Do you have fears?
By lucky_witch
@lucky_witch (2707)
Philippines
August 19, 2007 8:58pm CST
Did you ask yourself already why there are things that frightens you that did not frighten other people? Why does our fears different from each other? Me, I fear of a ghost...maybr because of instincts. If we couldn't be afraid, we wouldn't survive for long. We'd be walking into oncoming traffic, stepping off of rooftops and carelessly handling poisonous snakes. We'd be hanging out with people who have tuberculosis. In humans and in all animals, the purpose of fear is to promote survival. In the course of human evlution, the people who feared the right things survived to pass on their genes. In passing on their genes, the trait of fear and the response to it were selected as beneficial to the race.
Most of us are no longer fighting (or running) for our lives in the wild, but fear is far from an outdated instinct. It serves the same purpose today as it did when we might run into a lion while carrying water back from the river. Only now, we're carrying a wallet and walking down city streets. The decision not to take that shortcut through the deserted alley at midnight is based on a rational fear that promotes survival. Only the stimuli have changed -- we're in as much danger today as we were hundreds of years ago, and our fear serves to protect us now as it did then.
And some of my fears I want to ovrcome, some I just want to remain it that way. :)
10 people like this
27 responses
@DavidReedy (2378)
• United States
20 Aug 07
We all have fears. Courage, in point of fact, is the ability to act in the face of those fears. They serve us a great purpose, but the reaction we get from them quite often does us a disservice. For instance, the desire for "fight of flight" doesn't do much good when it comes to newly dating jitters or public speaking. And there's a lot of studies that suggest that the fight or flight reactions we have without release are quite litterally killers, in that it stresses the body out to a large degree, to first have this reaction and then not to be able to release it.
2 people like this
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
20 Aug 07
As a kid I ran thru the alleys at night fasterr to get to where I was gouing . Now I put wallet in fron pocket for no one is going to mug me. You have to walk with confedence that nothing or any one it going to hurt you. MOst people will leave you alone if you have the demeaner of being confadunt!
2 people like this
@Zelmarq (12607)
• Cebu City, Philippines
20 Aug 07
I am afraid of snakes and I really detest them. I am afraid even with the thought of them. I dont know if I will be able to get over these fears.
@cutiedhes (507)
• Philippines
22 Aug 07
I don't know the reason why but what i most fear of is blood. But i am not afraid of the blood which comes when you got a little wound or something like that. I am just afraid of the blood when you see so many blood flowing for example people who are injured during New Year's eve something like that. And also the common fear of the ghost.
1 person likes this
@Ceciliacherry (181)
• China
20 Aug 07
fears come from our heart, our the deepest place. it seems that fear always has no reasons ,just crouching around us everywhere, and whenever.
it's humans that get the sense of fearness, and try to avoid awful things. Bravery is just big words. i admit that we always lose bravery. but since fears are unpredictable and passive, sometimes we shoud learn to overcome it and be stronger.
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
20 Aug 07
You are correct.Fear is what motivates us everyday to be and do everything that we do and the way we do it. Fear defines us. It also helps control us. The fear of what if.. If we didn't have it the world would be a chaotic place to be indeed. I for one and glad I have my fears they keep me on the straight and narrow roads instead of the roads of destruction and badness of hte unknown. I have the fear of snakes so when I am outside that means I am more alert and careful. It has saved me a few times from not only snakes but other things. I don't think I want to give up any of my fears it would be givingup apart of myself. I possibly need a few more.
1 person likes this
@Lydia1901 (16351)
• United States
4 Jan 08
I am sure that we all have fears one time or another. The only time I would really feel my fears is when I am face with them right away or something.
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
22 Aug 07
I can never figure out why people are afraid of ghosts? Why is this so?
@slavezero (833)
• Philippines
20 Aug 07
Yes I have. And that is to loose the people I love because of the things I do or not do. I hate the thought of being helpless at one thing that is important to me but I cannot revive anymore. I dont want to be helpless in many situation so of fear of loosing something that maybe I can no longer have again. So if there would be slight problems, I decide to fix it as early as possible.
@cristi12 (378)
• Romania
6 Jan 08
Haha good point on the usefullness of fear.
True that we need fears, but when fears turn in to phobias, you have a problem.
I myself have one fear, which I recently discovered to be my primal fear. I fear loosing control. Either of myself or something around me. I must be in all times in control of things. That's just who I am. So yeah, I think fear is good for our survival instinct... but don't let your fears turn into phobias! ;)
@navtech (1773)
• India
20 Aug 07
dear lucky_witch, I really appreciate your description of fear in human being. It is very interesting to read. I do not afaird of ghosts. I fear the people who has got mean minded and doing only harm to others even this mean minded people take help from people but do only harm to them instead of doing good them. I have, in my life, come across few people whom I really afaird of. They act in such a manner, you would be forced to think they were all very nice people, broad minded, people with helping tendencey. They used show their behaviour like that but inside their heart, they are the worst people, mentally degernated, consciously perverted people. I am afraid of them only.
1 person likes this
@winsly_langes (14)
• Philippines
21 Aug 07
it is common sense... imo. its just that we know that if were not careful enough, we might get hurt or worse than that... you know what i mean.
but i guess we can also call it that(fear)... according to wikipedia "it is an emotional response to impending danger..."[1] so.. being wary i guess is a type of fear as the same page[1] states it as a "mild caution"
1.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear
@meme0907 (3481)
• United States
21 Aug 07
Hey l_w,
You're right on-we all have fears & some for good cause. One of my silly fears is that of caterpillars b/c when I was a kid one caterpillar season on the playground I covered myself in them & was walking around showing off :hehe: well when it was time to go back to class I thought I'd gotten all of them off but later on during the day my ear started to bother me & I went up & told the teacher she looked in my ear & took out a caterpillar :YUCK: since then I've been afraid of caterpillars.Crazy huh?
@men82in (1268)
• India
21 Aug 07
Upto me I fear of my guys about their hardships in their family, because my guy's were all set to push up just right time towards dependants. Due to financial aspects they are poorer also i cannot help for all because some extent only we can help due to their comments.
@marymarj2002 (1769)
• Philippines
21 Aug 07
I have fears in my life too. When I was young, I am always dreaming that I am drowning in the deep blue sea. And I can't breath. So, when I grow up I have a fear that I don't like to take a bath and go to waters. But later I was able to faced that fear and overcome it. I was happy that I have finally break that fear in my heart.
@grecychunny26 (9483)
• Philippines
22 Aug 07
I have fear of losing a loved ones and friends. I have fears of losing important things. You know you provided some good information on your topic, i like that. Me, i have so many fears, i also want to overcome it. But what i want first to overcome is my being negative, i don't want to think negative, but how can i do it. It is hard to change sometimes.
