Comments on: Fear makes the world go around.

By: Joseann

Joseann — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 21:35:36 +0000

@ Larry: People say “Money makes the world go around.” They are wrong. Fear makes the world go around.

What if money is the visible expression of fear?

@ Larry: That’s right, we need fear. Imagine the mess we would be in if people were afraid of nothing;think of the real fear we would all live in if folks weren’t afraid that something would happen to them as a result of their bad behaviour.

Your analysis sound pretty accurate. I think the riots in Great Britain have been giving a good example of what this will look like, but I also think, it is not a very productive point of view. It is exactly this idea of needing fear to control people that makes it all so difficult. What if fear is the main reason for why there is bad behaviour in the first place?

And fear exists because there is a concept of good and bad that is dumped on children. This concept creates both, the bad and the fear of it and the fear of those who have adopted the concept of bad (somebody after all has to play this role if we believe in bad, no?) for themselves, of punishment. Why are we expecting bad in the first place?

If you operate on fear, you have to also see that a lot of good stuff is not happening out of fear because fear is a sticky energy that hits everyone, not only the “bad ones”. What is stopping parents from disciplining their children, as you demand? Fear of conflict. What is stopping people from applying for a job? Fear of rejection. What is stopping people from caring for others? Fear of being ridiculed or been taken advantage of. Fear doesn’t work, never did.

A society based on fear normally has two choices to get out of fear (a debilitating feeling if experienced constantly): apathy or anger (isn’t that where the US is heading towards?). Anger is actually an energy directed towards more life, towards change. Instead of labelling it bad, it would be much better to find constructive outlets for it.

So, what else is possible?

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 14:35:29 +0000

Dear Larry,

Well said.

Fear lies behind every war ever conducted, every disagreement, every screaming match, and every broken promise.

It’s also, if you’re lucky, the thing that runs up and down your spine when you’re old enough to realize that you are going to DIE. There’s only one way out, and we all get to go through that door. Believe what you want about where you’ll end up, but it’s still the same door for everybody.

Fear can motivate me to change, and it doesn’t have to be the basis for the way I choose to live. In my case, I was broke about 18 months ago. I mean, less than $200 in my bank account broke. 52 and no retirement left… and the fear of the unknown future is what snapped me back into positive action. It’s amazing what a little faith and a lot of motivation can do for you.

(Yup, read your books, too. They helped.)

I choose to keep myself in good physical condition at 54 because I want to minimize whatever decrepitude I’ll face at life’s end (yeah, fear is right there). Fear is an excellent teacher, and it’s the joy of living I discovered on the other side of fear that keeps me moving forward towards a much better life.

All I have is the power to choose and the integrity to eat the plate of consequences that gets served up. Even my power to choose can be taken away by Alzheimer’s or a random accident. Uh oh, there’s that fear thing again.

So: I’ll add to your statement. Fear makes the world go round, and the joy and relief you get from taking action worth doing keeps it from spinning off the axis.

Onward!

Mike

By: Teresa

Teresa — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 23:25:35 +0000

Dear Larry,

In response to your comment. You were right, I am glad I read ” Fear Makes The World Go Around.” I just don’t agree with it. I think this is a good thing because I am thinking and not just absorbing. Recently, I have read all of your books. I enjoyed all of them and they made me really think about my situation.I realized that I blamed everyone else but myself, I was lazy, and I acted like a victim. However, I also realized that I am fearful of many things and this fear keeps me from enjoying life and from living a better life.

P.S. The information in the books have really changed my perspective on my life choices. I Just wanted to say thank you. I really had no clue as to how big of an idiot I was.

sincerely,
Teresa

By: Larry Winget

Larry Winget — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 00:54:49 +0000

Chisholm. Yes. I am guilty at times myself. There are high expectations and there are unreasonable expectations and sometimes it is a fine line. I find myself holding others to a level that they are simply not equipped to handle, even though I am perfectly equipped to handle it. Because I can, I think everybody should be able to. That’s unreasonable. You should hold people accountable to their highest level of performance, not your own.

By: Chisholm

Chisholm — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 18:34:27 +0000

Ok Larry is it possible to be too hard on people?
I have a leaning disability (according to our government) I had my son in the middle of my senior year of high school. I went on to get my high school degree and my bachelor’s degree. I worked my way up from cutting grass and cleaning toilets to being the COO of a construction business. I’m also one of the few women in the State of Alabama that holds a license as a HVAC Contractor. I pay my mortgage, clean my house, cut my grass, take care of my cars and raise my son by myself. I don’t receive child support or every other weekend off and I’m good with that!
I did not say all that to toot my horn! I think if I can do it anyone can. I don’t cut people slack for being lazy. That is were I have a problem. Lots of people tell me I’m too hard on people. Somehow I’m the bad guy because I expect a lot out of myself and others. So is it possible to be too hard on people and have too high of standers? If not how do you deal with it? If so how do you deal with it?

Sweet home Alabama