I'm no expert in psychology, but it seems to me that many people have a psychosis that compels them to NEED something to fear. Government, secret world-ruling cabals, foods, industries, cults, aliens, political parties, the U.N., celebrities, the local cops, the very wealthy, something they don't understand, or just "them" -- if those things didn't exist, their psychosis would invent them.
Fear of the unknown is also just human nature. We all have fears.
Some people are savvy enough to play off fear, or to at least instill a form of it in their audience. They invent things to fear so that they can gather power or money. How many times have you heard politicians paint the opposition as something or someone to fear? How many advertisements use this tactic, and organizations seeking donations or votes? "You may have this disease and not even know it" is a common ploy in medical advertising. Talk show hosts (of all persuasions) use it all the time.
Hitler used fear to peddle his doctrine of murder and war. Al Qaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood and the KKK use it, as do virtually all radical militant and political groups, and groups that hate based solely on race or stereotype.
Some common unfounded fears include the following: The Japanese mafia or the U.S. government manipulating weather, the U.S. government being behind the 9/11 attacks, aliens (everything about them), the Trilateral Commission, Bigfoot, the Loch Ness monster, witches, ghosts, hauntings, the "zombie apocalypse," California sinking into the ocean, refined sugar and white bread, fluoridated water conspiracies, and teaching evolution in schools.
Of course, there really are some things to fear -- natural disasters, violent people, insidious political movements, and so forth. But all of the things mentioned above? Certainly not.
So how do we evaluate the things we fear? How do we instill a little more peace in our lives, and shut out unfounded fear? I have a couple of suggestions, and would appreciate your input for more. You'll notice that my basic philosophy is that knowledge is power, and that shallow knowledge is dangerous.
1. Is there objective, tangible, verifiable evidence for this thing/person/movement you fear? Have you really studied this thing?
2. What is the source of your information? Does this source gain anything by promoting this idea? If so, be skeptical and take a hard look at it. Are your sources credible authorities, or are they politically or economically motivated? As an example, I'll offer that all talk-show and website/blog hosts are motivated by increasing their audience, and their guests are motivated by selling their books, so everything they say should be viewed with healthy skepticism. You can extrapolate to other sources from there. A subject-matter expert is one who is educated in the subject, has been employed working on the subject for many years, is recognized by other subject-matter experts, and does not reach conclusions motivated by power or money. Simply being a book author or website/blog author or talk-show guest does not an expert make.
3. Is this thing you fear realistic? That is, do subject-matter experts agree that it is? Does it contradict good common sense? Does it fit with known laws of physics and accepted scientific or psychological principles?
Life without unfounded fear is much, much happier.
Hitler used fear to peddle his doctrine of murder and war. Al Qaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood and the KKK use it, as do virtually all radical militant and political groups, and groups that hate based solely on race or stereotype.
Some common unfounded fears include the following: The Japanese mafia or the U.S. government manipulating weather, the U.S. government being behind the 9/11 attacks, aliens (everything about them), the Trilateral Commission, Bigfoot, the Loch Ness monster, witches, ghosts, hauntings, the "zombie apocalypse," California sinking into the ocean, refined sugar and white bread, fluoridated water conspiracies, and teaching evolution in schools.
Of course, there really are some things to fear -- natural disasters, violent people, insidious political movements, and so forth. But all of the things mentioned above? Certainly not.
So how do we evaluate the things we fear? How do we instill a little more peace in our lives, and shut out unfounded fear? I have a couple of suggestions, and would appreciate your input for more. You'll notice that my basic philosophy is that knowledge is power, and that shallow knowledge is dangerous.
1. Is there objective, tangible, verifiable evidence for this thing/person/movement you fear? Have you really studied this thing?
2. What is the source of your information? Does this source gain anything by promoting this idea? If so, be skeptical and take a hard look at it. Are your sources credible authorities, or are they politically or economically motivated? As an example, I'll offer that all talk-show and website/blog hosts are motivated by increasing their audience, and their guests are motivated by selling their books, so everything they say should be viewed with healthy skepticism. You can extrapolate to other sources from there. A subject-matter expert is one who is educated in the subject, has been employed working on the subject for many years, is recognized by other subject-matter experts, and does not reach conclusions motivated by power or money. Simply being a book author or website/blog author or talk-show guest does not an expert make.
3. Is this thing you fear realistic? That is, do subject-matter experts agree that it is? Does it contradict good common sense? Does it fit with known laws of physics and accepted scientific or psychological principles?
Life without unfounded fear is much, much happier.
I enjoy reading the things you write here. They give me something to chew on while I fold laundry, do dishes and change diapers.
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