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-reisz/and-s-ren-continued-it-s-safer-to-be-feared-than-loved-at-least-where/) [Tiffany Reisz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-reisz/) > [It is much more secure to be feared than to be loved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/it-is-much-more-secure-to-be-feared-than-to-be-loved/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“It is far safer to be feared than loved”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/it-is-far-safer-to-be-feared-than-loved/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [From this arises the question whether it is better to be loved rather than feared, or feared rather than loved. It might perhaps be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/from-this-arises-the-question-whether-it-is-better-to-be-loved-rather/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Bullies are often people who are shy and can't make friends easily, so, as the theme of the movie 'A Bronx Tale' tells us,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-zimbardo/bullies-are-often-people-who-are-shy-and-can-t-make-friends-easily-so/) [Philip Zimbardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-zimbardo/) > [It is better to be loved rather than feared, or feared rather than loved? It might perhaps be answered that we should wish to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/it-is-better-to-be-loved-rather-than-feared-or-feared-rather-than/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [It is much safer for the prince to be feared than loved, but he ought to avoid making himself hated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/it-is-much-safer-for-the-prince-to-be-feared-than-loved-but-he-ought/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [The reply is, that one ought to be both feared and loved, but as it is difficult for the two to go together, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/the-reply-is-that-one-ought-to-be-both-feared-and-loved-but-as-it-is/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“It is safer to be feared than loved”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/machiavelli-the-prince-nookbook/it-is-safer-to-be-feared-than-loved/) Machiavelli The Prince NOOKbook ## More by Michael Scott (The Office > [If I had a gun, with two bullets, and I was in a room with Hitler, Bin Laden and Toby, I would shoot Toby…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scott-the-office/if-i-had-a-gun-with-two-bullets-and-i-was-in-a-room-with-hitler-bin/) [Michael Scott (The Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scott-the-office/) > [Nobody likes beets, Dwight. You should grow something everybody does like. You should grow candy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scott-the-office/nobody-likes-beets-dwight-you-should-grow-something-everybody-does/) [Michael Scott (The Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scott-the-office/) > [Dating shouldn't be hard for someone like me and you know why it is? Because no one in this office will help me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scott-the-office/dating-shouldn-t-be-hard-for-someone-like-me-and-you-know-why-it-is/) [Michael Scott (The Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scott-the-office/) > [I'm a catch and I am not going to be the one who got away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scott-the-office/i-m-a-catch-and-i-am-not-going-to-be-the-one-who-got-away/) [Michael Scott (The Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scott-the-office/) > [I'm looking for a passionate affair, not companionship. I'm a man of intensity and youth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scott-the-office/i-m-looking-for-a-passionate-affair-not-companionship-i-m-a-man-of/) [Michael Scott (The Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scott-the-office/) > [Between the sheets, we were like Jordan and Pippen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scott-the-office/between-the-sheets-we-were-like-jordan-and-pippen/) [Michael Scott (The Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scott-the-office/) > [I'm friends with everybody in this office. We're all best friends. I love everybody here. But sometimes your best friends start coming into work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scott-the-office/i-m-friends-with-everybody-in-this-office-we-re-all-best-friends-i/) [Michael Scott (The Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scott-the-office/) [Explore all 8 Michael Scott (The Office quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scott-the-office/) ## 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": "Would I rather be feared or loved? 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