Why do we look down on fear?
I thought about this the whole time as I stroke my imaginary beard, pondering if fear needs to exist in order for bravery to ensue.
What does fear get all the bad vibes? Surely, it exists for a reason. Just like the existence of my pathetic stubble.
Defining fear
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary:
fear (noun); an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger.
Fear is a defensive response, a natural fail-safe trigger to ensure the perpetual survival of yourself and for the human race. Without fear, we won’t be here now.
If fear is necessary, why do we celebrate heroism and glorify those who act despite being safe?
Ok.
We identify bravery as emotionally tough to commit, especially when there is a higher likelihood to fail. That is why we feel for the soldier who died in the line of duty to protect his country, to those who stand up against oppression, and those who picked themselves up after being tossed about in the game of life.
Fear is the necessary catalyst to spark courage.
Technically, there is no such thing as being fearless. If someone is, either he is crazy or he simply has no respect towards life and the people around him.
Fear can be your friend
Fear needs to be embraced, yet it has to be kept in check. Fear alone can siphon off your energy and drag you down to the bottom.
That is why it has to be married with calmness, which promotes rejuvenation of the mind.
And when both emotions unify, we get a heightened awareness of our surrounding.
I likened it to an attribute enhancement, just like a character in a role-playing game.
Heightened awareness promotes proactivity to always be on a lookout for “safe zones”. It is the readied acceptance that situations will always arise and we will have to be ready for anything, whether we like it or not.
Kind of like acknowledging that I am definitely going to fail, yet I try to find ways to break fall or cushion the impact.
Houston out.
