Fun Stuff > CHATTER
Phobias.
cynnabyte:
I can't say I have any phobias. Other than waking up and having a phobia. Does that make me phobiphobic? Like a fear of phobias? I could never be afraid of falling. Besides, it's not the fall that sucks. It's the landing! Fear of Americans? Everyone has that! Especially us Americans. Needles have always fascinated me.. They just pop it in and out flushes your vital juices! "Amazing!"
Bibliophile:
Cynnabyte, that reminds me of this:
--- Quote ---The Bene Gesserit Littainy against Fear.
Pg 19 of Dune
I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.
--- End quote ---
Reading this thread I have come to the conclusion that we are afraid of only one thing - pain. Being afraid of the dark is being scared of the unknown, because what we don't know about might hurt us. There could be scary things hiding in the dark. Being afraid of needles and spiders etc. is a fear of pain. Being afraid of driving because we may hurt others is a fear of the distress we may cause others and therefore the worry and guilt we cause ourselves, and/or the pain of incarceration. Worry and guilt are kinds of pyschological pain. The fear that our friends and family don't really like us and are just being polite is the fear that we are unloved. Feeling unloved is another kind of pyschological pain. We are also scared of things we don't understand, because if we don't understand every aspect of a thing and how or why it works then it might be something that could cause us pain.
We're human. The majority of us don't like pain, because pain is a warning that something is wrong. "OW! HOT!" can mean "Take your hand off that hotplate, it is burning your skin and that is not a good thing." "Aw! SAD!" can mean "They don't like you - change your behavior so you are more socially acceptable and then more people will like you and be your friend - because there is safety in numbers." Therefore, there is not really any such thing as an irrational fear. Really, an "irrational fear" is just someone labeling you to make themselves feel more comfortable because they don't understand your fear and, well, didn't I say not understanding things was a fear already?
So basically, the best we can do is try to analyze each fear and weigh risks against benefits. Is it worth the effort to get over your fear of sharks? If you ever want to go scuba diving, probably yes. If you don't, probably not. If you worry sharks will come out of the shower head during your daily wash, probably yes. Fear is an instinct that has evolved over millions of years. Those that worried there was a lion hiding in that bush lived every time there really was a lion. The rest became cat food. The scared live on and breed and pass on their scared little genetics.
To conclude (I didn't mean to write an article guys, sorry, I started typing and it just sort of... happened. At least there is a scroll bar!) sometimes it is worth fighting against your instincts and sometimes it is not. As a librarian, I could be crushed by a stack of falling books and be killed! But this is very unlikely event and it is not worth giving up a paycheque for. Any time I make the Vancouver to Sydney flight we could crash! But it's only a slim chance, so I don't let it get in the way of seeing my loved ones. Basically, like everything in life, you need to put it into perspective.
P.S. Having said all that, thank you to Ephemere and everyone else for talking about their fear of driving. I am 23 now, and I still don't drive.
SevenPinkerton:
I actually just finished a section in Montaigne's writings concerning the fear of death and the fear of pain. He calls all fear a natural instinct against pain. Even our fear of death is a fear of the pain or the unknown, while when we are actually confronted with death, at the moments right before you slip away, you can be filled with perfect calm and acceptance and realize it's just a part of life.
Of course, he also contradicts himself again, because the dude is like that, but I found it intriguing.
And I must comment, I certainly do not believe all fear is from a fear of pain. How then would I explain my sudden fear of death due to my fear of leaving my lover behind? That's not pain, just plain insanity and emotions.
Patrick:
--- Quote from: Bibliophile on 06 Feb 2008, 14:09 ---Fear is an instinct that has evolved over millions of years. Those that worried there was a lion hiding in that bush lived every time there really was a lion. The rest became cat food.
--- End quote ---
Or they evolved into George Washington, who went on to fuck the shit out of bears.
Regarding driving, I'm 19 and I'm only learning to drive this summer. I'm not so much afraid of CARS so much as I'm afraid I'll kill somebody. I don't even care about my own safety (either I'm suicidal or just absurdly altruistic*), just so long as I don't get anybody else killed I'll be alright dying.
I don't care if an animal runs in front of my car, though. Unless it is the size of a golden retriever or larger, I am not going to risk running into a pole for the sake of a gat-damn squirrel. If I hit somebody's cat, that really sucks. Chihuahuas? Different story, I hate the bastards. But if a deer stops in front of my car, I am going to be like "OH FUCK THAT IS A DEER" and stop.
*Bahahaha no way am I altruistic, it's GOT to be a deathwish
Bibliophile:
And here I was worried I might just be talking out of my ass, but it turns out I'm just having similar thoughts to some guy born in the 1500's who was a very influential writer and popularised essay writing. Well there you go. o_o
"When I play with my cat, how do I know that she is not passing time with me rather than I with her?" - Montaigne
Holy crap, the man is a genius.
--- Quote from: SevenPinkerton on 06 Feb 2008, 15:42 ---And I must comment, I certainly do not believe all fear is from a fear of pain. How then would I explain my sudden fear of death due to my fear of leaving my lover behind? That's not pain, just plain insanity and emotions.
--- End quote ---
Exactly! It is emotions! And some emotions are painful. You do not want to hurt her by leaving her behind. You feel guilty about how she would suffer from the loss. It's that guilt (even though it would be something you have no control over) that hurts and makes you fearful.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version