Perceptions of Threat: Cultural, Environmental/Physical, and Social Variables
While dread is recognized as a feeling brought on by perceived threats and dangers, how each individual views events as threatening or dangerous varies. What then affects and decides whether events are perceived as dangerous? These perceptions are influenced by a number of cultural, environmental/physical, and social variables. Why then do some people have a fear of heights but feel completely at ease operating a vehicle at high speeds? Their perception of the threat levels of various occurrences is affected by various physical factors, such as proximity to the earth. Additionally, a person's experiences with various events are influenced by a variety of physical, cultural, and social factors, which in turn shape their views toward those events. A person who has never witnessed an accident involving a rock climber is likely to exhibit different attitudes towards rock climbing compared to an individual who has never witnessed such kind of accident. Moreover, the social factor of public perception also defines the individual perception of threat levels of various events. Occurrence and experience of fear among individuals, therefore, is a product of preceding events.
External and Internal Fear: Insights from Scholarly Texts
Despite the heterogeneity of fear-inducing events among individuals, all experiences of fear can be categorized as either external or internal. However, the external and internal nature of fright is also defined by various events that characterize an individual's day to day lives. Furthermore, there are scholarly texts that easily allow for the analysis of different aspects of fear. Some of these texts are the "Crito" by Plato and "To be in a Time of War" by Etel Adnan. In the first text, analysis of various considerations by Socrates during his imprisonment and subsequent chance to escape but, live in exile illuminates on what can be argued to be external fear of loss of freedom. On the other hand, Etel Adnan's text sheds light on various internal fears arising from the physiological process of death. Consequently, the examination of the outlined texts will facilitate various arguments and discussions regarding the contemporary issue of fear.
The Fear of Loss of Freedom: Insights from Plato's "Crito"
In the modern democratic world, there are ideals that are prescribed for individuals as the acceptable norms. Some of these standards include freedom and movement. The loss of privileges related to the identified norms induces fear that results to rash actions and decisions. What drives convicts to make daring escapes from prisons while risking possible death if they are shot by prison wardens? Are the convicts free when they live on the run? To understand the fear associated with loss of freedom/autonomy, the text "Crito" by Plato where Socrates is in prison and is visited by his friend Crito is very important. The main theme that Socrates discusses with his friend is his imprisonment and looming execution. Crito informs Socrates that he has gathered means to help him escape arguing that it would be dishonorable for Socrates to die in execution. Additionally, Crito continues by stating that the populace would not look well upon Crito and other Socrates' friends for allowing Socrates to die in the execution and that they would rather he lived in exile where he has some following.
However, Socrates blatantly refuses these efforts by Crito to help him escape from prison. Socrates says "...we shouldn't care all that much about what the populace will say of us, but about what the expert on matters of justice and injustice will say, the individual authority, or Truth." In this simple statement of defiance, Socrates reveals various aspects associated with the fear of autonomy exhibited by his friend Crito. First, the populace defines the acceptable perceptions regarding an individual's freedom. The simple fact that Socrates is imprisoned sets tongues waggling that his friends are incapable of freeing him with just a small price of him living in exile. From the modern perspective, doesn't the common consideration that being out of prison is better than being incarcerated lead to fear of incarceration and the need to escape prison? Furthermore, the labeling and discrimination of ex-felons by a majority of the population does not portray the perceived and yearned freedom by the ex-convicts. Socrates does cover this scenario when he asks Crito not to concern himself about what the populace will say but what the experts in matters of justice and injustice will say. In these considerations, Socrates is not aware of what the populace will later say about him if he escapes the scales of justice through dubious means. Furthermore, will Socrates be free if he lives in exile? As most escaped felons, Socrates would have to forfeit his relations with family and friends and even his home. One, therefore, considers how the fear of loss of personal autonomy and freedom propels individuals to exile themselves. But are these exiles not worse than the previous incarcerations as the individuals have to look behind their backs constantly? Socrates, therefore, settles Crito's fears regarding his autonomy by asking him not to consider the views of the populace.
The Internal Fear of Death: Insights from Etel Adnan's Text
In addition to indicating how the views of the populace fuel the fears of loss of autonomy/freedom, Socrates also sets in motion the consideration whether the loss of freedom is mainly physical or is it also internal. In his point to Crito, Socrates emphasizes on the individual authority and the truth. The two concepts help explain that loss of independence is not only physical but also internal. It is only through individual authority that Socrates does not succumb to Crito's offer. Through this authority, Socrates understands that freedom is very abstract and that he still has his mental faculties and his life, although, not for long. This availability of choice for him to either escape or, face the executioner exemplifies the depth of freedom that is available to him. This consideration that individual authority forms a significant part of the concept of freedom, therefore, shows that the lack of it breeds fear of loss of independence and autonomy. The lack of individual authority, thus, exposes one to the easy influence of the comments and consideration of the populace. Furthermore, Socrates considered the truth as an integral part of his condition of imprisonment. The consideration of truth for Socrates enables him to take the bold move of remaining in prison even after Crito provides a way out for him. The truth, in essence, eradicates the fear arising due to the loss of autonomy and even life for Socrates. Doesn't knowing the truth deep down in oneself set the soul free and enable people to face any judgment passed against them? Moreover, the truth cleanses the conscience thus reducing the fear as a result of incarceration.
