Funny thing, fear. Our brains are hard-wired to forget ratinality in the presence of fear. So whenever you hear someone trying to get you to do something, using fear as a motivation, I hope the hair on the back of your neck stands up. I hope you become conscious of the red warning flags all around the situation, because when someone tries to use fear as a motivation, they are deliberately trying to get you to close off your mind to rational thought. They are trying to get you to see things their way and not question it, to throw up blinders to prevent you from observing all sides of the issue.
You disagree? Think back to the last time a salesman knocked on your door and tried to pressure you into buying something. They may have said something like "hurry and buy today--a deal this good won't be around forever!" Or what about get rich quick schemes, when they tell you that you need to act now, because the market is ripe, but the situation might quickly change? When there is a deal that is so good that you have to buy today, be very wary of what is being offered. If they won't let you think about it overnight, chances are they are trying to shut off the logical side of your brain. Sales, deals, wars, invasions, new legislation, etc. All can be part of the same game. So can labels, which we as humans so love to throw around: "witch", "communist", "terrorist", "unamerican", "unpatriotic", "evil", and so many more.
Along these lines, Michelle and I watched a movie the other night that we have enjoyed several times. It's called "The Majestic". It's about a hollywood writer who finds himself embroiled in the Macarthyist witch hunt for communists after World War II, and through a series of events is involved in an accident, one consequence being amnesia. He finds himself living the life of another man. The movie offers insight into various questions about the human experience and what it means to be "me". In the end, he is forced to confront the communist accusations, and his response is one that we should all be willing to emulate. This movie deals with the themes of fear and avoidance, courage and integrity, resistance against illogical fear mongering, and above all, having the integrity to act according to your beliefs in the face of the consequences begging you to turn the other way.
3 comments:
We also saw "The Majestic" the other day--it's one of my favorites and it was Travis' first time seeing it.
The Salem witch trials, the hollywood blacklist, and racial discrimination have horrified me for as long as I've known about them. It's one of those things that simply CANNOT have happened. We're not THAT capable of evil, are we? Unfortunately, history answers that question, which gives us the constant reminder to watch ourselves.
It makes me wonder why more of the people in those situations didn't question the horrific acts of the status quo that were being force fed down their throats.
It was as if they didn't want that responsibility of doing their own thinking, so they were willing to let someone else do it for them. That left them wide open for someone to declare something was "evil" and have nobody question that declaration. If only they had possessed enough courage to stand up for what they personally knew was just!
I guess that's the joy and horror of being human.
I just happened to see this blog entry the other day and it really stuck with me. I think your comments are very insightful and I whole-heartedly agree. Fear is a unique and devastating tool that too many people, organizations, governments, and sadly religions use to manipulate and control. It's so true that when fear enters the equation rational thought leaves. Thanks for the vivid reminder. We need to question everything, especially when we feel those first stirrings of fear pop up - and decide what the other person's agenda might be.
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