Why Do We Feel Fear ?
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Short filmTranscript
00:00Why do we feel fear? Fear the very word conjures images of darkness, danger and dread.
00:09But why do we feel fear? What purpose does this primal emotion serve in our lives?
00:15Is it merely a survival mechanism or does it hold a deeper meaning?
00:19In this exploration, we will dive into the origins of fear, the ways it shapes our actions and decisions,
00:27and perhaps most intriguingly, why we are drawn to it even when it terrifies us.
00:34The ancient roots of fear, survival at its core, at its most fundamental level, fear is a survival instinct.
00:43From the earliest days of human existence, fear has been a protective force,
00:49guiding our ancestors away from danger and towards safety.
00:53Imagine standing on the savannah tens of thousands of years ago,
00:58hearing the distant growl of a predator in the dark.
01:01In such a moment, fear sharpens the senses, quickens the pulse and triggers a flood of adrenaline.
01:09It forces immediate action fight or flight and in doing so, it keeps us alive.
01:15But fear is more than just an emotional response.
01:18It is woven into the fabric of our biology, deeply embedded in our brains.
01:24The amygdala, an almond-shaped cluster of neurons, plays a crucial role in processing fear.
01:32When we perceive danger, whether physical or psychological,
01:36the amygdala activates, sending signals throughout the brain and body that prepare us to respond.
01:43It is this very system that has allowed humanity to survive for millennia in a world filled with threats.
01:51However, the threats we face today are often very different from those our ancestors encountered.
01:58We no longer have to fend off wild animals or navigate through hostile environments to survive.
02:04And yet, fear remains deeply ingrained in us.
02:07Why?
02:09Because fear, as we will soon discover, is not just about survival.
02:14It touches on something much more complex.
02:17Our understanding of the unknown, the uncontrollable and the uncertain.
02:22The fear of the unknown.
02:24A step into darkness.
02:26One of the most profound aspects of fear is its relationship with the unknown.
02:32Humans are creatures of understanding.
02:34We seek patterns, explanations and clarity in all aspects of life.
02:39But when we encounter something that defies our comprehension,
02:43something that lurks in the shadows of our knowledge,
02:46fear naturally follows.
02:49Take, for example, the common fear of the dark.
02:52As children, many of us were afraid of what might be hiding in our closets or under the bed.
03:00It wasn't the darkness itself that frightened us.
03:03But rather, the absence of what we could see.
03:07The unknown possibilities of what might exist in the void of darkness
03:12trigger our imagination to conjure all manner of terrifying possibilities.
03:18This fear of the unknown extends beyond childhood.
03:22Into adulthood, as we continue to grapple with uncertainties in life.
03:27The unpredictability of the future.
03:30The mystery of death.
03:32Or the possibility of failure.
03:35Philosophically, the fear of the unknown speaks to a deeper human concern.
03:40Our desire for control.
03:43To feel fear in the face of uncertainty
03:45is to acknowledge that we are not always in control of our fate.
03:50And this can be terrifying.
03:53But it is also a reminder of the limits of human knowledge.
03:58Of the vast mysteries that still lie beyond our grasp.
04:03Seer, in this sense, humbles us.
04:06It reminds us that we are but small figures in a vast, unpredictable universe.
04:11The social dimension of fear.
04:15Fear of rejection, judgment, and isolation.
04:19While fear is often thought of as a response to physical danger.
04:23It is equally powerful in social contexts.
04:27Humans are inherently social beings.
04:30And much of our fear arises not from external threats.
04:34But from our relationships with others.
04:36The fear of rejection, of being judged, or of being isolated from the group
04:42can be just as potent as the fear of physical harm.
04:47This kind of fear is deeply tied to our need for belonging.
04:52From an evolutionary perspective,
04:54being part of a group offered protection, resources, and companionship.
04:59To be cast out from the group was, in many cases, a death sentence.
05:03Even though modern society no longer operates by such rigid survival standards,
05:10the fear of social exclusion lingers in our psychology.
05:14Consider the fear of public speaking.
05:16For many, the idea of standing before an audience
05:20and exposing oneself to scrutiny is terrifying.
05:24The heart races, the voice trembles,
05:27and the mind fills with the fear of saying something wrong,
05:30of being ridiculed, or of not being accepted.
05:35This fear of judgment taps into a primal anxiety
05:37about losing social standing or being ostracized.
05:42It is not the act of speaking itself that is feared,
05:46but the possibility of social rejection.
05:49In this way, fear serves as both a guide and a barrier
05:53in our social lives.
05:55It warns us of the potential risks of social missteps,
05:59but it can also prevent us from taking risks
06:02that might lead to growth, connection, and achievement.
06:06Understanding the social dimension of fear
06:09allows us to see how intertwined it is
06:12with our sense of identity and belonging.
