Fear is the influence of others

The following is an excerpt from a samvaad (dialogue) session with Acharya Prashant.

Acharya Prashant (AP): How many students are sitting here? Around eighty, ninety, some number. I said to all of you to get up and ask your question. Who is the one who displays courage and instantly gets up and asks me a question? Who is the one?

Listeners (L): Aviral (The one who asked the question).

AP: Who is actually not afraid?

L: Aviral (Again the one who asked the question).

AP: Are you afraid right now?

L: No, Sir.

AP: This is an action, that you are speaking something. Your throat is producing the sound wave, which merely is the action; everything else is just the thought. The action is this much that you get up and your throat produces some waves, this is the real action. Would be afraid of doing this action in a vacant room? Is there anybody here who is afraid of speaking in a vacant room? Anybody who is afraid of speaking in front of the mirror? No. First thing is that fear is the thought. The second thing is that thought is of the others. And who are the others out here? You all. So, you all are the ones who are terrifying him.

It is obvious that he is afraid of nobody, but you. This is not just his story, which is…