The Ultimate Vampire Resource and Directory

Why do people celebrate their fears?

I have seen threads in the sandbox that are dedicated to "Whats your fear?"

Is this a case of people hunting for sympathy, or pity?

Why be owned by your fears?

On a social website like this one, talking about your fears can give people conversation starters. Its a good place to start if your looking for things in common. If its something silly then something to laugh about.

It is invigorating to celebrate our fears.

Example:

My only real fear is "heights." Thus, I love roller coasters, flying in planes, standing on the edge of a cliff or a tall building.

Fear is fun and it is also quite useful if you can control it. Fear is probably the greatest weapon humankind has. Fear of nuclear annihilation has prevented WWIII thus far.

Thats true. Fears should be celebrated because without them, we would not have come nearly as far as we have or survived for nearly as long.

Fears are an integral part of our psyche and are essential if we are to survive.

Everybody is born with an instinctual fear of falling. This is triggered when we become toddlers and start to walk. This is why kids will always go to the top of the staircase but will never actually go over the edge. This demonstrates how fears are useful and how our survival would be impossible without them. For this reason, they should be celebrated.

I do not think it is necessarily celebrated by all ..... but perhaps for some the celebration may lay in thrill seeking,
( for instance someone who is afraid of heights being a skydiver), I mean how boring would it be if there were nothing to fear?

Fear gives all higher living things a sense of self preservation , it is instinct , buried deep with in and different for everyone in how they perceive and handle their personal fears.

Fear gives us something to strive for. If one is afraid of something, they can work at not being afraid. Fear also makes life interesting. It's much more fun to be afraid. Being dangerously anemic, I've lived my life in fear of bleeding out. However, I used to cut myself and I continue to allow a small number of vampirics to feed on me. Maybe I'm trying to prove something to myself, or maybe I'm seeking a risk to make my life more fun. Either way, this fear ended up not stopping me in life. I think being able to do exactly what you fear is a thing to celebrate.

There is a difference between facing your fears and idiocy though. Fears are always there for a reason. Yes you shouldn't allow your fears to control your life.

I think it largely depends on what your fear is. If you are afraid of something trivial then fair enough, you should be trying to control and even conquer it. But if you have a fear of something lifethreatening, it's really not wise to be testing that.

i guess it's somthing to chat about,seeing what other fears others have,to make it so your fear isent as bad as you thought.you know?
Owned by fear...
you know can really own you?
someone that knows your fear and keeps it alive by making it real everyday and night.then..its 'owns' you.

Like the old saying goes nothing to fear but fear itself

People that can pinpoint exactly what they are afraid of at least know the truth. They know what they have to face. Listing it, possibly, makes the ones who have the same, or other fears that other people might find silly, make the others feel better. I have fears....but most of mine are PHOBIAS. I can worry about the real fears, or just accept that shit happens.

Dabs, I think the answer to this one is easy.. people like to blame something, anything, other than themselves, for their own shortcomings.

Some of them are not own by fear, but by a need of attention. They create the term of fear to create a "AHHHH poor baby" syndrome in the mind of the reader and by this way, they become the center of attention of others.

Why be afrid?

Spiders, snakes, sharks, bears? - There animals like us, and trust me, they have there fears too, but they dont let that from letting them in water to swim, or keep them from running in a grassy field.

Heights, speed, fast? All aspects of life. Not life speed has a fear. It's not really a thing, and as of heights, i think people are more afrid to fall, and die, then anything.

Personally, i'm just afraid of being alone. But, i have my friends, and i know i wont be alone. I just dont understand some fears i guess.

I'm not saying anyone is wrong to fear things. Like heights, or snakes, or bubble gum. It's just a matter of will power over these items that seem scary to us, when in reality, they are not all that frightening!

Then as always, I venture onto a true reason for understanding fear.

Some people like to call it fear mongering, to exploit those on their fears. I won't name people or places otherwise this thread might get shut down.

Fear mongering has been done on numerous occasions, thus when someone. It always leads to an individual gaining a new fear on the subconscious level. Not realizing this fear was real until it was exploited. Subtle control can go a long ways.

