--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Fearing servility, people become servile." description: "\"Fearing servility, people become servile.\" — Nawal El Saadawi" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/062/nawal-el-saadawi-4167_people_fearing-servility-people-become-servile_1702531.jpg" --- # Fearing servility, people become servile. ![“Fearing servility, people become servile.” quote by Nawal El Saadawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/062/nawal-el-saadawi-4167_people_fearing-servility-people-become-servile_1702531.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/062/nawal-el-saadawi-4167_people_fearing-servility-people-become-servile_1702531.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/062/nawal-el-saadawi-4167_people_fearing-servility-people-become-servile_1702531.jpg) > “Fearing servility, people become servile.” [Nawal El Saadawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawal-el-saadawi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fear of being subjugated can cause people to willingly accept oppression. **In simple terms:** Fear leads to servility. Key Takeaway Resist fear, demand autonomy. Themes power fear oppression Mood critical empowering Type political social When to use this quote - Workplace - political movements - personal relationships - education systems Key Concepts Psychology social dynamics agency Questions to Reflect On - What fears keep you compliant? - How can societies break the cycle of servility? A Different Perspective Some may argue that external pressures, not fear, drive servility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Servility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/servility/) ## Related quotes > [There are people in this servile world who will endure any trampling, and at the first beck rush delightedly to proffer their assistance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-jefferies/there-are-people-in-this-servile-world-who-will-endure-any-trampling/) [Richard Jefferies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-jefferies/) > [“In all times and in all places, whatever may be the name that the government takes, whatever has been its origin, or its organization,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errico-malatesta/in-all-times-and-in-all-places-whatever-may-be-the-name-that-the/) [Errico Malatesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errico-malatesta/) > [When society is made up of men who know no interior solitude it can no longer be held together by love: and consequently it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/when-society-is-made-up-of-men-who-know-no-interior-solitude-it-can/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [We must not confuse humility with false modesty or servility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/we-must-not-confuse-humility-with-false-modesty-or-servility/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“the swarms of cringers, suckers, doughfaces, lice of politics, planners of sly involutions for their own preferment to city offices or state legislatures or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/the-swarms-of-cringers-suckers-doughfaces-lice-of-politics-planners/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [The intellectual tradition is one of servility to power, and if I didn't betray it I'd be ashamed of myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-intellectual-tradition-is-one-of-servility-to-power-and-if-i-didn/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Nothing can be further apart than true humility and servility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/nothing-can-be-further-apart-than-true-humility-and-servility/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [... the public and the private worlds are inseparably connected ... the tyrannies and servilities of the one are the tyrannies and servilities of the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/the-public-and-the-private-worlds-are-inseparably-connected-the/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [The sovereign being is burdened with a servitude that crushes him, and the condition of free men is deliberate servility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-bataille/the-sovereign-being-is-burdened-with-a-servitude-that-crushes-him-and/) [Georges Bataille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-bataille/) > [Millions of people are getting the vote, and we have to educate them to keep them from our throats. In other words, we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/millions-of-people-are-getting-the-vote-and-we-have-to-educate-them/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [When people complain of the decay of manners they have in mind not the impudent abbreviations of the crowd, but the decline in bowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wilson-lynd/when-people-complain-of-the-decay-of-manners-they-have-in-mind-not/) [Robert Wilson Lynd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wilson-lynd/) > [Could slavery suggest a more complete servility than some of these journals exhibit? Is there any dust which their conduct does not lick, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/could-slavery-suggest-a-more-complete-servility-than-some-of-these/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Servility is disgusting to a truly noble character, and engenders only contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/servility-is-disgusting-to-a-truly-noble-character-and-engenders-only/) [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) > [It is not serving, but servility, that is menial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hortense-odlum/it-is-not-serving-but-servility-that-is-menial/) [Hortense Odlum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hortense-odlum/) > [I think that knowledge enslaves us, that at the base of all knowledge there is a servility, the acceptation of a way of life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-bataille/i-think-that-knowledge-enslaves-us-that-at-the-base-of-all-knowledge/) [Georges Bataille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-bataille/) ## More by Nawal El Saadawi > [There is not a revolution that succe Women are suffering because they are being excluded. The high military council excluded women from the committee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawal-el-saadawi/there-is-not-a-revolution-that-succe-women-are-suffering-because-they/) [Nawal El Saadawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawal-el-saadawi/) > [To be creative means to connect. It's to abolish the gap between the body, the mind and the soul, between science and art, between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawal-el-saadawi/to-be-creative-means-to-connect-it-s-to-abolish-the-gap-between-the/) [Nawal El Saadawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawal-el-saadawi/) > [We here in Egypt are fed up with U.S. colonialism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawal-el-saadawi/we-here-in-egypt-are-fed-up-with-u-s-colonialism/) [Nawal El Saadawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawal-el-saadawi/) > [Education should be totally secular. I am not telling people not to believe in God, but it should be a personal matter which should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawal-el-saadawi/education-should-be-totally-secular-i-am-not-telling-people-not-to/) [Nawal El Saadawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawal-el-saadawi/) > [Home to me is the world because my books have been translated into more than 30 languages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawal-el-saadawi/home-to-me-is-the-world-because-my-books-have-been-translated-into/) [Nawal El Saadawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawal-el-saadawi/) > [Doubt is the first step towards knowledge, not faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawal-el-saadawi/doubt-is-the-first-step-towards-knowledge-not-faith/) [Nawal El Saadawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawal-el-saadawi/) > [I had to educate myself about female circumcision, about the clitoris, about sexology. We studied gynecology only. Pregnancy, maternal care, etc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawal-el-saadawi/i-had-to-educate-myself-about-female-circumcision-about-the-clitoris/) [Nawal El Saadawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawal-el-saadawi/) > [The feminists who are aware of the effects of patriarchy realize that we are all in the same boat from the dangers of patriarchy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawal-el-saadawi/the-feminists-who-are-aware-of-the-effects-of-patriarchy-realize-that/) [Nawal El Saadawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawal-el-saadawi/) > [If you are creative, you must be dissident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawal-el-saadawi/if-you-are-creative-you-must-be-dissident/) [Nawal El Saadawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawal-el-saadawi/) > [“Now i had learnt that honor required large sums of money to protect it, but that large sums of money could not be obtained…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawal-el-saadawi/now-i-had-learnt-that-honor-required-large-sums-of-money-to-protect/) [Nawal El Saadawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawal-el-saadawi/) > [“Badreya whispered in her ear, “The price of freedom is high, Bodour, and there is no writing without freedom. Break your chains, Bodour, break…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawal-el-saadawi/badreya-whispered-in-her-ear-the-price-of-freedom-is-high-bodour-and/) [Nawal El Saadawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawal-el-saadawi/) > [Thus, after a period of about two thousand years the greatest crime became to worship a god other than the God of Moses, whereas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawal-el-saadawi/thus-after-a-period-of-about-two-thousand-years-the-greatest-crime/) [Nawal El Saadawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawal-el-saadawi/) > [If you do not love yourself, well, you cannot do anything well, that's my philosophy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawal-el-saadawi/if-you-do-not-love-yourself-well-you-cannot-do-anything-well-that-s/) [Nawal El Saadawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawal-el-saadawi/) > [ Women are suffering because they are being excluded. The high military council excluded women from the committee to change the constitution \[of Egypt\]. We… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawal-el-saadawi/women-are-suffering-because-they-are-being-excluded-the-high-military/) [Nawal El Saadawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawal-el-saadawi/) > [Solidarity between women can be a powerful force of change, and can influence future development in ways favourable not only to women but also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawal-el-saadawi/solidarity-between-women-can-be-a-powerful-force-of-change-and-can/) [Nawal El Saadawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawal-el-saadawi/) [Explore all 114 Nawal El Saadawi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawal-el-saadawi/) ## More Fearing quotes > [“Anything you fear is a shackle to ur soul. It is a phobia that tethers and blinds ur ability to see and comprehend your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/anything-you-fear-is-a-shackle-to-ur-soul-it-is-a-phobia-that-tethers/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“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/) > [Confidence comes not from always being right but from not fearing to be wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/confidence-comes-not-from-always-being-right-but-from-not-fearing-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm a God-fearing man, go to church every Sunday, and have since I was a boy. But if I ever found out that God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chael-sonnen/i-m-a-god-fearing-man-go-to-church-every-sunday-and-have-since-i-was/) [Chael Sonnen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chael-sonnen/) > [How can I turn my Life around?? By acting on Fear.. stop fearing the unexplained, stop fearing yourself just Do something about your Rut…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samara-visser/how-can-i-turn-my-life-around-by-acting-on-fear-stop-fearing-the/) [Samara Visser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samara-visser/) > [The greatest mistake you can make in life is continually fearing that you'll make one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/the-greatest-mistake-you-can-make-in-life-is-continually-fearing-that/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [Courage does not mean not fearing or not grieving. It does mean recognizing and resisting terror management right away, from the moment of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-d-snyder/courage-does-not-mean-not-fearing-or-not-grieving-it-does-mean/) [Timothy D. Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-d-snyder/) > [“All my life I have known fear. But I have acted in spite of it. I urge you to do the same. Your father…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-essex/all-my-life-i-have-known-fear-but-i-have-acted-in-spite-of-it-i-urge/) [Karen Essex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-essex/) > [I live between fearing doom and wishing for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/i-live-between-fearing-doom-and-wishing-for-it/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [To fear the foe, since fear oppresseth strength, Gives, in your weakness, strength unto your foe, And so your follies fight against yourself. Fear,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/to-fear-the-foe-since-fear-oppresseth-strength-gives-in-your-weakness-2/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [You worry because you worry over the worrying. You fear because you fear over the fearing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/you-worry-because-you-worry-over-the-worrying-you-fear-because-you/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [“Fearing the future & worrying about repeating the past will always rob one of the present moment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-pina/fearing-the-future-worrying-about-repeating-the-past-will-always-rob/) [Timothy Pina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-pina/) > [“Be bold, don't be boring.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/be-bold-don-t-be-boring/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Life is there ahead of you and either one tests oneself in its challenges or huddles in the valleys of a dreamless day-to-day existence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/life-is-there-ahead-of-you-and-either-one-tests-oneself-in-its/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [“The witch’s eyes sparkled with secrets. “Sensayers are used to fearing God, so you know the right way to fear me, don’t you?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ada-palmer/the-witch-s-eyes-sparkled-with-secrets-sensayers-are-used-to-fearing/) [Ada Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ada-palmer/) Browse all 153 Fearing quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Fearing servility, people become servile.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nawal El Saadawi" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawal-el-saadawi/fearing-servility-people-become-servile/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fearing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawal-el-saadawi/fearing-servility-people-become-servile/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/062/nawal-el-saadawi-4167_people_fearing-servility-people-become-servile_1702531.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/062/nawal-el-saadawi-4167_people_fearing-servility-people-become-servile_1702531.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/062/nawal-el-saadawi-4167_people_fearing-servility-people-become-servile_1702531.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Fearing servility, people become servile.” — Nawal El Saadawi", "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": "Nawal El Saadawi", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawal-el-saadawi/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Fearing servility, people become servile.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawal-el-saadawi/fearing-servility-people-become-servile/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawal-el-saadawi/fearing-servility-people-become-servile/#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 } } ] } ```