Fear, according to Thurman, is a defining psychological element of the disinherited. There are many kinds of fear, and Thurman describes a variety of fears that generally stem from social insecurity and have “roots deep in the heart of relations between the weak and the strong” (37). Violence begets fear, even if it is only the threat of violence, always looming. The threat of violence manifests as the understanding on the part of the oppressed that “any slight conflict […] may bring down upon the head of the defenseless the full weight of naked physical violence” (38). This threat creates a state of constant fear. Thurman invokes the story of David and Goliath and considers whether Goliath may have died in a state of “outraged dignity” after perceiving David’s lack of preparation and respect (39). Thurman relates another personal anecdote about a trip to India, where he conditioned his body to avoid stepping on the ground at night in case of poisonous snakes. He explains that the disinherited are similarly conditioned to act in ways that “reduce their exposure to violence” (40).

Fear and its learned behaviors are passed on to children and thus perpetuate limitations on freedom.