Peering carefully, cautiously behind every corner…slowly, quietly, intently approaching every closet, while maginations hide under every bed—every time, chills of air send pilos erect, pupils dilate, blood pressures rise. Skin sensitivity doubles…with caution…ready to flee, or to fight, only to hide in worry another night. After arranging the room carefully—so no objects come alive in their darkened states, can a moment of peace descend dreary into sleep.
Why is this acute imagery laying in wait, alive beround every corner? Where did all this ritual come from? Survival. Who is it that survived the ages to become us? Where did we arrive to this overdeveloped sense, particularly at night?
It is this inherent caution, this fear, that is easily manipulated by religion. Playing on millions of years of survival instinct, the preacher paints a picture of a loving father figure to protect you from evil. If you can only imagine…just a bit more
Since the industrial revolution and the formation of modern survival, we have leaped beyond our multi-generational evolution. Changes that took 100’s of thousands of years are now shoehorned into a century. The preachers gold is our lumbering evolution. Fear is still a best seller…
TheCommonAtheist 
Fear is still a best seller…
Yes, fear is quite the choker, the suffocater of life. It stifles and breeds more fear. And I like your imagery and incorporating 3.2-million year old Lucy, our ancestor, with modern humanity and how we sometimes/often STRUGGLE to leave what we safely know (the crib, Mom’s bosom, familial traditions), and bravely go into the unknown, to explore curiously, learn more, adapt more (for better survival!) and keep putting fear and death in its proper place: with life.
You remind me of one particular scene in Spielberg’s and Tom Hanks’ 10-part award-winning series Band of Brothers and Lt. Col Speirs. Bear with me please because the wisdom in this moment of sheer chaos and the risk of being overrun by the German units is amazing!
Easy Company was in fierce combat all day losing many in their ranks, but High Command ordered them to “Hold the Line” until more reinforcements could arrive late the NEXT day. This was a seemingly impossible order to obey and survive. Easy Company KNEW the Germans were going to attack again at first light. Hence, they dug-in, digging their deeper fox-holes in preparation. Screams and moaning of wounded could still be heard over the battlefield. Many of the brand new replacements were scared shitless of the horrific carnage they just witnessed that day! One private in his fox-hole could barely function or talk he was so afraid of what was coming. Checking on his men Lt. Col. Speirs noticed and said:
Private. The only hope you have is to accept the fact that you’re already dead. The sooner you accept that, the sooner you’ll be able to function as a soldier is supposed to function: without mercy, without compassion, without remorse. All war depends upon it.
If one let’s fear and too much fear take over your mind, you paralyze yourself from life. Keep it at least in balance OR in a lower proportion to full-blown life and you are truly living. A sort of extreme version I’d say of Carpe Diem, huh? LOL But the wisdom is SPOT ON!
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That comment is excellent sir! It can be applied in so many ways—work, adventure, dreams, family, etc. There is no reason to fear in most everything we do. So preoccupied with saving ourselves we wind up with regrets when it’s too late to do. Fear is played on already nervous creatures. This was written about my 8 y/o daughter. She is so wild in the day and literally queen of the jungle. But at home in the night she peers into every nook and cranny like a nervous Lemur, cautiously investigating every room she enters. It funny, but it also could ruin her left in the wrong hands for a day. She has traits held over from older days when a rustle in the grass meant life or death.
Michael Shermers take on this was spot on in the real life of children and it’s a phenotype of human survival. I’m working with her to gain the confidence she needs in this safest of times to be alive.
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Yes! Great for you Jim. Should I assume she was taught a bit too much of the Devil, Satan, evil, demons, etc, were always lurking around, especially outside the “safe confines of the Church and True Christian members only”? A lifetime of that indoctrination certainly amps us that genome and Fight or Flight mechanism we used 10’s of thousands of years ago while having to live outdoors in the wild.
I’m glad she has you giving and teaching her more confidence! 🙂
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I’m hoping. She is one of a kind but at the far end of each spectrum. Wild jungle child but easily spooked by imagination. We have some good talks. It is funny to see her enter a darkened hallway—eyebrows raised and head leaning in, listening and walking tip toe— slooow and into the abyss!! Lol
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In our case, we check around corners because the cats will jump out at us.
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Lol. In ancient Egypt cats were considered part of royalty…They’ve never forgotten that!
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Exactly. Ours like to play chase, or hide n seek.
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Unfortunately fear isn’t just used by the clergy to manipulate, but by politicians, corporations, etc. Always trying to get us to do something against our own best interests in service to their greeds.
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I tend to leave the politics out of my writing , but you’re right! Good point Eilene, for the reality is religion and politics are two dingleberries on the same dogs ass.
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I thought this was going to be an I Love Lucy post 😛
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Only better. Dezi and Lucy …aaaahh. How cute
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