Unfounded Fear

Modern society's behavior is often driven by fear. It is ironic that many of those fears are unfounded. We create most of them in our heads. What is paradoxical about the situation is that today's societies are much less threatened than our ancestors' were. They had good reason to be apprehensive of their world, since they were not nearly as powerful as many of the predators they faced. An adequate level of fear was appropriate for them—much like the trepidation exhibited by small and vulnerable critters like mice and birds.

However, today's humans have become the most powerful creatures on the planet, so we no longer need to feel anywhere near the fear level that our deep ancestors did. We are top dog. So why are we so frightened? I believe there are two principle reasons: (1) the more power we acquire, the more we worry that some human stranger will take over and wield power over us, and (2) our polarized society readily turns our opponents into wicked enemies.

In the first case our problem is that we instinctively seek power, whenever we feel uncertain or not in control. We believe that if we build and impenetrable wall or a formidable weapon, we can intimidate any potential foes. They will fear us and leave us alone. And yet, this belief usually leads to an arms race, as our newly-acquired power now seems like a threat to them. So they will seek ways to fortify themselves, to ward us off. Whichever side acquires the greater power at any time, will often find themselves drawn into using that power—not necessarily out of fear, but as much due just to the temptation to see what we can gain by using it.

In the second case we easily succumb to the fear of the opposing clan in a polarized society. There is little inclination to try to understand them, since we become convinced that they are bad and we are good. We readily respond to that primordial feeling of dread of the other. We readily adopt stories of their evilness or unworthiness. This deep-seated fear rises quickly within us, as we experience a rush of adrenaline—which again was useful, when long ago we were surrounded by fearsome threats. Emotions such as anger, ignorance, and misunderstanding feed the problem. 

How do we counter our fears? There are several antidotes, such as fostering empathy, respect, and understanding of the other—which are the core aspects of nonviolence. It's not easy. It's work. It can help to appreciate that feelings such as fear once made more sense for our species, when we were weak, but can be lessened, now that we are strong. It's time to grow up.