Thus people cope with all things "fearful" to see if they can try to understand what fear is, to let it go. But in the end, unless one has experienced their own personal fear for themselves in real life, then they won't be able to draw a conclusion on how to get rid of that fear.

It is good though to discuss fears to try to understand them, nonetheless.

Subconscious i can understand.

but humans also fear aliens. we seek to kill them. also same with spiders, snakes, bugs, ect. so sense we are afraid of heights, are we going to kill that? or were afraid the sun will explode, will we kill that?


Most humans kill what scares them.

I aleays keep this in mind when facing a 'fear'

False
Evidence
Appearing
Real

Helps me cut through the crap and just strive ahead.

S

good question Dabs.
for me, it's easy.. as th thread you mentioned was mine.

I used to hide behind a masque.
for many years. I learnt to face mine.

few do.

Hate to state the obvious but fear is also exciting, hence the teenage horror movie titilation. Then there is the need for recognition, chicken little running around squarking "the sky is falling, the sky is falling" albeit this week, it really is.

It can also give a certin kind of rush, more powerful then adrenaline. But, this is not good all the time. but, alot of people do this for the adrenaline.

They can be called " adrenaline junkies " it gives you a high, that lasts for a bit, but it's nothing bad, but could cause damage in the long term.l

people sometimes use there fears for this, and refuse to face them then, and refuse to cure there problems.

yet by facing them, you learn.
don't people want to learn?

Not if they are adrenaline junkies. have you even read all the posts?

People become blind with fear, or rage in the same manner.

The only reason ~toxickitten~ that part of society fears "aliens" is because of what the media outlets instill inside our noggins from movies, to the television.

If we did not have these influences, would our minds think differently?

wsoulshroudew,

I do believe your correct. I just used it as an example. but just like Nessi, or lachewbracabra(sp?) or even big foot, people fear these because they don't know them. Hell, if i personally got the chance, I'd try to talk to bigfoot, instead of shoot him.

The media does influence peoples fears greatly, but people are dumb. A person is smart. Put 10 people in a room, and put something different in the room, and mass histaireia would occur. Put the same thing in the room with one person, and the actions are much different.

Same goes for new medical pills when they test them with groups. One person says they are itchy, so suddenly they all are, even if it was a blank pill, a sugar pill.

Side note: Sorry about my spelling, it's 1:47am, and i'm sorta tired.

have I read my posts? 'twas a life led.
Fear is to be understood and learnt from.
By admitting it, we start to.

Opps, sorry misworded what i meant.

I meant to ask, from these posts, isn't it apparent people would rather destroy then learn?

sorry....super exhausted.

"The media does influence peoples fears greatly, but people are dumb. A person is smart. Put 10 people in a room, and put something different in the room, and mass histaireia would occur. Put the same thing in the room with one person, and the actions are much different.

Same goes for new medical pills when they test them with groups. One person says they are itchy, so suddenly they all are, even if it was a blank pill, a sugar pill."

I think we all know the semantics of groups vs individuals. The actual data does not lie. Fear is not what leads the paranoid. It is the paranoid that lead the paranoid. Give the paranoid a diploma or a PhD. and that paranoid individaul would preach a whole world of crap. Since he/she has a valid professional piece of paper to prove his/her credentials, then the other paranoid crappers will listen to him/her whole heartedly with trust. Even if that paranoid individual was full of hooey.

wsoulshroudew,

That is true. But some get them titles, so they can prove the idea's and the other crap of whats really causing all of this.

Again, it comes down to basics.

Chemical
mass histaria
fear...of pain, or death.


mainly fear of death, in some way shape or form, controls us all. at least i think so.

Leaves room to question those who have little or no fear of the inevitable (death).

I like to make fun of myself becuz I'm scared of everything. I have problems (literally) and thats part of it that I'm sometimes scared of things that no one realy should be. Its gotten alot better but I like to think of myself as "motivated" by my fears insted of "owned"

cuttcollector,

Do you know the source of your fears? Why they are truly there? the real deep meaning?

Having identified some of mine, I can use them as a basis for ccreativity, hence the new poem up...

