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Post by la3ar on Feb 25, 2011 20:56:31 GMT -5
General academic definition;
A distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid. -concern or anxiety; solicitude-that which causes a feeling of being afraid; that of which a person is afraid.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- So concidering it to be an emotion would rather mean it is controllable. Is being fear-less, a realistic term?
Most people have encountered a moment when fear has held them back, whether conscious or unconsciously. Are these fears instilled in our DNA, or are they learned?
Fear as a method is being used widely on the news. We constantly see, what the "power" or the "man" is capable of doing. Corporations exploit fear for proft. Insurance company's are best known for this. "Better be safe, than sorry".
Looking at the details being dropped on us as a society, it would be safe to say that fear is the prime motivator for most things that we do.
Is it possible to imagine life without fear? Or living in a society where the term "fear" doesn't exist?
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Post by laughingriever on Feb 25, 2011 21:05:01 GMT -5
I guess you could approach the question in two ways. One way would be to see fear as an social reaction, an emotion and cultural byproduct of the individual and social setting. The other answer could lie here, in a materialistic and reductionist approach. www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/211972.php
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Post by la3ar on Feb 25, 2011 21:17:05 GMT -5
Apparently we are born with two fears; The fear of falling and fear of loud noises. - These have been instilled in our DNA.
The "other" fears are subjective depending on the individuals inate definition. According to the artcile, the amygdala is the part of the brain that registers these definitions.
I see fear as something that is taught. A child at youth is potentially "fearless", maybe reckless, but the child is foreign to the term; fear. We are taught to fear the unknown, fear the authority, fear of the concequences, fear "bad things". By accepting the outer world as being fearful, one can only conclude, by being apart of the world, one must fear aswell.
I think fear comes from lack of understanding. If someone gets thrown into the woods with nothing but a pocket knife and with no survival experience, this individual will most like be afraid of the outcome. You throw a US marine or Russian Spetnaz in the woods (concidering that they are ultimitely trained), their understanding of the surroudings and the situation diminishes the essense of what fear is, and the individual will be able to conduct themsevles collectively in the given situation.
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Post by Emperor AAdmin on Feb 25, 2011 21:27:36 GMT -5
Is it possible to imagine life without fear? Or living in a society where the term "fear" doesn't exist?It is not possible since it is one of the manifestations of our emotional state and emotions are integral part of being human being as we know it. I would say the only way fear (or rather all emotions since I believe they are all interconnected or even one like spectrum's within a rainbow) could be 'bypassed' if either some sort of chip was inserted inside us that can switch off the emotions all together or genetically modified babies which would either have that capacity or would have even emotions fully neutralized by liquidating whatever genes trigger them (if such is the case). Fear to me is a form of heightened emotional state in a negative mode (enthusiasm appears to be a form of heightened emotional state in a positive mode) where logic has been greatly depleted if not fully eliminated. It is part of our primordial self (the chimp within us sort of speak). Fear is the greatest motivation for any human being. (Fear of; being homeless: of losing a job: of getting arrested: of experiencing physical or psychological pain: of not being able to protect or provide for our family: of even being seen as different etc etc). Fear is probably the most constant (versus enthusiasm) of all emotions since it is based on ones own or someone else's bad experiences and it is reinforced by the probability of being harmed. Source that is causing fear is usually independent of us and our emotions greatly magnify the intensity of the fear itself. The more emotional we are the stronger the fear becomes which explains why the power of irrational fear is strongest among kids and women. Machiavelli studied the way people lived and aimed to inform leaders how they should rule and even how they themselves should live. For example, Machiavelli denies that living virtuously necessarily leads to happiness. And Machiavelli viewed misery as one of the vices that enables a prince to rule. [15] Machiavelli stated that it would be best to be both loved and feared. But since the two rarely come together, anyone compelled to choose will find greater security in being feared than in being loved. [16] In much of Machiavelli's work, it seems that the ruler must adopt unsavory policies for the sake of the continuance of his regime. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niccol%C3%B2_Machiavelli#InnovationsMachiavelli method has been utilized before and after him every single time in history since not one ruler has ruled without force upon its subjugated population (explains existence of police and military in every single country).
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Post by la3ar on Feb 25, 2011 21:34:32 GMT -5
Aadmin; Can logic over-ride fear?
If yes, then technically we can condition ourselves to not be fear-full.
If we eliminate fear, are we eliminating positive emotions such as excitement?
