Different Reactions to Fear
“Fear is the foundation of most governments; but it is so sordid and brutal a passion, and renders men in whose breasts it predominates so stupid and miserable, that Americans will not be likely to approve of any political institution which is founded on it.” - John Adams, Letter to George Wythe, April 1776
Fear can not be recognized without some form of prior experience. To have never felt what fear is like is to have no reconciliation of it at all. No idea can surface without a foundation on reality, for our thoughts are based on impressions alone. To try to define a sensation would be hardly meaningful, since our imagination is a weaker force than even the slightest pinch. Though this may be true, much can …show more content…
To be more exact, it is the fear of the unknown that makes Nightfall stick out so well. There are two types of fear: that which is caused by a lack of knowledge, and that which is caused by knowledge of an inevitable burden, pain, or loss. The fear of the unknown can more often than not be irrational. In Nightfall, a fifteen minute ride through a pitch-dark tunnel caused people to die and suffer from mental-illness. Now, it can be supposed that the people in the novel have never experienced full-shed darkness. Being that shadows would still have naturally existed, the degree of darkness would be able to create a perception of total darkness, just as a person is able to imagine a degree of absolute brightness, despite never having been experienced to it. It could not have been the shock of darkness that lead to catastrophe, but the fear of what could be from that complete darkness. This ignorance lead to fear, was able to affect society so greatly it literally caused a mass kill-off. In Left for Dead, the fear was caused primarily by the aftermath of the sinking of the USS Indianapolis. Sharks, thirst, and hunger overwhelmed the sailors. The fear was not unbeknownst to them. Knowing of an impending fate can arguably be more frightening than the surprise of one. Stress plays a large factor into fear, and these sailors were most certainly stressed. Many of the sailors saw consistent shark attacks, and as the dead sailors began depleting, the living sailors realized they would be next on the meal. The attacks were inevitable for many, and along with the inevitability came the
“Fear is the foundation of most governments; but it is so sordid and brutal a passion, and renders men in whose breasts it predominates so stupid and miserable, that Americans will not be likely to approve of any political institution which is founded on it.” - John Adams, Letter to George Wythe, April 1776
Fear can not be recognized without some form of prior experience. To have never felt what fear is like is to have no reconciliation of it at all. No idea can surface without a foundation on reality, for our thoughts are based on impressions alone. To try to define a sensation would be hardly meaningful, since our imagination is a weaker force than even the slightest pinch. Though this may be true, much can …show more content…
To be more exact, it is the fear of the unknown that makes Nightfall stick out so well. There are two types of fear: that which is caused by a lack of knowledge, and that which is caused by knowledge of an inevitable burden, pain, or loss. The fear of the unknown can more often than not be irrational. In Nightfall, a fifteen minute ride through a pitch-dark tunnel caused people to die and suffer from mental-illness. Now, it can be supposed that the people in the novel have never experienced full-shed darkness. Being that shadows would still have naturally existed, the degree of darkness would be able to create a perception of total darkness, just as a person is able to imagine a degree of absolute brightness, despite never having been experienced to it. It could not have been the shock of darkness that lead to catastrophe, but the fear of what could be from that complete darkness. This ignorance lead to fear, was able to affect society so greatly it literally caused a mass kill-off. In Left for Dead, the fear was caused primarily by the aftermath of the sinking of the USS Indianapolis. Sharks, thirst, and hunger overwhelmed the sailors. The fear was not unbeknownst to them. Knowing of an impending fate can arguably be more frightening than the surprise of one. Stress plays a large factor into fear, and these sailors were most certainly stressed. Many of the sailors saw consistent shark attacks, and as the dead sailors began depleting, the living sailors realized they would be next on the meal. The attacks were inevitable for many, and along with the inevitability came the