Just to toss a different theory into the mix...

Perhaps "some" people aren't posting about their fears to get attention and sympathy, perhaps some are posting about their fears in an attempt to find others they can share their fears with and find ways to deal with those fears in a constructive manner. Sometimes a shared experience can help resolve issues for others.

Wow! Celebration of one rattled to the fear of being swat...

This is the case of only who saved from death.

Otherwise in normal course it weaken the heart or respiratory system if person is not prepared.

when I write of my Fear and how I use it, I can only write of myself, obviously,

Well now I am confused, why on earth would a fearful fellow put his head in the Lions mouth, unless they were sick?
Vr is generally spooky, sick scary different predatory folks and yet like a moth to the flame the battered housewife returns ?
I need to contemplate this concept, perhaps others can help.

You are very correct ~Alienation~, most on VR are perverted in a humerous macabre sort of way. They flock to anything that peeks their interest, to either insult someone (which is what the Dominar are for), or to speak their minds for a more knowledgable atmosphere to take place.

But yes, I get your point. it doesn't really need to be pondered on unless you need to understand the concept a bit more. Locust to a fruitful atmosphere, feeding off the land tend to create a very deserted landscape... an analogy, but it is best suited for this post.

whilst I still feel that understanding of one's Fear is useful: a tool as it were, that can be utilised and, at times, revelled in.

We all have our fears.

We can choose to do our very best to avoid them but i think fear is a powerful tool.

If you can conquer or over come a fear of something then it can make you a stronger individual. Think of fear as a challenge like any other test in life. It can give you a natural high when you beat something that has been such an obstacle in your life.

It is far more interesting to face fear than avoiding it, such as those who fear flying.

This is something worth sharing and can be of great interest to other people who maybe experiencing the same problem it could benefit others by posting how you managed and beat fear.

I have that problem all the time except I see my fear I stomp on it and kick its A back out the door! :)

Our eco system is like that...
Each fears of predators.

Lion even in its resting time when any animal or human come to them friendly, they kill them to store the food to use 2-3 days later.

Human have mind and he feared when the things come when he is not prepared. Even in dream.

I do fear of vacuum pulling me in my dreams.

one of the questions was 'why celebrate it?'
because our fear helped drive us, to be more than what we are, is why...

Dark Blue hints at the crux,

While fear is a challange that gains from sharing the key elememt is the follow thru. Sadly, or patheticallly there are those that graft the ranks of those that want to stand up to their fears, they simply want accolades, and tissue paper allotments. You can tell them by how sillly their fears are because they simply want to out fear others in a colllective sense. Very pathetic.

I do not let fear control me because
i believe that you sould not let fear
take over you or your life

Dabbler. Maybe it's a way humanity confronts their fears. Not for pity but to come to the relaxation of what spools them to try and overcome that feeling.

'out fear' others.. ?

surely if one talks of onnesself, then there can be no comparison?

I speak of people who carry their fears as if they want to be fussed over by others. It is such a transparant behaviour.

perhaps, just perhaps.. they know no better?

my only fear is to loose my own self and my personality cause of fears itself

If i'm scared of doing something, but i dont want to let my fear control me, do i do that thing i'm afraid of just to do it?
That's just a different form of slavery =/
It's better to not care about silly things like that, not just limited to fear. Youtube is full of people who were operating under the thought that they had to 'conquer their fear' and ended up cracking their skulls
Just my two-cents after perusing your post, which is a pretty cool post =]

just thought.. besides acting as a driving force, on occasion, our fears are also important, to prvent undue harm... so why celebrate them? because they're part of your primal self, that which can lead to the higher...

knowing and acknowledging your fears is not a weakness, rather a strength to admit to them. That is the first step in learning to overcome them

There are many of us who are owned by our fears. Talking about it, or telling people, doesn't mean we are hunting for sympathy!
On a website such as this, it is good to put it out there. Maybe another person has the exact same fear. And there forms a bond.
I really dislike the type of person that thinks just because someone can be open about their fears, ect....is a sympathy seeker.

