Evil feeds on fear and fear grows when Meaning Factcheck Usage

Evil feeds on fear, and fear grows when we refuse to face it. It’s a powerful cycle that traps us, but the good news is we can break it by simply turning towards what scares us.

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Table of Contents

• Meaning
• Explanation
• Origin & Factcheck
• Context
• Usage Examples
• FAQ

Meaning

At its core, this is about a self-perpetuating loop: fear empowers negativity, and our avoidance of that fear is what makes it stronger.

Explanation

Look, I’ve seen this play out so many times, in business and in life. It’s like a law of nature. Think of fear as a kind of fuel. When you let a fear—of failure, of rejection, of the unknown—just sit there in the dark, it doesn’t just stay the same size. It ferments. It grows. And that amplified fear, that’s the very thing that “evil” or any form of negativity uses to sustain itself. Procrastination? That’s fear feeding on itself. Office politics? Same deal. The moment you turn the lights on and actually face the thing, you cut off its power supply. The monster under the bed is never as big as you imagine once you look.

Quote Summary

Context	Attributes
Original Language	Portuguese (658)
Category	Personal Development (764)
Topics	courage (190), evil (5), fear (113)
Literary Style	philosophical (546)
Emotion / Mood	serious (190)
Overall Quote Score	84 (372)

Origin & Factcheck

This is straight from Paulo Coelho’s 2000 novel, The Devil and Miss Prym. It’s part of his trilogy “And on the Seventh Day,” which explores humanity’s struggle with good and evil. You won’t find this in his more famous work, The Alchemist, though it carries a similar philosophical weight.

Attribution Summary

Context	Attributes
Author	Paulo Coelho (657)
Source Type	Book (4805)
Source/Book Name	The Devil and Miss Prym (39)
Origin Timeperiod	Contemporary (1903)
Original Language	Portuguese (658)
Authenticity	Verified (4805)

Where is this quotation located?

Quotation	Evil feeds on fear, and fear grows when we refuse to face it
Book Details	Publication Year: 2000 (Brazil); ISBN: 978-0-06-052798-3; Latest Edition: HarperCollins 2006; 256 pages.
Where is it?	Approximate page 237, Chapter: The Fear Within

Context

In the book, a stranger arrives in a remote village and presents a terrifying moral challenge to the residents, essentially testing their inherent goodness. The quote captures the central theme of the entire story: the internal battle where fear and temptation can corrupt a community, but only if they let it by refusing to confront the darkness head-on.

Usage Examples

This isn’t just lofty philosophy; it’s a practical tool. Here’s how I use it:

• For a team avoiding a difficult conversation: I’ll say, “Look, this tension in the room? It’s just fear feeding on our silence. Let’s name it and deal with it.”
• For a friend stuck in a toxic situation: “The longer you avoid making a decision because you’re scared, the more power you’re giving to the situation itself. You have to face the fear to break the cycle.”
• For myself, when imposter syndrome creeps in: This is my reminder that not applying for that big project or not sharing an idea is just letting the fear grow. Action is the antidote.

It’s perfect for leaders, coaches, and anyone feeling stuck in a negative pattern.

To whom it appeals?

Context	Attributes
Theme	Wisdom (2114)
Audiences	believers (204), leaders (3055), seekers (727), students (3639)
Usage Context/Scenario	leadership workshops (123), motivational essays (190), psychological talks (4), spiritual reflections (114)

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FAQ

Question: What if facing my fear makes things worse?

Answer: It’s a valid concern. But the quote isn’t about charging in recklessly. It’s about acknowledging the fear. Often, just naming it and looking at it objectively—maybe by writing it down or talking it through—immediately shrinks its power. The “worse” scenario is almost always the one we build in our heads through avoidance.

Question: Is “evil” here meant literally, like a demon?

Answer: Great question. In Coelho’s story, it’s a literal character, but for our daily lives, I read “evil” as a metaphor for any persistent negative force—be it anxiety, procrastination, prejudice, or systemic problems in an organization. It’s anything that thrives in an atmosphere of unchecked fear.

Question: How do you actually start to “face” a deep-seated fear?

Answer: Start small. Tiny, manageable steps. If you’re afraid of public speaking, your first step isn’t a TED Talk. It’s sharing an idea in a small, safe meeting. Or recording a voice memo for yourself. Each small act of facing it drains a little of its fuel. Consistency is key.

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