There is perhaps nothing so bad and so dangerous in life as fear.

Nehru’s aphorism treats fear not merely as an unpleasant emotion but as a corrosive force that distorts judgment and invites further harm. Fear can paralyze action, make people accept indignity or injustice, and push individuals or societies toward rash, defensive choices—violence, repression, or surrender of principles—in the name of safety. In a political register (common in Nehru’s thought), fear is also a tool of domination: when people are frightened, they are easier to control and less able to act collectively. The line therefore elevates courage and clear-sightedness as practical virtues, suggesting that overcoming fear is a precondition for ethical and effective living.