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In morals, what begins in fear usually ends in wickedness; in religion, what begins in fear usually ends in fanaticism. Fear, either as a principle or a motive, is the beginning of all evil.
Anna Brownell Jameson
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Fear as a foundation leads to negative outcomes in both morality and religion.

The quote by Anna Brownell Jameson highlights the detrimental effects of fear when it serves as a foundation for moral and religious principles. It suggests that actions motivated by fear can spiral into wicked behaviors or extreme fanaticism, thereby illustrating how fear can corrupt one's ethical compass and lead to severe consequences in human behavior and beliefs.

Themes

FearMoralityReligionWickednessFanaticismEvil

In practice

Example use cases

This quote can be used in a discussion about the impacts of fear-based leadership on society.

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