A questioner expresses their problem of having a deep-seated fear of the world, which has become rooted within them. They feel suspicion towards strangers and situations without any reason, and fear is a constant presence day and night. This fear is causing them both physical and mental harm, and they hope that by listening to Acharya Prashant, the remaining fear will also be eliminated. Acharya Prashant begins his response by stating that the matter needs to be understood from two or three different directions. The first point he addresses is doubt. He clarifies that there is nothing inherently wrong with doubt itself. In fact, belief is far more fatal than doubt. Most of us are not afflicted by doubt; we are afflicted by our false, blind belief. The cause of our suffering, problems, and bondages is our false, blind belief. From one perspective, religiosity is the art of doubting. The question is, what to doubt? Doubt that which is seen, that which appears, that which is known, because what else is available to doubt? Doubt the one who is seeing it. Doubt the one who has considered the seen to be reliable and true. Where else does illusion (Maya) hide? It hides in our belief and self-confidence. We believe in another, which is called belief. And the other is what appears, and our trust in the one to whom it appears is called self-confidence. This is illusion. Acharya Prashant explains that we have great trust in ourselves and what we see. We believe that if something appears beneficial, it is true. This trust is in ourselves. And we are the ones who believe that if something appears harmful, it is dangerous. This trust is also in ourselves. The one who doubts, how can they be afraid? Until one has faith in their own false ego, how can they have faith in their own fear? A fearful mind is an arrogant mind. Its statement is, "I know for sure that a particular thing is dangerous for me." How do you know? The speaker advises that when you are afraid, ask, "Who is afraid?" When you are happy, ask, "Who is happy?" When you are sad, ask, "Who is sad?" The happy one is me, the sad one is me. And both are a combined name for the ego. If you remember that whatever is happening is happening to the "I," and this "I" is not to be taken seriously, then both happiness and sorrow will fall away. Our natural tendency is to believe, which is why we must learn to doubt. And when you are doubting, do not forget to doubt not only the seen thing but, most of all, the seer.