Then again there are prophets, they do not reason with it or judge or own it...they just send the message.
This was aptly diagnosed in the book "The Lord of the rings".
The Cambridge mathmetician Tolkien labelled Gandalf stormcrow....bearer of ill tidings.
Of course, now e know this story was based on the world war and when tidings of doom hit England, the humans responded by burying their heads in sand.
I like to think we have progressed but when one mentions solar flares, rising food prices, earthquakes and general Arab instability ....yep....it seems storm crow is back.

I think other people are curious about what others fear and those who share may get comfort from shareing and it could actually be theroputic

People like to bond over things, and fear is a great way to bond with someone.

I think some people talk about their fears to perhaps learn from others how to get over them!

I do believe some people do just look for pity but it generally isn't done by talking about your fear or phobia, people who are attention seekers like that generally talk about their problems (which are usually greatly exagerated).

fear can be totally disableling to some ...if we look at funny man howey mandel he has been in the spot lite and does not need to seek attention for his phobia of germs ...and owen wilson great actor fear to be seen by others as inperfect ...he goofed on a talk show and now he refuses to act and only does voice overs for cartoons and such these peoples fears have interfeared with thier carreers ....I think someone who was attention seeking would be whiney but I disagree with the over exagerations...sence we do not walk in thier shoes we dont know how bad they actualy have it.

thusly, far from being bad, talking of one's fear can be beneficial, as many here have testified.

I wouldn't say I'm owned by fear I just have to find ways to cope with mine. The only way to cope with a fear is to confront it, talk about it, and find ways to deal with it. Talking it through helps to give you ideas that you may not have thought of. Of course there are also those who like laughing at others fears, exploiting them, and/or feeding (if you believe in that sort of thing) from them.

Humans are social creatures. we want to know everyones opinions so we can make a judgement on what is normal. Mind you again I don't believe in normal because we all have different reactions, thoughts, and opinions. However we like to have some idea of what others reactions are.

Like many have said, I wouldn't view it as looking for sympathy or anything of the sort. We naturally like to share little tidbits about ourselves with others, it's a great way to spark up conversation in those instances when it feels as if time has stopped and you have these strangers, or even friends near you who share that long wait in an office or camping trip out in the woods at night.

Some of us like to laugh about our fears because we understand that sometimes they can be a little ridiculous to others, some not so much because of their sensitivity on the subject. I find it enjoyable to discuss random topics like these with others.

I like the social bit there.. that we are.. and yes, maybe there is something to that...

I must not fear.

Fear is the mind-killer.

Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.

I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.

Bene Gesserit Litany Against Fear (Dune)

I always think of this now when I am in a situation where my emotions are boiling.

I find fear enjoyable it can be a rush and fear is part of everyone that is capable of emotion. I find it unusual that people would expect sympathy because of a fear that they have and I haven't come across any that have said as such.

Help to understand their fear perhaps but certainly not sympathy.

Most people need an outlet for getting over their fears. In order to get over one, you first have to acknowledge the fear. What safer place to explore, acknowledge, and discuss fears than on a public site, where you can receive validation from others who have the same fear(s)? Like it or not, admit it or not, most people need validation that their fears are legitimate. Having others say they're afraid of the same things does just that. In finding that others share some of the same fears, we see that we're not alone, we're not crazy, and we can go on.

Denying a fear doesn't make it any less real.

I agree with Bijou on this. People bond over things and fear is a perfect way to bond. At least you know you always have someone on the same thoughts as yourself.

A marvellous quote to throw in there TheBan, as I always wondered on that quote myself. Viewed like that... it now makes less sense to me than when I first read it.

Lol Angelus come now, doesn't it make perfect sense?. Wouldn't you put your hand inside the box? I would!.

Fear is something that as far as I am aware most people have because of our genetic make up. The fight or flight syndrome, it isn't something that should be ignored because it was put there for a reason. However that's not to say that it isn't possible to control and get enjoyment from it.

Would you not revel in the fact that you had overcome a fear. Knowing that as far as one of your fears were concerned you were the last man standing!

One just needs to look inside the quote and my perception is that it means...

