ABSTRACT
Fear is directly connected with the absence of freedom. To paraphrase F.D. Roosevelt (who was himself influenced by Henry David Thoreau), fear paralyses any effort to move forward or to innovate and take risks. To be free, individuals must be able to enjoy peace of mind and the feeling that they will not be judged or suffer consequences for their choices or actions or for expressing their opinions on specific matters. On the contrary, the repressive methods authoritarian regimes use rely upon a spectrum of means aimed at domesticating the human spirit and mind in ways that will make resorting to these extreme forms of violence only in rare occurrences. Indeed, more insidious, subtle, and non-violent forms of pressure can prove themselves to be highly effective at forging a spirit of social conformity, rendering resorting to more extreme and violent measures entirely unnecessary and undesirable.