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Post by Emperor AAdmin on Feb 25, 2011 21:56:54 GMT -5
If we eliminate fear, are we eliminating positive emotions such as excitement?Fear to me translates to heightened emotional state and such are fear, enthusiasm, excitement, love or hate (among others). Fear , enthusiasm and excitement when compared to the last two are short lived and based on present or immediate future while hate and love are more lasting and based on past memories and all are based on some sort of risk/reward assessment (engraved within our primordial self). Excitement is usually produced cause there is fear that something might go wrong or that we might get harmed but it has not turned to fear yet since our assessment (logical or 'emotional') of probability of such an event occurring has not reached the necessary threshold. I do not deem excitement as a positive emotion but our body's way of telling to be aware since something dangerous might occur (even sexual intercourse might be dangerous on many levels). Dangerous as in bodily harm or psychological harm. Hunter is hunting a lion and has a powerful rifle and past experience and not to mention training. He knows that once a lion is spotted he might have only seconds (if lion is charging) to point and strike a deadly shoot. While he is walking around he is exited until he spots the lion when excitement turns to fear. But it fear he is able to BYPASS and therefore it is not a paralyzing fear but fear he has learned to ignore. I am sure that only way he doest fear at all in such case is if there is some sort of genetic mutation. There are people who are adrenaline junkies and who might have such a mutation and they appear almost always mixed with Celts. But such people have another Achilles heel and that is that their ego gives them a wibe of almost invincibility (another heightened emotional state) that sooner or later could easily spell their doom in its own right. Read bellow article for such example. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_IrwinQuestion is again not eliminating emotion alone for such a thing might be impossible as far as nature is considered since such extreme might be 'equalized' by another emotion which will be heightened.
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Post by la3ar on Feb 25, 2011 22:04:45 GMT -5
The Steve Irwin example actually goes perfect with what I am trying to imply.
Having true understanding in something, eliminates the "unknown", ultimitly eliminating fear.
He understood animals very well, well enough to not be afraid of them. One can obviously argue that the "lack" of fear killed him. Making him reckless.
I totally agree that fear can be used as a prime motivator, but at the same time I see fear as a mechanism that holds us back. I think most of us fear things, we don't even know we fear. Fear of succeeding? Fear of the complex? Fear of knowledge? Fear of truth? Fear of something that is new?....etc.
Do you think by logically deducing what is being feared and gaining knowledge of what is unknown, is it possible to over-ride what is being feared?
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Post by Emperor AAdmin on Feb 25, 2011 22:14:36 GMT -5
Do you think by logically deducing what is being feared and gaining knowledge of what is unknown, is it possible to over-ride what is being feared?
No. Only by a genetic mutation that some Celts (as that guy who died in the link I presented) appear to have. Vast majority (lets call them 'normal' as in predominant) have the fear mechanism in tact it appears cause otherwise rule through fear would not be possible. 'Normal' person with the lion example would still fear the lion when it starts charging at them cause of the speed with which change or event (lion charging all of a sudden out of nowhere) occurred. Knowing what a snake is in detail will not eliminate fear when all of a sudden it appears from under a rock.
I also believe that fear of change is another paralyzing fear for many.
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Post by la3ar on Feb 25, 2011 22:21:07 GMT -5
They are some people who would remain completly calm in a situation like that (a lion charging them). Very few mind you, but the ones that wouldn't demonstrate fear would at least have a logical explanation behind it. aka- jungle combat/survivalist training.
An average person in this situation, given they have no background in "lion-combat" lol, would definitly demonstrate a conciderable amount of fear.
I can't comment on what you say about the Celts, for I dont know enough about the history.
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Post by la3ar on Feb 25, 2011 22:23:31 GMT -5
"Knowing what a snake is in detail will not eliminate fear when all of a sudden it appears from under a rock." - aadmin
I think there is a difference between being startled and having fear. If a loved one just jumps into your room frantically while your focusing on a write-up, your probably going to get startled by it. This doesn't mean you fear this person.
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Post by laughingriever on Feb 26, 2011 14:12:42 GMT -5
Fear, in all its forms, is part of the human experience. Humans (and other animals) have been feeling it before they could stand upright and say "ug", before there was a name for it, or for anything.
We will never (at least not in the foreseeable future) have a society without fear anymore than we will have a society without poverty, crime, corruption, etc. Fear doesn't have to be "a bad thing" either, which is merely the judgment value of a society blinded by the dichotomy of "good and evil".
