As we humans have evolved through natural selection, we have developed not only physical characteristics, but metaphysical ones as well. For instance, how might one define 'fear'? It is a mental response that developed in near all organisms that alerts them of danger and causes them to react appropriately with an adrenaline rush and activation of the fight or flight response system. But what causes fear is what i am interested in. For instance, what causes us humans to become afraid when we see this picture: what is the practicality in fear of pictures like this or others. this isn't a particularly good example of unwarranted fear, but you get the idea. for the record, i wrote everything above off the top of my head out of interest.
It's an interesting talking point, but not a very debatable one. Short of having our entire brains rebuilt, there's no way of directly effecting how our brains interpret stimuli for the better. Think about that picture for a second. If you ACTUALLY saw that, your first thought would be "crap get out of the room". Unfortunately a picture (which poses no threat) still evokes a small amount of fear. So fear can be practical in genuine instances of danger, but not in "simulated" instances.
I think what causes fear is an innate wanting of being the same as everyone else and fitting in. And being afraid is a natural dislike of anything that could change that, or anything not fitting in, to a larger degree. We all have different levels of it. Some people are afraid of not fitting in socially. Some people, as I, are not afraid of being a social misfit, but are more afraid of coming in contact with something different that nature dictates, hence the horror movie.
I'm not saying it should be changed, i just wanted to start a debate on speculation why we have a fear response to certain things. I suppose seeing an image still counts as 'seeing' it, so your brain would respond in fear. But my question is, why is that image scary at all? I think what you are really referring to is the fear of the unknown. If you are the same as everyone else, you are in the known. But if you are different than others, than you are progressing into the 'unknown'. Another example. why is this image scary:
So the question has progressed to: why are we afraid of the unknown? I'll try to answer this one. (not trying to sound nostalgic here) our ancestors lived in harsh times. If a noise came from behind you, you have two options: you could turn around, or you could run. It was usually the ones who ran that ended up surviving, and thus, evolved fear of the unknown. We all still have our primal instincts programmed into us (I could give you a mountain of examples, but you get it). We still use these instincts for all aspects of life. As to why we find these things scary, I'm going to say it is what society tells us that makes that scene scary. We could look at a murder scene and be filled with fear, but in the Roman Age the people took amusement at seeing gladiators killing eachother often.
i suppose you are correct in that first part because with what is known, you know how to react but with what is unknown, you dont know how to respond so running away is the best response. You see, when looked at this way, every trait refined by natural selection can be deciphered using simple logic.
Fear controls our lives. Why do you get married? Because you are afraid to die alone. Why do you have children? Because you are afraid to die with no one to remember you. Why do you go to the doctor? Because you are afraid to die. And at the end of fear- Oblivion.
I have a response to both those pictures: I don't think that when we see those pictures we are necessarily scared by them. Sure, they may evoke scary thought in our head (what if I did see that?), but the pictures themselves are simply shocked. We are shocked because it's something new; something that we don't plan or expect. That's why everybody is so shocked by screamers, etc. We don't expect them, and thus are shocked.
How can a game be at the end of fear? Fear is a practical response, as a man without fear is inhuman and will take many risks. Fear is what stops us from taking risks, whether it be because of peer pressure, personal safety, loss of something/consequences. It also comes into play in decision making. Fear also helps brings people together, although that is a side point. Take for example, a genetically modified (I won't say enhanced) super soldier who cannot feel fear. Now, he might charge an fixed machine gun turret because he has no fear for his life. Ergo, he ends up dead. That loss of fear made him think he could survive that act, whereas he actually had no chance. Fear is a survival instinct, one that allows us an increased chance of survival by fleeing. Now, a teen-aged kid who is being pressured by his friends to steal a car suffers from two types of fear, fear of losing his friends respect (peer pressure) and fear of the consequences. This kid is being pressured in two different directions, and one fear would probably overpower the other, creating a decision. So fear has a decision making factor, as well as enabling the following of the least dangerous course in respect to the subjects mind. Fear is a necessary survival instinct that allows us to make the best decisions, based on available information, and current mindset. The two pictures? The second one is just funny, while first is creepy, in that it is disorganized and has what appears to be "tomato sauce" and the girls head is backwards.
yep, the fight or fight mentallity, humanity (and other species) has always had fear, and for good reason. its all about preserving the species and survival of the fittest. while not having fear could presumably have some advantages, in the end, it is the offshoot of a need to carry on the species. every species is in a communal battle for its own survival, and each member of the species contributes. any animal or person without fear wouldn't be part of a species because it would be cut off from the rest of its kind. and if that is true, any human must have fear to be part of humanity. and that pic made me laugh, not shudder in fear