--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But fear was usually devoid of common…" description: "\"“But fear was usually devoid of common sense. And it was more powerful than she liked to admit. She’d”\" — Nancy Mehl" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/650/nancy-mehl-41659_common-sense_but-fear-was-usually-devoid-of-common-se_3108403.jpg" --- # But fear was usually devoid of common sense. And it was… ![“But fear was usually devoid of common sense. And it was more powerful than she liked to admit. She’d” quote by Nancy Mehl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/650/nancy-mehl-41659_common-sense_but-fear-was-usually-devoid-of-common-se_3108403.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/650/nancy-mehl-41659_common-sense_but-fear-was-usually-devoid-of-common-se_3108403.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/650/nancy-mehl-41659_common-sense_but-fear-was-usually-devoid-of-common-se_3108403.jpg) > ““But fear was usually devoid of common sense. And it was more powerful than she liked to admit. She’d”” [Nancy Mehl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mehl/) ## 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 dominate without rational basis, making us act against our own interests. **In simple terms:** Fear often overpowers logic. Key Takeaway Recognize and question irrational fears. Themes fear irrationality self-awareness Mood anxious reflective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - personal decisions - leadership challenges - risk assessment - conflict resolution Key Concepts psychology cognitive bias Questions to Reflect On - What fears are influencing your choices? - How can you test the rationality of a fear? A Different Perspective Fear may be a protective signal, not always a hindrance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Common sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-sense/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Fear Usually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear-usually-902684/) [Powerful Liked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerful-liked-5419267/) [Sense Powerful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sense-powerful-5136791/) ## Related quotes > [“common sense is a powerful mixture of 'gut feeling' and intelligence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-cornish/common-sense-is-a-powerful-mixture-of-gut-feeling-and-intelligence/) [Sophie Cornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-cornish/) > [As a man gets more successful, powerful, he is more liked, and as a woman gets more successful, she is less liked, and that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/as-a-man-gets-more-successful-powerful-he-is-more-liked-and-as-a/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [In morals, what begins in fear usually ends in wickedness; in religion, what begins in fear usually ends in fanaticism. Fear, either as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-morals-what-begins-in-fear-usually-ends-in-wickedness-in-religion/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We'll learn fear might not mean 'stop'; personally, I've come to believe fear usually means 'go.' It always means listen closely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-moore-lapp/we-ll-learn-fear-might-not-mean-stop-personally-i-ve-come-to-believe/) [Frances Moore Lappé](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-moore-lapp/) > [Fear usually looks like anger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krista-tippett/fear-usually-looks-like-anger/) [Krista Tippett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krista-tippett/) > [In politics, what begins in fear usually ends in folly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/in-politics-what-begins-in-fear-usually-ends-in-folly/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [“In the scientific world, "fear" is usually called "skepticism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-fadiman/in-the-scientific-world-fear-is-usually-called-skepticism/) [James Fadiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-fadiman/) > [“Fear usually benefits the feared; seldom the fearful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/fear-usually-benefits-the-feared-seldom-the-fearful/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [We can all reprogram our brain's responses by putting ourselves into new, initially uncomfortable situations. We'll learn fear might not mean 'stop'; I've come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-moore-lapp/we-can-all-reprogram-our-brain-s-responses-by-putting-ourselves-into/) [Frances Moore Lappé](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-moore-lapp/) > [“A FATHER’S GREATEST FEAR is usually that he won’t be able to provide for his family. A mom’s greatest fear is typically that something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysa-terkeurst/a-father-s-greatest-fear-is-usually-that-he-won-t-be-able-to-provide/) [Lysa TerKeurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysa-terkeurst/) > [“All my life I've wanted to tell people I love them. Fear usually held me back, that they wouldn't care, or they wouldn't hear,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-gaffney/all-my-life-i-ve-wanted-to-tell-people-i-love-them-fear-usually-held/) [Patricia Gaffney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-gaffney/) > [“What are you putting off out of fear? Usually, what we most fear doing is what we most need to do. That phone call,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/what-are-you-putting-off-out-of-fear-usually-what-we-most-fear-doing/) [Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/) > [In politics, what begins in fear usually ends in failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/in-politics-what-begins-in-fear-usually-ends-in-failure/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [Fear looks both ways but still refuses to cross; fear looks twice and still doesn't leap. ... Fear usually arrives late, inevitably leaves early,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-barreca/fear-looks-both-ways-but-still-refuses-to-cross-fear-looks-twice-and/) [Gina Barreca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-barreca/) > [ As we have seen after every other \[Donald\] Trump controversy, this one only increased their enthusiasm for him. His supporters thought the idea of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-inskeep/as-we-have-seen-after-every-other-donald-trump-controversy-this-one/) [Steve Inskeep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-inskeep/) ## More by Nancy Mehl > [“If you understand someone’s heart, you can believe what they say.