Fear is a powerful motivator. Fear is uncomfortable. Who enjoys being uncomfortable? No one enjoys being uncomfortable. Because of this there is a tendency to move away from fear and towards our comfort zone. Fear makes us change our behavior, the way we think, and how we react towards others. It motivates us to act in certain ways to step away from our discomfort. Many believe that fear is the greatest motivation in life.
Over my lifetime I have witnessed the power of fear to control and manipulate the society I live in. Twice a year I take advantage of my employer’s offer to get a health check. A part of that health check is a full and comprehensive blood work-up. With the blood work comes a written, comprehensive report detailing my health. Part of that is “red flagging” concerns with bright red print. I have never received one of these reports without one or two “red flags”.
My knee jerk reaction? Oh my God, I’m dying! How long do I have to live? The fear sets in. I call my doctor, arrange an appointment, and put the mortuary on speed dial. As always, my doctor talks me down, pointing out that all mu scores are well within the normal range. I trust my doctor more than I trust a big insurance company whose number one priority is profit not health.
During the Halloween season I witnessed a lot of humor around fear. Lots of it focused on an individual in front of a screen being scared to death. When asked what scary movie they were watching, the response was “the news. Media knows how to use news to manipulate the masses . . . and it doesn’t matter which side you are on—liberal or conservative. Fear works.
When it comes to the media, reality is often far from what is reported.
The power of fear is all around us . . . even when it comes to matters of faith. Fear can motivate the faithful. Think about it. One of the scariest phrases that my mother ever uttered at me was . . . “wait until your father gets home.” That certainly helped me change my attitude and behavior. How many times, at least for Christians, did the writers of the scripture spark fear in the faithful by saying, “Just wait until God gets down here . . . or Jesus is coming/returns”? The writer of the Book of Revelation understood how fear motivates. Alternating every other chapter with fear, the writer succeeds in scaring the faithful . . . especially those sitting on the fence.
Fear is a big motivator when it comes to religion and faith. Check out how well the evangelicals employ it to keep their masses intact and under control. Even in those bodies of faith that preach “love” there are strings and conditions attached to that love.
For generations . . . actually it has probably been since the beginning of time . . . politics has effectively used fear. Politicians have known the power of fear to sway votes away from their opponents and into their coffers. It has been said that the recent election was an election run on fear. Both dies invoked the power of fear in hopes that they would win.
When used as a weapon, fear comes down to control. When a person is gripped by fear—whether real or imagined—rational and higher cognitive capacities shut down. This makes them easily manipulated by anyone who promises safety from the threat.
Sound familiar?
The sad thing about fear, besides its power to manipulate, is that it can lead people to act in ways that harm others. Whether or not is intended, I have a feeling that there is a whole lot of hurt coming down the road after this election. Time will tell, but I think the response to this fear is going to bring more harm than help. The only ones who will benefit will be those in control.
The “fear of fear” is phobophobia. I don’t want to live my life based on fear. I don’t want to buy into this forced picture of the world being a big, dark, scary place. I know that it is not. You know that it is not. So let us not jump onto the bandwagon of fear, giving our lives and the world we live in to a small controlling group. They don’t care because if they did, they would not use fear against us.
Let us stand up to fear and those who weaponize and perpetuate it against us. Let us confront our fears. Research our fears. Dig for the reasons behind those fears and those who perpetuate them. Let us not have the wool pulled over our eyes. Don’t let others paint our life’s pictures for us, let’s paint our own. Don’t allow another to think for us.
Life is good despite what others would want us to believe. It only takes a spark to get a fire going . . . that fire can be one of fear or one of love. I side with love. Love is the better way. After all, the Creator did not create any junk. It is a wonderful world. Ask Louis Armstrong.
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