The Fear Machine

“He who is not everyday conquering some fear has not learned the secret of life.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

I don’t buy it. Not only don’t I buy it, I just didn’t, and don’t, get it.

So, you ever notice how the world seems driven by fear? Gotta work harder and faster to pay all those bills, because if I don’t I’m afraid I won’t be able to eat, have shelter, or find a suitable partner to couple with, and then I’ll die. Gotta hunt more or grow more foot so I can eat, or I’m afraid I’ll die. Gotta kill those other people over there or I’m afraid they’ll take my land, and then I might die. Gotta get more stuff, or I’m afraid I won’t have enough stuff, and then I could die. Gotta do this or that, or I won’t have this or that, and that means I’m gonna die. That’s what it comes down to, right? Being afraid we might die, right? Because we got all these things so we don’t die. And if we die, oh my, we’re dead and gone, and never ever more trips to Oz.

Like I said, I didn’t, and I don’t, buy it. We’ve been sold a bill of goods, all based on fear.

Look at the two main control mechanisms in our society, government and religion (I will do more complete posts on these twin beasts). Based on fear. Then we have our nuclear family adding a set of ethics and morals, then extended to our clan, tribe and community on top of that. All instilling more fear in us, albeit sometimes disguised as love, but maybe actually emotional co-dependence. No, I’m not disparaging families here, only these common devices in the world that instill fear in us.

For what? Control? Dependence? Mediocrity? Or to prevent us being who we really are? Could that be scary for the powers that be? Or does it go farther than that? So as I just said earlier, don’t all these fears really involve our physical mortality, the possibility of a final death? No afterlife and no immortality? So we let our religions and our governments (yes government seems to run fear in this life and religion in the next), as well as our closer communities let this fear drive both our daily and long-term lives, so we don’t have to consider the alternative … that there is more beyond this. Because if there is, then these controls would have no control. And oh my, that would really bring down the fabric of our world, wouldn’t it? Ha, so you really think so?

Some of you may have been thinking why I seem to be spilling negative vibes here, but that is the point. The point being that this whole negative fear machine is just the illusion of reality here. It is not real, people. We are oh so much more than that. Like Cher said to N. Cage in ‘Moonstruck’ when she slapped him, “Snap out of it!” Yeah, all right. We all need to snap out of it! Wake up! This fear machine only takes you down and keeps you there. If that’s okay with you, then keep at it. For the rest us, we’re moving on, and we’re not taking it anymore! (yes, I could use another movie reference here most of you probably know, but I think one per post is quite enough). So, more power to ya’!