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Fear both entices and repels. It is a fundamental tool that can be used to control and dominate, a warning label to effect caution, and a monster that eats away at rationality. Fear is electric, and the yearning to feed it almost impossible to ignore. The seduction of fear is its greatest power.
Fear drives many human behaviors. Desperation for the next big rush, thirst for a fix, and a sense of boredom when not directly engaged in stimulating experiences all foster our desire to stalk fear. We slink after it in dark alleys, convincing ourselves we can handle the consequences. We haunt its halls, lurking behind its shadow in hopes of a quick thrill. Fear has become a feral pet that we nurture and feed. Only when it bites back do we startle, wondering why it turned against us.
The Appeal of Fear
Research is clear that our complex brains work overtime to differentiate between perceived and real threats, instantaneously coaching our bodies on the best way to react to each one. It all comes down to our sense of control over any given hazard; if we conquer frightening situations with a sense of mastery, in the long run we end up satisfied and eager to take on similar situations in the future. Hence the birth of thrill-seeking rides, multi-level haunted houses, our obsession with scary movies, and so on.
Comparable to mood-altering substances, we can also build a tolerance to fear. With each fearsome situation we face and overcome, as long as the end result is a sense of mastery and control, the bar is raised. We crave higher stakes, more stimulation, and electrifying arousal.
Alternatively, experiencing a fearful situation without a sense of control often results in avoidance of similar situations in the future. Being exposed to frightening circumstances that we cannot master trains us to go into protective mode. Case in point: By continually allowing yourself to access the never-ending stream of information about the current coronavirus, you will eventually decide to isolate as much as possible from the rest of the world. This is a direct correlation to feeling off-balance and frantic in response to an unknown state, in addition to watching the world around you model intense anxiety and frenzy in response to ever-growing reports on this virus.
The Social Aspect of Fear
We cannot hide from the social aspect of fear. Humans are complex social beings, requiring interactions with others. When it comes to fear, we often experience a collective infatuation with it. Social modeling of positive reactions to fear-based situations are powerful and encourage our own engagement with the same stimuli. Just as formidable is our observance that others perceive certain stimuli to be terrifying. Out of collective terror is born precarious behavior.
There is a dark side to fear. Fear in isolation is compelling. When fear is corroborated by others, it becomes annihilating. It drives reckless behaviors, self-seeking greed, and destruction. It can escalate from a quick thrill to panic-inducing terror in an instant. Collectively, human morals and values often undergo drastic transformation in the midst of alarm. We tend to sacrifice others for our own good, break all the rules, and trample our standards, all in the name of survival.
Fight or Flight Transformation
The fight or flight response is well established and has interesting effects on our choices and behaviors. It can transform a typically meek and quiet person into a raving monster, willing to damage others in order to re-establish a sense of security. It leads to the foolish behaviors of consumers who tear into the nearest stores for the purpose of hoarding safety supplies that could be better utilized in healthcare settings. As humans, we are capable of abstract reasoning and deep interpersonal connections. As fear-driven humans, we are capable of base, knee-jerk reactions to a primal drive to survive.
While a craving to protect ourselves and those closest to us is to be admired, it can also be our downfall. Permitting the seduction of fear to ensnare you and drip panic into your veins is deadly. Fear has a funny way of setting off chains of events that, in the end, lead to more mayhem and destruction than the initial dreaded issue. Think of the pointless and tragic deaths that occur in highly crowded situations, when we allow panic to induce an animal-like stampede. Contemplate the historical examples of how uncontrolled mobs have acted out their fear in aggression and violence on the innocent.
Fear Vaccination
While the spread of a global virus is alarming, equally disquieting is how rapidly the virus of fear has unfurled. Its insidious entrance into the hearts of nearly every person with access to news of some kind must be stopped, or it will result in exponentially more death and destruction than the biological virus we are collectively facing.
Halting the spread of fear IS in our control. Unlike viruses that are novel and unknown, we do possess a vaccine for fear. Stop engaging in the spread of rumors and share only scientifically backed news. Stop hoarding supplies that will be necessary in medical settings to effectively treat and end the spread of the coronavirus. Stop pointing fingers and placing blame to ease your own sense of foreboding. Do not allow yourself to continually access sensationalized reports that the world is ending because we are facing an unknown and scary situation.
Only by breaking up with our own lethal attraction to fear can we stop its spread. The seduction of fear is potent. It draws us in with honeyed promises, but the end result is always bitter ash.
References
Javanbakht, A, & Saab, L. (2017). “What Happens in the Brain When we Feel Fear.” Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/what-happens-brain-feel-f….
McCarty, R. (2016). Stress: Concepts, Cognition, Emotion, and Behavior. Handbook of Stress Series Vol. 1.
