Fear
So you think you are a survivor? One of the fittest? Do you fight or do you fly? You are fit for survival — if you respond *appropriately* to your fears.
When humans lived in caves, hunted and gathered — humans knew immediately what to do when a saber tooth tiger came sniffing around. If not, the gene pool was cleared of the humans making the wrong choices. We became the apex predators by thinning the herd and outsmarting the physically superior predators.
We also knew exactly what to do when another tribe member comes sniffing around to forcibly recruit new members. Human actions were based on what will benefit the individual, firstly, and the tribe, secondly. Humans have always been that way and we still are today.
The problem now, much of our fears are unfounded or based on untrue assumptions. Fear has become the number one (We’re #1☝) tool to get attention — or lend “credibility” to a news commentary or media article. Note: I said news commentary — but it often applies to reported news (if it bleeds it leads).
At work, the “old timers”, the geezers — get upset because new changes are coming. The “soon to be retired” find out new computers are replacing paper and pen. Or a new manager was coming in to implement efficiency rules . These geezers will resist it. They tell anyone who’ll listen — that “manager is worthless” and the computers never work.
In the previous examples, fear is taking over (not new management) and “fighting” the changes. Fear of (not) learning something so alien and new — that their minds fight with panicked roadblocks. And then there are those who retire (flight) to avoid change.
What is different today than 30 years ago? Why are people “crazy” — so determined not to work together?
It’s because those with a captive audience know the way to the audience’s heart of hearts — fear. Threaten everything that is baseball, apple pie, and the American flag — and you got yourself a bunch of American’s who fight or flight — but they don’t question the source of the fear.
The fear of change is so strong — that it blinds the audience to seeing the real fear-mongers, the demagogues', the power hungry politicians — who don’t have our best interest at heart. They only want to be in charge. Power. Remember the saying? Power Corrupts — Absolute Power corrupts absolutely.
Fear is a human emotion that is stronger than hate, stronger than love, stronger than common sense. Why? Because Fear is what has kept us alive — kept us at the top of the apex predator pyramid.
But with the industrial age, the technology advances — we need not give into our fears immediately — and fight or fly. But some people just don’t get that — they always respond to the fear. It’s always worked before, right? (Remember that change?)
This is what we deal with when we argue on the Internet — with people who share on social media — the videos and the meme’s that are crazy, patently untrue, and which a non-authority has “spoken”. Notice how it’s never just text? Because part of fear and succeeding with fear is quickly observing movement and colors. That’s another natural defense reflex — it saved our human lives thousands of years ago — and we believe that is hammered in stone. It is this kind of thinking we are dealing with — and why we can never win. Another way to describe this is cognitive dissonance.
What I do know is that what I wrote above is true. Yet, I cling to the belief that I can help people. Help them understand they are following a “anti-christ”, if you will. And I get so frustrated when I point out the obvious — and instead of acknowledging what I said — I’m then met with the tactics — that qualify as “Fight”.
These tactics are —
“I’m entitled to my opinion” (yes, but this is not opinion you are sharing — it’s quackery. Your opinion is that you believe it).
“Well, you are stupider than you look!” (because name calling is so mature and works…NOT)
“What about…” (known as “Whataboutisms”)
And of the three fight tactics — not a single one responds to the truth. That’s where the cognitive dissonance comes in. It’s the equivalent of “Not listening, Not listening” as they stick their fingers in their ears.
I have no answers except one: Be the change you wish to see in the World. That comes straight from Jesus Christ, if you are a believer — and from Mahatma Gandi — if you are not.
I confess — I’m stubborn and keep trying to engage and discuss — instead of peacefully setting the example. I think it’s because I’ve been right so many times in the past but was just run over with “gas lighting” or ignorance or hate. I’m 60 years old — and my patience has not just run thin…it’s completely transparent.
I have to sit down and write this out, over and over — that when people respond to fear — it’s more powerful than anything I have in my arsenal of logic or common sense.
