The list of atavistic fears is not very long, but their causes are numerous. Much of our daily fears come from ancestral fears we inherited and which still help protect us from threats today.
Last update: 30 November 2020
Atavistic fears are those fears we share with other human beings and with our ancestors. We already feel them almost at birth, because they are closely linked to our existence. They have been maintained from generation to generation and, despite the progress of the human species, they are most likely destined to remain.
The word "atavistic" refers to an ancestral or archaic past. When we talk about atavistic fears, we are therefore talking about a distant past, very remote. It goes without saying how interesting it is to explore these ancient fears, as well as the strategies we have always used to manage them.
In principle, fear is an adaptive response to risk or danger. This is a wake-up call that invites us to be cautious. It therefore plays a very important role because it allows us to preserve life and integrity. Atavistic fears are a collective adaptation to the most serious threats.
"The oldest and strongest emotion of humanity is fear, and the oldest and strongest fear is that of the unknown."
– H.P. Lovercraft –
The 5 great atavistic fears
Some fears are universal, but there are five that are felt in every time and place: they are transversal in time and space. There are not a few powers that have exploited them to keep themselves on their feet or to strengthen themselves.
Being buried alive or losing autonomy
One of the great atavistic fears, generically defined as the fear of being buried alive. By extension, it is associated with any form of entrapment, paralysis or limitation of our actions while we are conscious. This is the terrifying aspect: be aware, but helpless, in the face of a death threat.
Fear of being attacked when alone
However solitary or independent we may be, a part of us, evidently more social, feels reassured in knowing that another person is nearby.
Man is a weak mammal that has managed to survive mainly thanks to the group. It continues to receive benefits from vanished groups and builds realities for the groups to come. If we find ourselves alone in a wood, for example, the fear of being attacked by an animal re-emerges atavistic.
Atavistic fears: bad smells
It is an atavistic fear that is expressed above all in rejection. A bad smell in normal situations causes repulsion because it reminds us of what is decaying and, therefore, dangerous to health. When we smell an unusual smell, it is easy for a feeling of fear to arise as we associate it with risk and threat.
Fear of mutilation or loss of integrity
It is not a fear often present in our thoughts, yet it is one of the most frequent atavistic fears. Mutilation does not only refer to the loss of a part of the body, but also of one of its functions.
The disease therefore also falls into this category. This fear is the attempt to preserve our body as we know and understand it.
Sexual violence
It is one of the most evident atavistic fears among women. Women fear sexual violence because they know that desire is present in many men. The man, on the other hand, is afraid that the woman he loves will be sexually assaulted or, to a lesser extent, harassed.
The antidotes to atavistic fears
The architecture of buildings, cities, social and cultural systems is largely designed to dispel our atavistic fears. Religion and science are another answer to universal fears.
One way to react is not to think about these fears, create situations that keep these thoughts away or distract us from fear. Today's society insists on this path and that is why the universe of distractions and entertainment is so vast.
But as much as we try to get them out of our minds, the atavistic fears exist and will remain there. They remind us that we are curious and resourceful mammals, but also fragile and deadly, one of the greatest paradoxes of the human being.
