Farnell, Oliver. From Fear to Freedom. Independently Published.
This book tells that fear and freedom are two opposite ends of the same path. At the same time, it is fear that is the beginning for an individual who lives in doubt, fear and attempts to control everything around. Throughout life, such people should change their outlook, give themselves more to chance and surprise, because this is where freedom lies. Indeed, if people try to hide and protect themselves from everything from the outside, this will not be life, but survival. In the end, such individuals cannot be called free, since they are in the grip of fear.
It is important to say that the author’s thoughts are indeed reflected in real life, because when we are afraid of the world around us, we are almost constrained. In turn, this leads to complete lack of will, which does not allow people to live the way they want. At the same time, it gives rise to anger, envy and discontent, which turns life into a mere semblance. Therefore, it is precisely the struggle against such feelings and complexes that is the path to freedom, which is expressed not only mentally, but also in thinking, health, character.
Fromm, Erich. (2021). The Fear of Freedom. Taylor & Francis.
The writer argues that most people are afraid of freedom. This is due to such habits as living according to instructions, protecting the new, unwillingness to change. The totality of such phenomena makes a person afraid, and therefore closed in a certain box. But the fact is that fear and freedom cannot coexist, and this is the main goal of the book. Once the individual accepts and understands self-sufficiency and independence, any doubts and secrecy will disappear.
Freedom of expression is a very important factor in the life of every person. This is what we lack – we are always afraid of something – that there will not be enough money, that friends will not support, that society will condemn. We live by the laws that the majority sets, and we cannot become ourselves, because we are afraid of this one. An attempt to change life is an important attempt and it can be different – to move to another city, open business, learn a new profession, start an independent life. This attempt is important because it will allow to look at the situation in a new way, try ourselves in a new role and become free from imposed stereotypes.
Hanh, Thich N. (n. d.). Fear. Essential Wisdom for Getting Through the Storm. HarperOne.
There is only one effective way – to go where a person is afraid and try what he is afraid of. There is nothing more terrible for a person than the unknown, and when the unknown becomes known, then the fear disappears. These are the reflections of the author, who compares phobias and isolation with a storm through which one must pass. The correlation is that the storm itself is eerie and dangerous, but behind it is light and joy. This can be extrapolated to life and understand that in real life it is indecision and worries that protect people from complete freedom.
This is a difficult choice – we want fewer problems, but we have more than enough desires. It is much easier to say that the world is not perfect and forget about aspirations. Why do we remember students as the most fun and carefree time in our lives. Because then it seemed to us that everything would definitely work out for us, that all the doors were open. However, nothing has changed since then, our attitude has changed. We are afraid of society, and after all, most of those whom we are so afraid of are only seemingly experts. Most simply create an image, have a look – and nothing more behind it.
TEDx Talks. (2010). The Power of Vulnerability | Brené Brown | TEDxHouston [Video]. YouTube. Web.
Fear is an epidemic that goes unspoken, the secret behind many forms of bad behavior. Brené Brown argues that the main vulnerability of a person is the lack of masculinity, self-confidence and self-sufficiency. This is the kind of problem that shackles and makes the individual just a creature, meaninglessly existing for a certain amount of time. However, the speaker also sees the power in self-knowing, in order to understand that people are under the power of fear. The strength here is that acceptance is the first step to freedom.
Two thoughts were born from this video – one is about the fear of being judged by the majority, the other is about trying, taking risks, changing life and being successful. The search for one’s freedom is a complex process, which, however, leads to a different quality of worldview. Everyone had these two thoughts, but not everyone tried to listen to them and accept them as a guide to action. Small things and big things, we don’t do it because we are driven by the fear of judgment, we can’t get our personal cherished freedom of expression.