Fear is one of the basic human emotions. In fact, although there are different
kinds of fear, as a general feeling it is common to everybody: children
and adults, men and women. On the other hand, it varies from person to
person. As individuals we are scared of different things and with different
intensities. For some people seeing a spider might be more terrifying
than going to a dentist or for a job interview. In order to understand
it we should ask ourselves: where does fear originate?
Strongly related to the question of fear is the one of courage. Just as
its antonym the bravery can assume different meaning depending on the
person. And in fact, another question arises: is courage simply a lack
of fear?
Given the fact that both terms are so relative and subjective and that
consequently there is not a single answer to neither of the above questions
I decided to let others speak. I am going to quote the thoughts and reflections
regarding fear and courage expressed during the centuries.
1. The origin of fear
“Fear always springs from ignorance
Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Saber é poder”
(“Knowledge is power”)
A Portuguese proverb
As we can see there is a clear tendency to associate fear with ignorance. We all know that the primitive people were terrified by the forces of nature because they didn’t understand them. Today we are still scared of death, because it continues to represent a great mystery to us. Philip R. Breeze, however, has the opposite point of view:
“Some people are brave; others are just too stupid to be afraid”
Philip R. Breeze
Without experience and, as a consequence, knowledge, we simply would
not realize what danger is.
David Ben-gurion, the first Israeli prime minister recognizes the real
advantages of knowledge:
“Courage is a special kind of knowledge: the knowledge of how to
fear what ought to be feared and how not to fear what ought not to be
feared”
David Ben-gurion
2. What is courage?
The last quotation refers also to the second question of the introduction. It suggests that bravery is not simply a lack of fear. Let us see what others have to say about it.
“Courage is doing what you’re afraid to do. There can be
no courage unless you’re scared”
Eddie Rickenbacker
“Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear- not absence of fear”
Mark Twain
“Those who do not know fear are not truly brave”
Leo Rosten
The New Age writer Ambrose Redmoon reaches even further with his affirmation:
“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that
something is more important than fear”
Ambrose Redmoon
John Petit-senn and Michael Pritchard see in the adversities of life the opportunity for a personal development:
“True courage is like a kite; a contrary wind raises it higher”
John Petit-senn
“Fear is that little darkroom where negatives are developed”
Michael Pritchard
3. Conclusions
The thoughts quoted above confirm that fear is an inseparable part of
our life. What is more it constitutes the means for strengthening our
personality.
This continuous presence of fear in human life is represented well in
the following quotation:
“A timid person is frightened before a danger, a coward during the
time, and a courageous person afterwards.”
Paul Richter