FEAR THESAURUS

PERSECUTION



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HELPFUL TIP:

A deeply embedded fear often stems from trauma, so it can be helpful to explore emotional wounds that may be a factor. Your character might also become risk-averse, avoiding people and situations they associate with this fear. And for a character to achieve their story goal, they must overcome any fear-based thinking that's holding them back. The Character Builder is a great resource for pulling all these factors together.
NOTES:
Closely related to prejudice, persecution involves an overt attempt to make someone suffer because of their race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, weight, looks, political affiliation, or any other arbitrary identifier. Persecution and prejudice are unfortunately real occurrences for many people; if the character has experienced prejudice in the past, witnessed others being persecuted, or has been taught that persecution is a foregone conclusion (and are therefore expecting it), it can develop into a fear with many debilitating results.

WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE:
Hiding or downplaying certain aspects of who they are
The character changing their beliefs to align with what's popular
Avoiding situations where the character's personal beliefs might be questioned or highlighted
Expecting prejudicial treatment from others
Sticking with people who are like the character
Physically moving, fleeing an area, or quitting a group to avoid persecution
A hyper-sensitivity to criticism
Being anxious or a worrier
Empathizing with other people groups who are prone to persecution
The character being on high alert when they're away from home
Voting for candidates who share the character's ideals, race, gender, etc.
Becoming confrontational (to avoid being mistreated)
Joining an activist group of like-minded people to fight against persecution
Feeling watched, like the character is being surveilled or spied on

COMMON INTERNAL STRUGGLES:
Becoming jaded or cynical about the future
The character second-guessing themselves and their suspicions about others
Internalizing other people's negative comments or ideas 
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FLAWS THAT MAY EMERGE:
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HINDRANCES AND DISRUPTIONS TO THE CHARACTER'S LIFE:
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EMOTIONAL WOUNDS IT COULD STEM FROM:
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SCENARIOS THAT MIGHT AWAKEN THIS FEAR :
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HUMAN NEEDS THAT COULD BE IMPACTED:
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GOALS MADE DIFFICULT BY THIS FEAR:
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CONFLICT SCENARIOS THAT OFFER GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES:
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