The Benefits of Fear
John Lennon said “There are two basic motivating forces:
fear and love. When we are afraid, we pull back from life. When we are in love,
we open to all that life has to offer”
The usual perception of fear is that it leads to inaction – the
pulling back from life that Lennon speaks of. Psychologists and self-help
experts have filled pages to help us overcome fear
Fear is one of our most primal instincts. It is caused by a
part of our brain called the amygdala and is our foremost self-preservation
tool. If we did not fear we would not survive. What we call fearlessness is not
the absence of fear, but the channeling of fears into action
One can propose that all development of human society springs
from fear. Fear of mortality lead to the
invention of vaccines, cures, development of medical equipment. Fear of loss of
property and life led to the architecture of castles, walled cities and houses.
Banking systems protect one’s wealth. Fear of invasion lead to the creation of armies
and weaponry. Fear of injustice established legal systems and legislation, the
social contract, and formulation of human rights. Fear of ignorance established educational
systems. F ear of social rejection motivates keeping up with fashions, going to
the gym, knowing the latest slang, viral tweets and music charts. Conversely,
fear of losing one’s cultural identity ensures the transmission of social customs , traditional values,
classical music and literature.
Fear is used to control people. Exploiting fear makes money,
whether its marketing or breaking news.
Electioneering campaigns focus on fear and mistrust of the opposition. The
journalist H. L. Mencken said "The whole aim of practical politics is to
keep the populace alarmed”.
Fear is a complex emotion reflected in the many nuanced
words in different languages. The Latin
‘timor’ represented fear of God, the French word ‘panique ‘ derives from the
Greek god Pan who took pleasure in suddenly appearing and frightening travelers.
The Quran describes 10 forms of fear: Khawf, Khashyah, Khushoo’, Taqwa, Hadthr,
Raa’a, Wajas, Wajl, Rahb, Wajf ranging from being startled to awe and
reverence.
Fear makes a person alert and therefore aware, observant and
analytical, qualities essential for planning and problem solving. A Japanese Proverb reminds us “fear blows wind
into your sails”. Fear is the great inventor. The underling impetus for
science, philosophy and religion is the desire for clarity and emancipation
from fear.
In the midst of all this feverish activity to allay anxiety,
is the quiet ability of the Arts to help us confront and manage our fears. The
Arts don’t offer solutions. They help us sublimate and provide a safe vantage
point to acknowledge our emotional responses.
A Stephen King novel can be put back on the shelf after it has made our
hearts race with fear. We can step out of the cinema after watching a horror
movie. Actors immerse themselves in portrayals of dark souls, serial killers,
domestic abusers, megalomaniacs, assassins and gang members. Shakespeare’s dark
tragedies give us insight into the tragic consequences of the impulsiveness of
Romeo, the procrastination of Hamlet, the ambition of Macbeth, the misjudgment
of King Lear.
Michel Angelo helps us imagine the day of judgement, Goya
the horrors of war, Edvard Munch the silent scream of panic, George Grosz the
corruption of society, the Surrealists our darkest nightmares. Pakistani
artists have boldly presented the conflicts, hypocrisies, anxieties,
inequalities and suffering endured by Pakistanis as have the Sufi poets, the
ghazzal khwans, musicians and film makers. The Arts do not avoid the fearful, but move
towards it. By containing what is
fearful in an aesthetic structure, they create the space for the viewer,
listener or reader to acknowledge what would otherwise be too painful to
experience.
Rumi urges us: “ Today, like every other day, we wake up
empty and frightened. Don't open the door to the study and begin reading. Take
down the dulcimer”.
Durriya Kazi
June 29, 2020
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