*Change the mindset*

"I have almost forgot the taste of fears.
The time has been my senses would have cool'd
to hear a night shriek, and my fell of hair
would at a dismal treatise rouse and stir.
As life were in't. I have supp'd full with horrors;
Direness, familiar to my slaughterous thoughts,
Cannot once start me."
---- Will - Macbeth

MR BAN, you have a point and one to be tested by the foolhardy , like me ; )
You do not need a box, hold a match and let it burn down on your fingers or slowly hold the lit end.
I is only painful for 7 seconds you will feel the nerves eek up your arm but then concentrate and try and push the nerve ends back down the arm into the hand THEN INTO THE FINGERS...ODDLY IT CAN END UP FEELING QUITE COOOL TO THE TOUCH.

p.s. the trick is to let the pain pass through you and thus it recedes, fight and die.

AlieNation sort of reminds me of when I burned my hand while attempting to burn a whole through a ten pound note for as bet, after about 30 seconds I didn't feel a thing. I wouldn't give up and eventually burned a very small hole through it. A small area of my hand was a melted mess for weeks.

Though this was more to do with drunken stupidity than fear.

would I put my hand in the box??? erm, probably.
then again.. if the war of the worlds happened, I'd be one of the first at the front, incinerated by the first blast when the cylinder opens up..

I face my fears, out of curiosity, as much as anything else...

I simply speak of those who have theatrical productions using alledged fears to garner attention.

Thankfully there are not many such as this, but such a creature exist and they be much more pathetic then Emo.

please.. elucidate Dabs?

I just see people milking the whole "I have a fear." thing.

Well we all have our opinions, it seems your own is becoming increasing untenable.
You may recall this post?
"Then again there are prophets, they do not reason with it or judge or own it...they just send the message.
This was aptly diagnosed in the book "The Lord of the rings".
The Cambridge mathmetician Tolkien labelled Gandalf stormcrow....bearer of ill tidings.
Of course, now e know this story was based on the world war and when tidings of doom hit England, the humans responded by burying their heads in sand.
I like to think we have progressed but when one mentions solar flares, rising food prices, earthquakes and general Arab instability ....yep....it seems storm crow is back.
Now look in the March journal , the Wizard of OZ "friday night dreams come true."

surely as it's their fear they recognize, "fair comment!?"

If people know they have a fear, why don't they confront it? instead of it running there lives?

I ahve a fear of spiders, from when i was little. ( bad memories ) But im slowly working on it. im able to kill them now, instead of run away.

and, at sixten I was scared of dogs, after being bitten, am far less so Now.

facing Fear is good!

Yes very. it can also heighten your sense of self worth, and self esteem.

To overcome a fear is to embrace it, to kill any creature because one is scared isn't the answer of overcoming the fear...I find that quite distasteful and goes to show how ignorant humans are!

This is why we face so much extinction throughout the world with certain species, through fear and lack of understanding....I love spiders ^^

only took about thirt odd years, hows that for slow learning?

some take longer.

and as for the other comments, it's human nature to kill hwat we dont understand.

execpt the duo do bird, that was just easy food.

and some taker longer... ? **laughs**

I some.. Never learn.

[[Damn Raynauds, fingers slipped]]

and some taker longer... ? **laughs**

and some.. Never learn.

yes, exactly.

But why do people fear what they fear?

some of what i fear, is from my past.

I honestly, fear being alone. because my entire family walked out on me, to say, when i was little.

'kay.. good example. Another, my fear of dogs developed after being bitten, whilst having stiches in m y hand.

Over thirty odd years, I've learbnt to accept, then face that fear.

Yes, but how can one accept being alone?

They put inmates in solitaire condiment, because for a human, to be truly alone, is maddening.

**shakes head**

no... even that fear can be faced: I know.
once faced, it can be accepted, then overcome.

Not, all the time.
Not always.

most people refuse to face what they don't know. They like to cause mass hysteria.

hence giving you a personal answer, that I hoped others might relate to; all I can say is, worked for me.

