Why do we experience Fear? I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately.
If you think about it, the emotion of “fear” is incredibly influlential and powerfull. Our very legal-system depends on it (essentialy). It has kept kings from going into battle against enemies. It has created entire categories of jobs. It has prevented even our very own untimely deaths.
But, what exactly is fear? Here’s my take:
Fear is the manifested emotion that occurs as the result of our sub-conciouss “will to self-preservation”.
Perhaps my theory lacks a bit of scientific/psychological proof, but it just seems like fear is caused by a “hidden”, inner will to preserve our own life at any cost.
What do you guys think about fear? What things are you afraid of (and why)?
i think you are definately right in saying that it is ‘inner’, being that it does not make sense for fear to be objective, for we would all have fear of the same thing. in the same sense though it is not possible to expain one persons fear from another. is there a difference between being scared and fear?
however fear is something taht must be developed, and if it is part of an ‘inner’ that inner must have to develop aswell. we are not acared of things innately when we are born we become conditioned (as one theory) to be scared of things so if its something to do with our sub conscious something would have had to have acted on it first.
i think fear is more a reaction than an emotion, in the way that we have to learn to be scared of things but we do not teach ourselves to feal pain and thus cry.
Good thoughts! As you have pointed out, infants are not easily frightened in the truest sense (they may be scared easily, but not of things that pose any true threat to them).
The reason we are not born with fears is due to the fact that we are not born with any great deal of knowledge about life. Within the mother’s womb, there is virtually nothing to be afraid of. It is the perfect eviroment for the child to grow for that time.
Fear, must therefore be learned from life. It is empiracle by it’s very nature.
…Or is it? My next question is this: Is any fear innate? Are other (non-human) primates born with any form of innate fear of predators?
You all have not been around too many babies have you?
Babies have the fear instinct it is the reaction that is different in each that is most interesting.
Some close their eyes and scream their lungs out. some leave their eyes open and scream, some start shaking with eyes open some close their eyes and shake,
The ones that are the most interesting are the ones with eyes open screaming and flailing their fists and apparently more angry then afraid. and the ones that are very quiet, eyes wide open holding any noise and quivering not shaking, not moving very much just watching with frightened eyes.
I imagine it would be an interesting study to follow up and see just how each infant grows up and compare their reactions to how they lead their lives.
We are all born with a full set of emotions we are not taught them. We are only taught how to apply them. Thats where things get screwy. take one emotionally screwed up parent and add baby that is where the circle begins.
Fear – fight or flight – awareness of danger evokes the desire called ‘fear’ – theoretical fear is subjective and changes per person – objective fear happens when we are hurt by someone or something physically.
fear. i think of heidegger and schopenhauer. its survival instinct. we fear what threatens are ability to live (at a most basic basic level). But, on a daily basis, most people don’t need to fear that which threatens their life, but only their quality of life. i also think of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.
at the most basic level we have physiological needs (hunger, air, etc.)
then safety needs (a home at night, a place to be warm)
then love (affection, mommy)
next is esteem (recognition of our own strengths, respecting others)
and then when these are all accomplished and in place we can reach what is considered the pinnacle:
self-actualization
perhaps we fear that which impedes are access to the pinnacle.
schopenhauer believes the most basic level is what causes fear.
heidegger believes that we, when in thrall to the “they” (warped conformity), fear our own death and in our fear we impede our own self-actualization. if we are authentic we know no fear but are anxious.
