Everyday Canvas

Fear

Prompt: Fear
“Fear is the lengthened shadow of ignorance.”
Arnold Glasow
In what ways do you think fear and ignorance are related and how can we overcome our fears especially when a fear is only imagined?

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Fear and ignorance may be related but there is that strong and sudden impulsive emotion "fear" that embraces us abruptly whether we are ignorant or not. This is probably because, at its core, fear is a primal, innate reaction that has evolved over millennia to protect us from danger.

The basic nature of fear, however, does have the implication of ignorance and lack of knowledge and understanding. When we do not have enough information about or a grasp of a situation, person, or thing, we are left with a void or a darkness in our minds. That darkness becomes the hotbed of our sudden fears.

Fear's relationship with ignorance, however, extends beyond the totally unknown. As examples, there may be other cultures, religions, beliefs or life styles that we do not know much about and because of our mistrust and prejudices, we may be fearful of them.

By learning about things we don't know about and not becoming so afraid of every new situation, we can diminish the power of fear and ultimately conquer it. This allows us to embrace the unknown and face the challenges of life with courage and resilience.

Having said all that, would I be afraid if I suddenly noticed a dinosaur in my backyard? Yes, I surely would. For one thing, I don't know how to distinguish between plant-eating and carnivorous dinosaurs if I ever saw any one of them. Even if I did know a lot about dinosaurs, running away and saving myself would be the sane thing to do, wouldn't it!


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