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mehl/if-you-understand-someone-s-heart-you-can-believe-what-they-say/) [Nancy Mehl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mehl/) > [“women who are willing to be involved with married men are selfish. Shallow. Destroying a family is a terrible thing to do. Only someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mehl/women-who-are-willing-to-be-involved-with-married-men-are-selfish/) [Nancy Mehl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mehl/) > [“Because God took one look at Adam and said, 'Wow. This guy's going to need all the help he can get.' And here we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mehl/because-god-took-one-look-at-adam-and-said-wow-this-guy-s-going-to/) [Nancy Mehl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mehl/) > [“I guess when we’re genuine with God, then He can be genuine with us. Give us real healing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mehl/i-guess-when-we-re-genuine-with-god-then-he-can-be-genuine-with-us/) [Nancy Mehl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mehl/) > [“...a lot of people never find the person God created them to be. They’re too busy trying to live up to other people’s expectations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mehl/a-lot-of-people-never-find-the-person-god-created-them-to-be-they-re/) [Nancy Mehl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mehl/) > [“As I stumble through this life help me to create more laughter than tears, dispense more cheer than gloom, spread more joy than despair.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mehl/as-i-stumble-through-this-life-help-me-to-create-more-laughter-than/) [Nancy Mehl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mehl/) > [“In fact, I like to think God carries around our pictures in His wallet and shows them to the angels every so often.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mehl/in-fact-i-like-to-think-god-carries-around-our-pictures-in-his-wallet/) [Nancy Mehl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mehl/) > [“I’m convinced my place is one of prayer. God can do what man cannot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mehl/i-m-convinced-my-place-is-one-of-prayer-god-can-do-what-man-cannot/) [Nancy Mehl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mehl/) > [“There isn’t anything too big for God, Lizzie girl. You gotta cast your cares on Him. He loves you so much.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mehl/there-isn-t-anything-too-big-for-god-lizzie-girl-you-gotta-cast-your/) [Nancy Mehl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mehl/) [Explore all 10 Nancy Mehl quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mehl/) ## More Common sense quotes > [When you have a cavity in your tooth and you let it get worse, eventually you have to get a root canal. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/when-you-have-a-cavity-in-your-tooth-and-you-let-it-get-worse/) [Olivia Newton-John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/) > [Common sense is nothing more than a deposit of prejudices laid down in the mind before you reach eighteen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/common-sense-is-nothing-more-than-a-deposit-of-prejudices-laid-down/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [A time will come when the science of destruction shall bend before the arts of peace; when the genius which multiplies our powers, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-arago/a-time-will-come-when-the-science-of-destruction-shall-bend-before/) [Francois Arago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-arago/) > [Common sense is the guy who tells you that you ought to have had your brakes relined last week before you smashed a front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/common-sense-is-the-guy-who-tells-you-that-you-ought-to-have-had-your/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) > [Below the 40th latitude there is no law; below the 50th no god; below the 60th no common sense and below the 70th no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-stanley/below-the-40th-latitude-there-is-no-law-below-the-50th-no-god-below/) [Kim Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-stanley/) > [I have never seen either a drop of piety or a grain of truth or ingenuousness - nay, I have never found common sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/i-have-never-seen-either-a-drop-of-piety-or-a-grain-of-truth-or/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [How is it that labels like 'centrist' and 'moderate,' which common sense tells us should reflect the views of a majority of Americans, have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehdi-hasan/how-is-it-that-labels-like-centrist-and-moderate-which-common-sense/) [Mehdi Hasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehdi-hasan/) > [“It was true that common sense wasn’t her forte. It wasn’t that she was silly or stupid, but she heard so many more voices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-goddard/it-was-true-that-common-sense-wasn-t-her-forte-it-wasn-t-that-she-was/) [Donna Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-goddard/) > [“The accident in your rearview mirror already happened. The one in front of you is still preventable. Pay attention.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nakia-r-laushaul/the-accident-in-your-rearview-mirror-already-happened-the-one-in/) [Nakia R. Laushaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nakia-r-laushaul/) > [In Raleigh, partisan battles, power struggles and lawsuits might grab the headlines, but we have to work together where we can. To look beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-cooper/in-raleigh-partisan-battles-power-struggles-and-lawsuits-might-grab/) [Roy Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-cooper/) > [“Listen: Common sense doesn't mean what it used to mean." -Matthias Chalmers, STAIRWAY2 HEAVEN”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaz-thompson/listen-common-sense-doesn-t-mean-what-it-used-to-mean-matthias/) [Chaz Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaz-thompson/) > [“when people’s brains are in defensive mode, it becomes harder to see common sense. Small disagreements can end up holding back progress beyond reason.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-webb/when-people-s-brains-are-in-defensive-mode-it-becomes-harder-to-see/) [Caroline Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-webb/) > [Every sensible man, every honorable man, must hold the Christian sect in horror." "Christianity is the most ridiculous, the most absurd and bloody religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/every-sensible-man-every-honorable-man-must-hold-the-christian-sect/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [ As we have seen after every other \[Donald\] Trump controversy, this one only increased their enthusiasm for him. His supporters thought the idea of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-inskeep/as-we-have-seen-after-every-other-donald-trump-controversy-this-one/) [Steve Inskeep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-inskeep/) > [Using, as an excuse, others' failure of common sense is in itself a failure of common sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/using-as-an-excuse-others-failure-of-common-sense-is-in-itself-a/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) [Browse all 1,942 Common sense quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-sense/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“But fear was usually devoid of common sense. And it was more powerful than she liked to admit. 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