Fear rarely brings out the best in others.

A short reflection from Let This Radicalize You around how we inspire others to action. Using fear as a motivator works if you want to bring out the worst in people—panic, division, reaction, hatred, violence—but it's less successful if your goal is to try and get people to work together.

Instead of fear, they suggest there are other emotions we can reach for. Emotions like admiration, nostalgia, love, sadness, excitement, or even outrage. The trick is that these require a slower, deeper form of storytelling; one that cuts against the reactive immediacy of online culture. And we probably need to explore different channels of communication to really tell these stories effectively. I think of increasing opportunities for presence and sharing, spaces where people can ask questions and explore deeper into whatever movement you're trying to build. Spaces that invite curiosity and next steps in a very human way.