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Post by la3ar on Feb 26, 2011 17:11:52 GMT -5
I would like to argue that because of fear, we have corruption, poverty and crime. One's who aer commiting these acts are one's are preying on the fearful.
To biologically eliminate fear seems quite far-fethced. I beleive its more in the mind, rather than physical attribute we all humans have. Of course, there is probably a balance of the two.
My main argument, and purposes of this thread is too analyse and share whether; Complete awareness and understanding of a circumstance/situation can eliminate or just perhaps help the individual gain control of his own fear.
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Post by Emperor AAdmin on Feb 26, 2011 18:04:13 GMT -5
My main argument, and purposes of this thread is too analyse and share whether; Complete awareness and understanding of a circumstance/situation can eliminate or just perhaps help the individual gain control of his own fear.
Basically the question is whether a given human can remain still enough or relaxed enough? Being relaxed enough I believe would in itself neutralize the effects of fear to at least some extent. And by being relaxed enough I am assuming under ANY circumstance (meaning, no matter how extreme is the circumstance). Do you count and or describe objects around you to stimulate your logical side? But, what if by the time you are at ten objects counted and analyzed in your mind the lion is at your throat? Counting stops then. ;D Meaning it would surely take some time to subdue a powerful emotion such as fear that has build itself up within us at that moment.
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Post by la3ar on Feb 26, 2011 18:14:55 GMT -5
lol... the whole lion analogy works best IF concidering the victim is well experienced enough (aware) and has enough understanding of the situation at hand.
I am by no means a jungle-survivalist, but I have spent some time with those who are. I find the survivalist psychology facinating. I beleive its fair enough for me to declare these individuals as fear-less.
Being relaxed, controlling the nerves and blocking out useless thoughts, are all apart of being fear-less. At least its the path.
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Post by la3ar on Feb 26, 2011 18:17:17 GMT -5
The question of whether it's fully biological or fully part of the mind, is another topic entirely.
Perhaps its both (most likely the case).
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Post by Emperor AAdmin on Feb 26, 2011 19:01:00 GMT -5
one of the ways to reduce emotional levels Health Effects (Meditation)
Meditation is sometimes used for healing purposes. It is becoming more common in medicine as a way to reduce pain and stress. Many studies have been measuring the effects of meditation on the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Biofeedback machines or software programs measure the amount of control a person has over their breathing or heart rate as they are performing meditation. Many diseases can be linked to stress; therefore, reducing stress can increase overall health. In Hinduism, it is believed that there are seven main energy centers called the chakras in the body. Meditation is used to open and release blockages that are believed to be linked to disease. Each of the energy chakras in the body is also believed to relate to the health of various aspects of the body. The chakras are used in Ayurveda medicine for healing in India, as well. www.ehow.com/about_5270035_side-effects-meditation.htmlProper breathing also I believe will decrease the intensity of ones emotions (including therefore fear). Shortness of Breath: Panic Disorder and Hyperventilation
Many people with panic disorder experience shortness of breath or sensations that they are smothering. Most people describe this as a feeling that they can’t get enough air into their lungs. Since we need to breathe to sustain life, these symptoms quickly bring about a sense of panic and fear. If you feel like you can’t catch your breath or are smothering, it may seem logical to conclude that you may faint, or even die, from lack of oxygen. But, in reality, these sensations are not life threatening or dangerous. panicdisorder.about.com/od/symptoms/a/pdbreathless.htm
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Post by la3ar on Feb 26, 2011 19:11:31 GMT -5
^ nice poste.
Our third-eye has been blinded for some time now, but I think we are reaching an age when this has become a realization.
We are realizing as a speicies that something is wrong in this world.
Things like politics, culture and ethnicity are getting in the way of this realization.
eh... what can ya do,,, right? lol
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Post by la3ar on Feb 27, 2011 14:50:53 GMT -5
^ So can it agreed upon that fear is a mechanism that can be controlled by our selves?
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Post by laughingriever on Feb 27, 2011 14:57:18 GMT -5
Fear, like any emotion, can be controlled by ourselves. Some people can tune it up and some other can tune it down. A few can get rid of it completely.
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Post by la3ar on Feb 27, 2011 15:02:30 GMT -5
Agreed. We have very powerful minds, and we are taught nothing of it. I guess this thread can be closed now, lol. We have reached a conclusion. Inless aadmin has additional input. All the posts in this thread, were a pleasant read. I truly enjoyed this exploration.
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