Michael Franzese

Now, I'm going to be honest with you.

You know, I stayed in line because I realized if I made a mistake, I could pay for it in a severe way.

So it does keep us in line in a certain way.

Like I say, the consequences are more severe.

But fear is an element of almost every organization or every life.

But I left.

Well, let's put it this way.

I knew that there could be consequences that I could face, but I also knew the life very well.

So I knew what I had to do to protect myself.

So I didn't live in fear.

I honestly didn't.

I didn't sell my former associates short.

I knew what they were capable of, but I also felt that I can do my best to avoid that.

But I think what you're saying is that's one of the main reasons why we succeed in that life, because of fear.

And I disagree with that.

Because it's not true.

If you did something wrong, if you violated the oath, yes.

But in order to succeed in that life and you're not violating the oath, it wasn't fear that allowed me to succeed in that life.

It was having an understanding of the life, knowing how to use that life to benefit me in business where I had my success.

So fear didn't cause me to be a good mob guy.