Fear is an innate emotion and primal instinct that is embedded within every individual human. In the times of the cavemen and neanderthals, natural selection eliminated those who did not learn to fear their predators. These ancestors of common day humans who did fear their predators survived and, therefore, passed on this trait of fright; this quality is what helped to perpetual and evolve the human race that we have developed into today. Nathaniel Rich, in his dystopian novel Odds Against Tomorrow, explores this theme of fear as people deal with life-threatening situations. Mitchell Zukor, an up and coming futurist, works at a FutureWorld, a consulting firm that specializes in preparing businesses for future risks. Mitchell’s predictions
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In such severe situations, it is imperative that a person does not let fear control them; it is essential that people do not let fear penetrate a person’s mind, cloud their judgement, and allow people to act irrationally. Specifically, Rich utilizes three examples of how fear can ruin people’s lives: Elsa, Mitchell, and the people displaced by the storm. Each of these examples respond to fear in their own unique way. When people life in fear, they are not living life to its fullest potential. We must not let fear hinder our lives because when we choose to let our fears control ourselves, we allow fear to take away our hopes. Everyone has this flame of hope that burns brightly within. However, as we allow fear to penetrate our minds and control our thoughts, we also allow this fear to slowly distinguish our hope until the occupant becomes void of hope, disclosing whatever control they have over their lives to this fear. This loss of hope causes people to act irrationally and causes people to change into a worse version of themselves. We do not just lose hope, we lose part of ourselves when we allow fear to rule us. Therefore, we cannot surrender this power to fear. Instead of enabling fear to maintain this control over us, we must combat it and be the ruler …show more content…
For instance, on Mitchell’s first day working at FutureWorld, he is scared of taking the elevator, and therefore proceeded to walk up seventy-five flights of stairs. Reflecting on what he just did and the unnecessary strenuous exertion of force he applied, Mitchell approached his fear of death by elevator rationally. Mitchell did some research and calculations and found out that “the chance of dying in an elevator accident was therefore one in 10.44 (repeating) million - about equivalent to the odds of dying from a dog bite, according to the National Safety Council odds-of-death chart he kept in his wallet” (47). This is just a very basic example of how Mitchell, in the beginning of the novel, was able to confront a fear he had that impedes his life. Walking up seventy-five flights is too time consuming and physically exhausting for Mitchell to do twice a day, five days a week. Instead of letting this irrational fear control his actions, he faces his fear of elevators and responds to the situation very rationally. Because he comes to realize how his life is inhibited when he lets his fears control him, Mitchell actively resists succumbing to his fears. Additionally, once Hurricane Tammy hits, Mitchell approaches the situation in a very similar manner; while some people allow their fear of dying
In such severe situations, it is imperative that a person does not let fear control them; it is essential that people do not let fear penetrate a person’s mind, cloud their judgement, and allow people to act irrationally. Specifically, Rich utilizes three examples of how fear can ruin people’s lives: Elsa, Mitchell, and the people displaced by the storm. Each of these examples respond to fear in their own unique way. When people life in fear, they are not living life to its fullest potential. We must not let fear hinder our lives because when we choose to let our fears control ourselves, we allow fear to take away our hopes. Everyone has this flame of hope that burns brightly within. However, as we allow fear to penetrate our minds and control our thoughts, we also allow this fear to slowly distinguish our hope until the occupant becomes void of hope, disclosing whatever control they have over their lives to this fear. This loss of hope causes people to act irrationally and causes people to change into a worse version of themselves. We do not just lose hope, we lose part of ourselves when we allow fear to rule us. Therefore, we cannot surrender this power to fear. Instead of enabling fear to maintain this control over us, we must combat it and be the ruler …show more content…
For instance, on Mitchell’s first day working at FutureWorld, he is scared of taking the elevator, and therefore proceeded to walk up seventy-five flights of stairs. Reflecting on what he just did and the unnecessary strenuous exertion of force he applied, Mitchell approached his fear of death by elevator rationally. Mitchell did some research and calculations and found out that “the chance of dying in an elevator accident was therefore one in 10.44 (repeating) million - about equivalent to the odds of dying from a dog bite, according to the National Safety Council odds-of-death chart he kept in his wallet” (47). This is just a very basic example of how Mitchell, in the beginning of the novel, was able to confront a fear he had that impedes his life. Walking up seventy-five flights is too time consuming and physically exhausting for Mitchell to do twice a day, five days a week. Instead of letting this irrational fear control his actions, he faces his fear of elevators and responds to the situation very rationally. Because he comes to realize how his life is inhibited when he lets his fears control him, Mitchell actively resists succumbing to his fears. Additionally, once Hurricane Tammy hits, Mitchell approaches the situation in a very similar manner; while some people allow their fear of dying