The Fear of Death: Insights from Etel Adnan's Text
People are commonly faced with sicknesses and death. From these internal physiological processes, various threats are posed to individuals. As a result, the feeling of fear is aroused when one is told that they are sick and they will probably die. Despite the inadequate coverage of the issue of death by Socrates in Crito, Etel Adnan effectively covers the issue and fear of death. She says:
"To wait for the unknown. Not to know that Baghdad's Library has been destroyed. To resent the new Barbarians. To bleed for each book. To never be able to read one of those books. To plunge into one's veins. To hide into one's brain. To preside over the loss. To observe real endings. To wipe tears. To discover inner tears which turn into wounds. To explore new diseases. To immure oneself in loss. To wallow in dead civilizations, to become one. To bump into the dead. To vomit one's stomach and spit out the heart. To amputate one's head. To agonize on Baghdad's soil. To invoke heat as a weapon. To drink with Michael McClure the blood turned into wine of the Arabs (Adnan 114-115)."
The writer mourns the death of the treasured library which has experienced the loss of all its books. The emotions and feelings expressed in the text show the fear of death that is experienced by the majority of people. "To wait for the unknown" (114). In this statement, the writer outlines the main source of fear of death. What happens when one dies? The lack of an answer and existence of several confusing theories regarding what happens after death creates uncertainty and confusion thus breeding fear of death among various people. How do students react when they are faced with a test but are unprepared? Fear and panic sets among those students who are caught unawares by an impromptu test. Similarly, the lack of knowledge regarding death leads to unpreparedness among people hence the increased fear of death.
Death can be argued to be the most significant loss that most people experience its effects in their life. Family relations and comfort of friends are the losses to the people who are left behind. These people who die are not to be seen again in this lifetime or as the writer notes, "To never be able to read one of those books." Most people weep openly for the loss of their loved ones and death is compared to an intruder or even a barbarian as the writer notes, "To resent the new barbarians. ... To plunge into one's veins. ... To wipe tears." Despite the uncertainty of the time of death, most people know of the death process but, the prospect of losses as a result of death leads to the increased fear of death as nobody wants to experience it. Furthermore, death increases the chances of people contracting psychological conditions such as depression. Etel indicates the possibility of the affected parties hiding in one's brain.
Apart from losses of loved ones and uncertainty resulting from death, the finality presented by death induces fear among people. The finality of death means that most people are easily forgotten, thus, knowing that death is the last step in the life of an individual makes most people involve themselves in frantic efforts to ensure that their names are not forgotten. Why do people work so hard to be inducted in the various halls of fame? Why do people, such as Isaac Newton, ensure that their inventions are credited to their names? These considerations are made due to the extensive fear of death, more so, its finality nature which results in people forgetting the existence of the specific individuals. As Etel Adnan notes, death makes one wallow in dead civilizations and become one. The dead civilizations are irrelevant and are seldom recalled by people over the generations. The possibility of ending up like the mentioned civilizations, therefore, drives the fear of death among a majority of people.
Furthermore, death also spells grief among the people who are affected by the death of a loved one. How many people would like to feel the terrible feelings they felt after they lost a loved one? The need of people to escape suffering makes them fear the causes of those sufferings. People who have suffered as a result of an attack by animals fear the animals that attacked them. Grief is a suffering as a result of death. Thus, the prospect of grief fuels the fear of death among a majority of people. In fact, grief breeds so much agony that the writer notes that one vomits out one's stomach and spits out their hearts. The grief experienced can result in the action of individuals in irrational manners such as killing themselves.
Additionally, death also serves as the period for judgment for one's actions while they were alive. Depending on the deity which one believes in, most judgments are indicated to occur after death. These judgments induce a high dose of fear of death as people seek to avoid the possible punishments that are outlined by the various religions if the judgments on actions done when one was alive are unfavorable. Furthermore, death also serves as the period that fellow human beings evaluate one's contribution towards other people's lives. In other words, death also serves as the point where other people pass their judgment regarding how well the identified individuals spent the time they had for their lives. The dislike of the judgments, therefore, fuels the fear of death among many individuals.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is clear that fear is the emotion that is aroused when an individual is faced with imminent danger or threat. However, fear can be external or internal. External fear responds to external threats that are mostly defined by physical, social, and cultural attributes. One important scenario to examine external fear is the case of an imprisoned Socrates where his friend Crito tries to convince him to escape, but Socrates refuses. By outlining the reasons why he will not escape, Socrates provides useful insights regarding various catalysts that fuel the fear of loss of freedom, with the perception of the populace chief among them. Moreover, Socrates outlines individual authority and truth as other factors that influence the fear of a loss of autonomy. On the other hand, Etel Adnan presents the various conditions that breed internal fear, more so the fear of death. In her text, uncertainty associated with death, various losses of loved ones, the finality of death, expected grief, and the portrayal of death as the judgment period increased the fear of death among people. All the mentioned factors, therefore, influence the occurrence of fear both in the external and internal forms.
Work Cited
Adnan, Etel. In the Heart of the Heart of Another Country. City Lights Books, 2005.
