Afraid Quote by Robert Ardrey
““I have lived my life in the shelter of too many northern alliances. I have made alliance with the gentle cow, the health department, the local policeman. In the shelter of such alliances I have got out of bed in the morning with moderate assurance that I shall still be alive at bedtime. But south of the moon my allies vanish, and I have an emptiness in my stomach. I fear the cobras in the garden. I lack a treaty with the lioness. I dread the crocodiles of Lake Victoria, the tsetse fly in the Tanganyika bush, the little airplane with the funny engine, and the mosquito in the soft evening air. But most of all, I am afraid of the African street.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Territorial Imperative by Robert Ardrey, 1966
The speaker feels safe within familiar, structured societies but anxious and vulnerable when confronting the unknown, chaotic environment of Africa.
In simple terms: Comfort in familiar systems, fear of the unknown.
Key Takeaway
Seek courage beyond familiar comforts.
Themes
fear
culture
colonialism
identity
adaptation
Mood
anxious
reflective
Type
cultural
personal
observational
When to use this quote
- Travel to unfamiliar places
- living in a new culture
- dealing with fear
- adapting to different environments
Key Concepts
Western perspective
otherness
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- How do familiar structures shape our perception of danger?
- What can we learn from confronting unfamiliar environments?
A Different Perspective
The view may be limited by a colonial mindset that exoticizes Africa.
