Big Think: The Nature of Fear

We all know about fear. Heck, most of us probably feel it on a daily basis. But our ancestors would probably have scoffed at what we fear, which for many of us includes math tests and losing a cell phone: they had to deal with tests of strength, in the form of war, and risked losing their lives. But fear is hard-wired in us all, a point noted in this article from Big Think: 

http://bigthink.com/risk-reason-and-reality/we-fear-first-and-think-second-and-we-fear-more-and-think-less

What's interesting about this article is the fact that it mentions how we perceive fear in different ways when the context of the source of that fear is changed. The article uses the example of vaccines, and how people are more afraid of vaccinating their children than they are of vaccinating themselves. It explains how such a "Perception gap" can put oneself, and others, at risk. It's a toughen-up sort of message, telling the audience that it can be better to take the risk just to reap the reward. It also states that the context of the event that causes fear is important in how afraid you become - for example, if you submit to something voluntarily, you'll be less frightened than you would be if that same something were out of your control, or forced on you. It also mentions that familiarity with something can lessen the fear you fear, and a lack of familiarity can make an experience all the more terrifying. It also helps explain some of the more irrational fears people have about events beyond their control, such as natural disasters and military conflicts. Hey, Russia might nuke us tomorrow. It's a terrifying prospect, really, but why? It's almost positively not going to happen. The idea that your reaction to fear depends upon your personality is questionable, though, because down deep, all human beings respond to fear in different ways. It doesn't matter if you're introverted or extroverted - in the end, you'll still be running and screaming.