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About this quote

What does it mean?
Threatening the world with its greatest fear cannot diminish terror; it may reinforce it.
In plain terms
Fearful threats don’t reduce terror.
What can you take from it?
Seek solutions that address root causes, not just fear.

Where it applies

  • counter‑terrorism strategy
  • public discourse

Putting it to work

  • address grievances
  • promote dialogue

Questions to consider

  • What alternatives exist to fear‑based deterrence?
  • Can fear ever be a useful tool?

Another view

Some threats may be necessary deterrents in specific contexts.

More from Wendell Berry

  1. Much of the obscurity of our effort so far against terrorism originates in the now official idea that the enemy is evil and that we are (therefore) good, which…

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  2. We cannot hope to be secure when our government has declared, by its readiness 'to act alone,' its willingness to be everybody's enemy.

    Permalink to quote #32
  3. To imply by the word 'terrorism' that this sort of terror is the work exclusively of 'terrorists' is misleading. The 'legitimate' warfare of technologically ad…

    Permalink to quote #29

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