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Why Is Fear Justified

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Throughout human history, fear has played a significant role in our societies. Oftentimes, when we humans make a decision, fear of potential consequences for choosing any of the available choices we have is factored into our final decision. Bill 'The Butcher’ Cutting really said it best with his claim in the film Gangs of New York that fear is "what preserves the order of things.” In many ways, such fear helps to keep us from being disorderly or breaking our given society’s laws. In turn, fear can be used by governments to help keep their subjects orderly and civil, but the question remains should they and is it even justifiable? By justifiable, I mean does the use or propagation of fear in a society serve the best interests of the multitude instead of individuals. Early political philosophers Thomas …show more content…

In the hypothetical commonwealth, subjects have particularly restricted liberty and have to follow several strict commandments (Hobbes 98-104). One commandment in particular is quite bothersome to me, as it states that subjects cannot speak out negatively against their government (the sovereign) (Hobbes 100). Furthermore, if a subject was to violate the law they could even face death (Hobbes 100). This type of censorship of different political ideologies seems similar to that of corrupt regimes in contemporary society. The idea of having to live in a society in which I would have to fear critiquing those in power because doing so would endanger my life is deeply unnerving. In my eyes, the use of fear to maintain political order should not extend past using it to create a security and safety for the multitude. With this said, philosopher Niccolo Machiavelli seems to have had a different perspective when it comes to the role fear should play in maintaining political

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