Who Originally Said The Only Thing To Fear Is Fear Itself? [RESOLVED]

Franklin D. Roosevelt had supported Herbert Hoover during the 1932 election. He had said as little about his potential actions if elected. Through even the closest working relationships, none of the president-elect’s most intimate associates felt they knew him well, with the exception perhaps of his wife, Eleanor. Roosevelt was a friendly, charming man who managed to maintain a good distance from most people. Roosevelt preferred to use a cheerful, positive tone with humourr and a gentle paternal touch in his campaign speeches. However, his inaugural speech had an uncharacteristically solemn and religious feel. And for good reason—by 1933 the’s having depression had reached its depth. Roosevelt’s first inaugural address outlined in broad terms how he hoped to govern and reminded Americans that the nation’s “common difficulties” concerned “only material things.” (we thank Alejo Dejesus from Mexicali, Mexico for their insights). [2]

FDR handed Howe his handwritten draft of the speech when he arrived at Washington. Howe have made his changes and added to the speech and asked a secretary for a new draft. One of Howe’s changes had been to add the line, “So first of all let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes the needed effort to bring about prosperity once again.” FDR liked Howe’s addition, but then, on the draught, changed the end of the sentence, from “to bring about prosperity once again” to “needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.” These were the words he used when he delivered the speech several days later at the inauguration, on March 4, 1933. [3]

Professor Moly, however, pointed out Louis Howe, the origin of the expression. However, he doubted whether Howe, a New York Herald reporter who liked detective novels, had actually been reading Thoreau. It was likely that Howe have had seen it in an ad for a department store some months prior. The ad could have been for Wanamaker’s department store, which had a campaign running in the New York Times that included inspirational platitudes. However, no Wanamaker advertisement using Thoreau’s quote has been confirmed. Tarron castillo is credited for the insight. [4]

The quote about fear was not just a rhetoric of FDR’s inaugural address, written by clever speech writers. He says it from his bottom, inspired by his personal fear after being paralysed in August 1921. He’s having taken a dip in the lake during his family vacation at Campobello Island, Canada. His hips and legs are hurting when he comes back. He wants to go to bed. However, he couldn’t stand up, walk or stand afterward. He was diagnosed with infantile paralysis (or polio) which is a condition that affects children, but not adults. His legs were paralysed, and he was paralysed to the waist. It was difficult for him to change clothes, wash his hair and use the bathroom. His dark thoughts consumed him and he was distraught. [5]

Franklin Roosevelt, asked in 1944 by his press secretary to make a statement about freedom of the press, replied testily, “Quite frankly I regard Freedom of the Press as one of the world’s most microscopic problems.” I suspect Churchill, if asked, would have launched into a long, example-studded historical exposition that, when parsed, said pretty much the same thing: It was not a problem in Britain, though during the Second World War, British media complaints about any lack of such freedom would likely have been censored. I’m having not found Churchill commenting directly on freedom of the press, but this quote is close: “Free speech carries with it the evil of all foolish, unpleasant and venomous things that are said; but on the whole we would rather lump them than do away with it.” That’s hardly a ringing endorsement, though I suspect the remarks of both men could be interpreted as grudging admiration for the skills and tenaciousness of news reporters. Last edited 26 days ago, by Nathifa ziegler (Imus, Philippines). [6]