The Step Not Taken

Fear is a powerful human emotion, it's built in within all humans and controls the human behaviour. It is human nature to allow fear to control people’s thoughts and behaviors, preventing them from being their true selves, as seen is “The Step Not Taken”, “A Nonsmoker with a Smoker” and Bowling for Columbine.

In the essay “The Step Not Taken” Paul was followed into an office-building by a well-dressed young man carrying a briefcase. Shortly after, the young man burst into tears, Paul stepped out of the elevator very confused as to why the young man was crying. Paul said, “I stepped out. I stood in the hallway, a bundle of mixed emotions, wondering what to do. A combination of guilt and uncertainty washed over me. Should I go up to the 15th floor and make sure he’s okay?” (D’Angelo

Humans are built with the intention to help others, your inner self always wants to help even though it may take some time to react, just like how it took Paul some time. On the other hand, humans also have fear built inside of them. Fear is the barrier that prevents us from showing our true selves, no matter how much your inner self wants to do something, it is fear that prevents you from doing that. Going back to the story, Paul wanted to show his inner self by helping the man, but Paul was afraid to do so because he thought the man would not respond/judge Paul. Fear stopped Paul from showing his true self, only then he was regretful that he didn't go back to help. In the essay “The Step Not Taken” Paul wish that he would have approached the man crying in the elevator because he was feeling regretful and sad that he did not help him. Paul said, “Like so many things in life, I know now what I should have done. I should have thrown caution to the winds and done the right thing. Not the big city thing. The human thing” (D’Angelo 2). Notice how Paul says “Not the big city thing. The human