A U.S president once stated, "there is nothing to fear but fear itself." Do you think this is as relevant now?

Question

The statement originates from a speech that F.D.R delivered as it pertained to U.S involvement in WWII.

Excuse the historical infraction of F.D.R's time of speech. It was in his inuagural speech in which he uttered the phrase. Pardon.

Answer 1

It is even more relevant today. Our President says that we are in a "War on Terror". It is not the government's job to win this war. It is up to individuals to overcome fear and not be terrorized by the media and the government. Americans have already given up liberty for safety which means we are now less safe. Vote for Ron Paul.

Answer 2

OK there is nothing to be afraid of right? Just a bunch of hysteria right? All made up to keep corrupt politicians in office right? I've asked this question before and now I'll ask it of you: Nothing to fear but fear so we should do away with those security lines at the airport. Won't that be convenient? Would you get on a plane with me to Heathrow full of Pakistani, Saudi and Jordanian nationals that have not gone through security? After all, there is nothing to fear but fear right? Have a seat, enjoy the peanuts, just relax. I'm all for it, no more reason to be at the airport 2 hours early. All this nervousness was created by Dick Cheney because Haliburton sells metal detectors or something, RIGHT? Come fly with me baby.

Answer 3

It's seems that the average US citizen is being fed daily fear by the democrat party, Fear of being without health insurance (so bring on the government, fear about one of Al Gore's inventions (global warming) I could go on but I think if your educated you get my point. We can stop the fear by stopping the uneducated nonsense. Admit you made a mistake in the last election (November 2006) apologize to the rest of the country and gquit letting fear take over your life. For those who voted due to fear in the Nov. 2006 election I will forgive you for causing the stock market crash which coincidently follows the Democrats election to congress which took Billions of dollars out of Americans pockets. You can be forgiven once but please do not make a second mistake of voting for a democrat president in 2008. After the great depression of 2010 it might be hard to be forgiven.

Answer 4

Well, the statement was from FDR's first inaugural address, and was not about WW2. It was addressing the fear that people felt as the Great Depression swept over the country. Millions of people were unemployed and impoverished.

It's basically rhetorical nonsense. People lost their jobs ,their homes, families were destroyed, children starved or nearly starved, mass migrations occured as people went in search of jobs. There was alot to fear. FDR was acting as cheerleader, but he was lying.

No, it wasn't really relevant then or now. There are many things to fear. A better response is not to let fear cripple you, or force you to change your life. Or, as the saying was after the September attacks, "don't let the terrorists win."

Answer 5

Yes -- it is directly relevant.

Because most decisions in the US right now are being made based solely on fear. People are manipulated to be afraid, and then told that "only by doing X will you be safe" -- so they blindly go along with it.

Not everyone, but far too many.

Answer 6

More than ever! Over the past several decades, we have allowed ourselves to become a national pack of quivering puppies with a mentality that glorifies victimization and demeans heroism, often reversing the definition of the two. We no longer make decisions based on reason, preferring rather tho make them on the basis of soppy emotionalism. Our priorities are no longer based on rational consideration, but on sensationalism, hysteria and the promise (whether realistic or not) of personal safety, even if that safety comes at the expense of our fellow citizens.

We teach our children to fear everyone they come in contact with, robbing them of vital life experiences because they "might" come to harm, while refusing to acknowledge that the chances of such an occurrence are in the million-to-one range.

We accept a minor tragedy, like the collapse of the Minnesota bridge (one of dozens over the last few years, often resulting in much higher death tolls), as a national event leading to countless expressions of 'I'll never feel safe crossing a bridge again."

We sacrifice thousands of American heroes and billions of dollars on a "war" that is the direct result of unbridled, irrational fear. Then, when it is proved beyond any reasonable doubt that the official justification for the "war" was a sham, over 40% of the population simply rejects that truth because it doesn't play into their Chicken Little view of life.

We surrender our rights and the liberties attached to them, as well as the rights and liberties of our fellow countrymen, arguing 'as long as it doesn't affect me, it's not a real problem," while ignoring the sacrifices made to secure those rights for all citizens.

Worst of all, we scorn those who refuse to submit to mindless fear, while applauding those who promote cowardice and submission to all threats, real or imagined.

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Answer 7

Fear is the greatest weapon of all.

Once your enemy has you so afraid that you are no longer yourself, or willing to change your way of life, turn on each other, sacrifice your values.......then you have lost.

and yes it is relevant today. Today we have a president that is constantly telling us to be afraid to be very very afraid. He mentioned alquaeda over 100 times in a 29 minute speech the other day.

History tells us that dictators and tyrants usually want you to be afraid of something so badly that you will turn to them so they can be the strong man that protects you. This is what they do...its been proven going back all the way to Julius Caesar.

Answer 8

Historical nit-pick: "Nothing to fear but fear itself..." was from FDR's first innaugural address in 1933 and referred to the depression. The war was still 7 years away.

Answer 9

This question relates to an answer I just gave on fundamentalism. Fear is a driving force for fundamentalism, Christian or Islamic. Fighting fear through secular public education, reducing college costs, and encouraging diversity in the news media will empower all people with the knowledge to make vital decisions in elections, and life in general. Imagine all the problems that can be solved through education; violence, corruption, drug abuse, scientific problems, poverty, war.

Answer 10

Very much. Like the other poster said, all of the operations going on in Iraq have to be based on fear by the White House of attacks by terrorists if they pulled out.