We are turning into a nation of whimpering slaves to Fear - fear of war, fear of poverty, fear of random terrorism, fear of getting down-sized or fired because of the plunging economy, fear of getting evicted for bad debts, or suddenly getting locked up in a military detention camp on vague charges of being a Terrorist sympathizer.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Thompson describes a nation paralyzed by multiple overlapping fears, from war to economic insecurity. He frames this as collective enslavement to anxiety.
- In plain terms
- People are controlled by constant fear of many different dangers.
- What can you take from it?
- Widespread fear enslaves society.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What fear shapes your daily choices?
- How does society use fear?
Another view
The quote attributes complex societal issues mainly to fear.
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