The most common fears among human beings concern life or safety, from a strictly physical point of view, but also symbolic. We all want to survive and protect ourselves from pain
Last update: July 28, 2020
We must never forget that fear is a healthy emotion, because it is part of our survival instinct. Some of the more common fears are entirely reasonable. Eliminating them, therefore, would not be a good idea, otherwise we risk losing our sense of risk and exposing ourselves to danger unnecessarily.
The most common fears among humans concern the physical and psychological preservation of integrity and life. They have a universal character because they protect us to a large extent. They have a very strong biological and phylogenetic root.
Sometimes we do not consider the fact that fear is an impressive force, which can be used to our advantage when we are aware of it. It pushes us to perform unlikely actions or to complete great creations. Perhaps religion, philosophy and science are answers to fear, ways to avoid it. What do people fear in general? Here are the most common fears.
Fear of fear probably causes more problems in our lives than fear itself.
Karl Albert
The most common fears of human beings
1. Death
Fear is the basis of the survival instinct. From a biological point of view, life tends to perpetuate itself. All organisms refuse to die. According to a philosophical perspective, in fact, life is the supreme good from which all other goods and virtues derive.
The fear of death triggers a series of fears related to this refusal to lose life. We are afraid of heights because the possibility of falling would kill us. The same goes for the fear of the plane, extreme speed, etc.. These are very common fears in all cultures. What changes is the way of considering and channeling them.
2. The loss of autonomy
It refers to the fear of losing freedom and the ability to decide on one's actions or thoughts. Symbolically, it is associated with the fear of dying. It implies the rejection of the idea of ​​the loss of the ego or the inability to let it go.
Many fears arise from the fear of loss of autonomy, such as being trapped under the rubble, being locked up in a place with low oxygen or being killed. These are all situations that limit the freedom of a person, who, therefore, is very afraid.
3. Loneliness
Rather than fear loneliness itself, people are afraid of losing touch with the world. Various situations alert us to this risk, for example rejection or contempt. They are a symptom of a possible loss of bond with the group and a possible condemnation of ostracism.
Lack of recognition, respect or appreciation cause a very deep emotional wound and fuel the fear of loneliness. Envy and jealousy are feelings related to this fear. In envy lies the belief that one person will be diminished and / or "eliminated" based on the attributes of the other. In jealousy there is the fear of being abandoned.
4. Diseases and mutilations
The fear of mutilation is part of the instinct to preserve one's integrity as a human being. We establish an equivalence between our body and our ego and we want to keep them functional. This is why we are sometimes afraid of certain tools such as needles or knives.
The fear of getting sick is linked to that of losing one's life. We are afraid of damaging our body or generating some condition that alters its correct functioning. This is why we keep away from dirty places, beasts, vipers, etc.
5. Prejudices
This fear is similar to that of loneliness, but in this case, exclusion is not so much feared as public humiliation. Nobody would like to experience the feeling of collective contempt. Perhaps the loss of one's role within a group does not follow, but it favors a condition of inferiority and dependence.
The fear of prejudice and the fear of loneliness are social in nature. The more diverse and open the society, the lower the prevalence of these fears. In narrow and traditionalist groups, however, this kind of fears are widespread.
The most common fears among people have been known for a long time now. Advertising and sometimes propaganda use it to influence our actions. However, the human being is infinitely intelligent and creative, so he can learn to manage these fears, without becoming paralyzed or succumbing to the pressure.
