The Thoughts of We

Why do humans experience fear? Why is fear such a powerful motivator for so many of the species? Well, fear has been used for thousands if not millions of years to control and lead people and animals in accordance with our ever-changing understanding of what is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’. Although, the current generation may differ in their ability to reason and remain logical about things such as the origin of life and the Universe, we still have a very powerful instinct based on our reptilian brain that drives all of our behavior.

When a threat or danger surfaces it registers in the reptilian brain with sharp senses that can be triggered by many things from a moving body part to a sound in the environment. This strong emotion that humans experience is normally directed to protecting ourselves and our family however, it is sometimes turned inward and directed at others. It may be that when a threat is encountered and the response is fear; it causes us to retreat and not let ourselves be vulnerable. This in turn leads to an emotional reaction that is inappropriate and sometimes is a catalyst for actions we don’t want to take. Such actions are often viewed negatively and have a strong negative impact on relationships, which can cause them to break down and even cause people to commit suicide.

Why do humans experience fear and what causes this emotion? Most likely it is because they have experienced a painful life-threatening situation in the past and fear is a powerful emotion that can be used to help us overcome fears or to keep them at bay. It is a common trait amongst most human beings to be somewhat fearful of the unknown. Perhaps this is why so many great men and women throughout history have won battles and struggle while others have failed. It is because of their fear and apprehension of what was ahead of them that allowed them to rise above other lesser human beings.