06:15The attraction to fear.
06:17Why do we seek it out?
06:19Here lies one of the most paradoxical aspects of fear.
06:23While it is an emotion that causes discomfort and distress,
06:27we often seek it out.
06:29Hero movies, haunted houses, roller coasters,
06:33these are all experiences designed to evoke fear,
06:36and yet millions of people actively participate in them.
06:40Why?
06:41Part of the answer lies in the thrill of fear.
06:45When we feel fear in a controlled environment,
06:48such as watching a scary movie,
06:50we experience the rush of adrenaline
06:52and heightened awareness that comes with danger,
06:56but without the real-world consequences.
06:59It allows us to flirt with the edge of fear
07:01without being consumed by it.
07:03This gives us a feeling of exhilaration,
07:06a reminder of our capacity to survive,
07:09even if the threat is imagined.
07:12There is also a psychological aspect
07:14to our attraction to fear.
07:16Fear forces us to confront our vulnerabilities and anxieties.
07:22When we face fear and come out the other side unscathed,
07:26we feel a sense of triumph and empowerment.
07:30This is why fear-based experiences can sometimes feel cathartic.
07:34They allow us to confront what scares us in a way that is safe,
07:38controlled, and even enjoyable.
07:41Fear as a teacher.
07:42The lessons of vulnerability.
07:44Philosophers throughout history have pondered the role of fear in human life.
07:50While many see fear as something to be overcome,
07:53there is also a view that fear is a necessary and valuable part of the human experience.
07:59Fear reveals to us our vulnerabilities,
08:02our limitations,
08:03and our deepest desires.
08:06In facing our fears,
08:07we learn not only about the world around us,
08:10but also about ourselves.
08:12For example,
08:13the fear of failure teaches us about our ambition and our attachment to success.
08:19The fear of death forces us to confront the finite nature of life,
08:24pushing us to seek meaning and purpose.
08:27In this way,
08:28fear can serve as a guide,
08:31pointing us toward what we value most
08:33and helping us understand what it means to live a full and authentic life.
08:39The philosopher Soren Kierkegaard once wrote about the dizziness of freedom,
08:45the fear that arises when we are faced with the infinite possibilities of choice and action.
08:51This existential fear,
08:52This existential fear, he argued,
08:54is not something to be avoided but embraced.
08:58It is through this confrontation with fear that we come to understand the true nature of our freedom,
09:04our responsibility, and our existence.
09:07The inevitable fear,
09:09mortality, and the ultimate unknown.
09:12At the root of many of our fears lies the ultimate unknown,
09:16death.
09:17The fear of mortality is perhaps the most universal and profound fear that humans experience.
09:25It touches on the very essence of what it means to be alive,
09:30to be aware of our own existence,
09:33and to know that one day,
09:35it will come to an end.
09:37This fear of death shapes much of our behavior,
09:41even in ways we may not always recognize.
09:44We seek to avoid danger,
09:47prolong our lives,
09:48and find meaning in a world where death is inevitable.
09:52For some,
09:53the fear of death leads to a search for immortality,
09:57whether through religion,
09:58legacy,
09:59or technological advancements.
10:01For others,
10:02it inspires a deeper appreciation of life's fleeting moments.
10:07Yet,
10:08while death is the ultimate fear,
10:10it also serves as the ultimate teacher.
10:14It reminds us that life is fragile,
10:17that our time here is limited,
10:19and that we must make the most of the moments we have.
10:23In this way,
10:24the fear of death can lead not to paralysis,
10:28but to action.
10:29It can motivate us to live fully,
10:33to pursue our passions,
10:35and to connect with those we love.
10:37The dual nature of fear,
10:40a curse and a gift.
10:42As we draw toward the end of this exploration,
10:45it becomes clear that fear is both a curse and a gift.
10:49On one hand,
10:50it can paralyze us,
10:52keeping us from taking risks or moving forward.
10:56On the other,
10:57it protects us,
10:58teaches us,
10:59and motivates us to live with greater awareness and intention.
11:03To feel fear is to be human.
11:06It is an emotion that connects us to our ancestors,
11:10to our fellow beings,
11:12and to the great unknown forces that shape our lives.
11:16But it is also an emotion that challenges us to grow,
11:20to face what frightens us,
11:22and to understand the deeper truths that lie behind our anxieties.
11:27So the next time you feel fear,
11:30whether in the face of danger,
11:32uncertainty,
11:33or loss,
11:34remember that this emotion is not your enemy.
11:38It is a companion on the journey of life,
11:41urging you to move forward,
11:43to be brave,
11:44and to embrace the full spectrum of what it means to be alive.
11:48Have a great talk.
12:01Have a great talk.
12:01Bye-bye.
12:12Bye-bye.
12:17Bye-bye.