"The number one phobia in the world is Arachnophobia. Around half of all the women in the world and ten percent of the males fear spiders." (from my own article)

I know for me that my fear of spiders came from my Mother. I wasn't afraid of them really when I was a toddler but one went into my sandal and my Mother grabbed me and screamed not to move. It was a black widow because I was playing in the flower bed but still until that happened as most kids do I played with bugs, lol. Not so much spiders because for the most part, they are shy. I am afraid of heights but it really isn't the heighth so much as a fear of falling. I have been this way since small even though later on I climbed trees until one day I froze up in a tree. I don't know if I had submerged the memory for awhile or what. It is the dropping feeling that scares me like on a roller coaster. I have this fear in dreams as well.

I find most people poo poo other's phobias but for whatever reasons, they are very real and for some there is no explanation as to why they started. I gave into someone who wanted me to go on a ride that dropped. I went on it but when I got off I was shaking and almost fainted. Yet another time I went on a similar ride with a friend and asked him to sit in front of me. I could not see the drops and it seemed to make a difference It wasn't a roller coaster but another type of ride. Although sometimes it doesn't matter if I can see, I can be in the dark and on something that goes in tunnels and drops no more than a few feet and almost vomit. I don't know what caused it. It may have been something that happened to me when very small. My Mother said a corpsman threw me over onto a table when I was a baby but that seems very iffy. She called it throwing but, I don't know...my Mom was a little dramatic about things but whatever he did she wasn't happy about it.

It is fine if one can conquer their fears but I don't think they should be ridiculed for them. Everyone is afraid of something even if it is only their own death. I don't believe people who say they are not afaid of dying, well it often isn't that exactly but the how of it.

Death, is nothing to fear. it happens to all of us. this, i will poke fun of.

strikes me..

few in this thread to make fun of others fears...

Ang, it's pointless to fear it.

i have a major fear of spiders, it comes from my mom who made me sit still for 2 hours so we could watch a spider and wait for my dad to come home and get it and it was on ceiling so i was petrified. ive tried to think rational but soon as i see one it all goes out the window and i freak out, i think ive trained myself to be scared. also h ave a weird phobia of mushrooms i cant touch a raw mushroom, this is one i dont even understand myself

Well my fear is a little embarrassing it's ok if you you laugh though, I think it's pretty ridiculous myself.

Anyway I happen to be afraid of alien abduction (i really did mean it when I said you could laugh lol), well more specifically I am afraid of being kidnapped or taken away it just happens to manifest itself most in the whole alien thing. I have absolutely no idea why but if I watch scary alien films I'm up for weeks with the light on, what can I say? We live in crazy times lol

decorusmortis,

Theres good reasons to fear that. That is one fear that can't be come over very easy, if ever. and i even understand it's harder for females, because of all the shit some stupid males do. ( damn pigs )

This fear, i can't and dont really hand an explanation for. Maybe learn some self defense? might help a bit with the fear, knowing you can drop someone, if they attack you.

oh i also have a major irrational fear if a helicopter goes over my home i panic and think its gonna crash into us, i even go into the kids room n hold their hands thinking if it does we will die together, the louder it gets the more i panic

as was said for me, inna fashion, we shouldn't poke fun at others.. just exposes us as insecure.

Hmmm?

Is that wahy people pick on others fears??? [[YES]]

grant you.. fear oif spiders, to me is irrational.. but then, I have a fear of fiancees.

**Grins**



"Scary."

Well it is a conversation starter thats for sure...

To Quote Lucy from A Charlie Brown Christmas:

Lucy Van Pelt: Are you afraid of responsibility? If you are, then you have hypengyophobia.
Charlie Brown: I don't think that's quite it.
Lucy Van Pelt: How about cats? If you're afraid of cats, you have ailurophasia.
Charlie Brown: Well, sort of, but I'm not sure.
Lucy Van Pelt: Are you afraid of staircases? If you are, then you have climacaphobia. Maybe you have thalassophobia. This is fear of the ocean, or gephyrobia, which is the fear of crossing bridges. Or maybe you have pantophobia. Do you think you have pantophobia?
Charlie Brown: What's pantophobia?
Lucy Van Pelt: The fear of everything.
Charlie Brown: THAT'S IT!

This thread has been automatically closed for length.