All submissiveness is rooted in fear, whether the leader to whom we submit be human or divine.
Source: Power, a new social analysis, 1938, by Bertrand Russell
More info.: https://russell-j.com/beginner/POWER02_040.HTM
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How did you feel about today's Russell quotation?
"All submissiveness is rooted in fear, whether the leader to whom we submit be human or divine."
Some of you may have thought, "Not all submissiveness is rooted in fear. For instance, many of President Trump's supporters probably do not feel afraid of him."
However, as Russell points out, "the object of fear" differs from person to person. High-ranking officials who took (or are currently taking) orders from President Trump under his administration likely felt (or feel) some degree of fear toward him.
On the other hand, among ordinary citizens who support Trump, there are people who believe they will benefit economically or socially from his policies, and who support him on that basis. Still others may not feel afraid of Trump himself, but support him because they fear something else -- such as immigration, public safety, or foreign threats -- and hope that his policies will address those fears.
In other words, the object of fear is not necessarily the leader to whom one submits. Fear directed at something else can also lead to support or submission to a leader. The same applies to submission to divine authority.
Since short texts can give rise to various interpretations depending on the reader's preconceptions, we must be careful with our choice of words.
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