Ask HN: What are you afraid of?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=692124

by amohr • 17 years ago

5 19 17 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

I'm working on a little project about the logic of fear. I'd say that, on the whole, this is a pretty logical group of people, so I'd be really interested to hear what you're afraid of.

It could be a full-on phobia or just a nagging, uncomfortable feeling that you get when something crosses your mind.

If you don't have it in your profile, a little blurb about what you do would also be appreciated, but not totally necessary.

Thanks.

Edit: Also, what, if any steps have you taken to confront/overcome said fear.

ErrantX2• 17 years ago

Im scared of spiders. Less so now (simply through will power) but anything beyond a house spider will give me chills (and I cant look at tarantulas on screen). No other bugs though: which seems illogical to me.

I also get that clutching, tight-chested thing when I think about my death (in the old-age future rather than in the now). Conversely when in an immediately dangerous situation (either physically or mentally) I find it exhilarating: the potential of "death" in those situations is exciting.

What kind of fear are you interested in though? The most interesting clash of fear/logic for me is travel. People will jump in a car without a seconds thought but conversely are uncomfortable in aeroplanes. Despite the latter being leaps and bounds safer than road travel. Gut overrules the logic in Head and decides being up at 20,000 feet is "NOT SAFE" :)

amohr3• 17 years ago

Well the idea is that fear is often times hyperbole - an unnecessary exaggeration of a natural and healthy response to a legitimate threat. So if you're mountain climbing or skydiving, a fear-adrenaline response mechanism is natural. A fear of death defying stunts isn't really what I'm looking into.

What I'm more interested in is if you were unreasonably afraid of spiders, for instance, and you read everything there was to read about spiders, and you saw a spider that you knew for certain posed no threat, but your logical understanding was overpowered by emotional fear. It's the difference between finding a Brown Recluse in your tent versus a St. Andrew's Cross in your shower.

And I've thought about the travel fear paradox quite a bit and it actually makes quite a bit of sense. One thing I've noticed is that it's really difficult to affect our fears with social adaptations, but logic is easily overcome by recurring social or cultural situations.

ErrantX2• 17 years ago

In terms of the travel paradox and similar fears driven by society I highly recommend a book called "Risk: The Science of Politics and Fear". I reviewed it a few days ago here on HN. http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=673955

The travel paradox does make sense because our "primal" brain knows whats "less natural": in the face of that the intelligent brains statistics are meaningless.

In terms of spiders: I'd say I am unreasonably scared of them. I mean I know fairly large spiders here in the UK are perfectly safer. But I still leave the room till they are gone.

access_denied• 17 years ago

What if I come into a situation where I have to choose between 'going with the flow' or staying a decent person, and I know if I stay up for the good they will kill me or worse torture me? Will I be strong enough? And if yes: what a life.

These days you can easily get picked by the CIA for some stupid reason. Actually I am a bit uneasy about US-customs for that reason.

gaius• 17 years ago

Dying alone.

vaksel• 17 years ago

spiders, centipedes and pretty much most bugs bigger than an ant, had trouble killing them even with a paper towel. Hell used to get afraid looking at them in pictures.

To overcome it, I built a "weapon" to kill them with. Pretty much took one of those post office poster rolls, and attached some paper towels to it. This way I could kill them at a distance.

Now, have no problem getting upclose and personal and killing them with a paper towel. Can now watch them online without any problems(i.e. one of those giant centipedes eating a rabbit)

I dunno if it's something I overcame on my own, or if its something I just grew into. i.e. I used to be scared shitless of the Alien and the Predator movies, and now I more or less consider the series as an action movie, instead of a horror flick.

khafra2• 17 years ago

I really hate confrontations, to the point where it might be called fear.

For instance, a friend of my neighbor was considering buying my old 240sx. It's got a JDM RB20 but doesn't start, so I let him take it to a mechanic to diagnose it and complete our negotiation with more information.

After a few regular status updates, I haven't heard from him in a weeks. I keep putting off calling him about it.

My other fear is of cessation of consciousness; sort of an extrapolated fear of death. I really don't want to die; I don't quite like the idea of cryonics even if I'm revivable; I don't even really like general anaesthesia. If the brain processes that make me aware I'm me go away, where am I?

Femur2• 17 years ago

>My other fear is of cessation of consciousness; sort of an extrapolated fear of death. I really don't want to die; I don't quite like the idea of cryonics even if I'm revivable; I don't even really like general anaesthesia. If the brain processes that make me aware I'm me go away, where am I?

Do you have a hierarchical view of degrees of consciousness? For instance, do you consider general anesthesia worse than a nights sleep? Do you consider brain-rot-death worse than a year-long coma?

I do have the same fear as you. I have a medical condition that has caused me to lose consciousness around 20 times in my life and it has caused me terrible fear. I don't like the idea of cryonics either but I do plan on having my brain frozen because the alternative, in my view, is worse.

I don't like sketchy rope bridges across a chasm, but if I am being chased by pirates, I will sure as heck cross it.

khafra2• 17 years ago

It's certainly hierarchical for me, too. I plan to sign up for cryonics, and I'd even use a disintegrate-and-reassemble transporter if it were the only way to avoid complete, irreversible death--but I certainly won't be joining Starfleet just for the fun and adventure.

huherto• 17 years ago

When I was 16 I realized that someday I was going to be dead. I am not religious so I that meant that I was not going to exist anymore...ever. I used to spend the nights terrified thinking about it.

Over the years I have learned to rationalize it. Instead of worrying about not being. I am grateful for the opportunity of being alive. Also, I have learned that are worst things than dying. (e.g. Living in pain (physical or emotional))

So relax and learn to embrace your own mortality. It is not easy, but you have your whole life ahead to do it.

DanielBMarkham• 17 years ago

The number 13

darkxanthos2• 17 years ago

I'm afraid of socializing. I'm in the process of social skydiving to over come it and I'm blogging about it publicly to keep me honest and motivated.

This is the blog in case you want more info: http://socialskydivingwithjustin.posterous.com/

amohr3• 17 years ago

That's really cool, I've talked to psych people and publicly logging your progress when dealing with an anxiety problem is a really good way to keep you on track. From my perspective, I love the insight into the process - especially because it is such a uniquely individual experience for each person.

darkxanthos2• 17 years ago

wow I never realized that. thanks!

Mintz• 17 years ago

I'm afraid of not having enough money in my savings account should I need to use it. I'm a college student with a part time job, and I have some money in savings, but if my car's transmission went out, I'm hosed. I have no idea how I would fix my car and keep paying for rent/utilities/food without going into debt.

I guess you could say I'm afraid of going into debt and not being able to get out of it because of circumstances just out of my control.

Femur2• 17 years ago

Death. Walking up to a girl and asking her out. Failure. That the economy will get worse. New social situations. Spiders.

I've recognized each fear and I know how to handle myself to confront those fears. They don't dominate me, but they are still present.

I am an Oracle DBA.

baguasquirrel• 17 years ago

No one's going to think my startup idea is useful after I put out the proto.

amohr3• 17 years ago

Too late to edit, but I realized I should be prepared to provide a comparably personal answer to such a personal question, and I've done so on my blog, if you're interested: http://mohrslaws.blogspot.com/2009/07/fear.html

aaroneous• 17 years ago

A lot of fellow arachnophobes on HN - interesante.

Mine: Spiders, settling, not achieving the goals I make for myself.

Ask HN: What are you afraid of?

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