3.2 Brief Journey into Fearology
- MICHAEL FISHER
Founder of The Fearology Institute
DESH SUBBA
The Founder of Fearism Study Center
Since the origin of academic enterprise, for while people of different epoch look at reality from different perspective, the reality of fear was paid little or no attention. There has not been any branch or field of thought that studied about the reality of fear holistically. And so most persons have misconceptions about the events of life which in recent time, some critical minded persons have taken it upon them to rationalized and scientifically demonstrate the need for understanding the reality of fear. This act or scientific demonstration is fearology. In the words of Fisher, “fearology is the transdisciplinary study of the relationship of fear and life (could include other beings including non-living)- usually, refers to human experience but does not have to be restricted”[1]
Hence, fearology is the art or science of critical analysis of the connection of fear and that which is. This is to say that there is always a link between an object or subject and that which fear. This link always has a gap for decision making. And so, in this gap is our ability to manage our fear positively or negatively. The objects of fear are those things which posses fear while the subjects of fear are fear mongers[2]. It is important to note that, groups can also pose fear which leads to tension, conflict and at times terrorism. These states of being can metamorphose into fear culture/ climax. And so, those who critically examines analyze and treat or rehabilitate group(s) of people who fear – fearer are fearologists.
In recent time the greatest fearologists are R. Michael Fisher from Canada, Desh Subba from Dharan Nepal, the fearologist of literature Rana Kafle from India and their disciple Osinakachi Akuma Kalu. For them scientists, futurists, psychologists, doctors or physiologist cannot give a good account of fear connection because they study fear in part and not as a whole. Hence, such an investigation leads one to fallacy of composition[3]. This is why all must tend towards the fearologist for a better analysis of fear and how it affects the human person and the society at large.
Fear is not just an ordinary emotion. The place of fear in human existence is inseparable and thus as important as life. Building on this backdrop, it should be given a proper attention. This is why Michael Fisher studied it for close to 40 year and Desh Subba for close to 25years. For Fisher, fear is what we ought to get rid of by being fearless. This is to say that, it is only on the level of fearlessness can one live to the fullness of his being. On the other hand, Desh Subba understands fear to be a motivator, that which direct and control human actions. For him, fear is both positive and negative but the positive outweighs the negative. This is why he believes that fear drives development and sustains reality.
In the understanding of Pooja Soni an Indian born researcher on Consciousness, fear is like a form of defense mechanism, this she began by looking at fear as part of emotion that cannot but exist without “simulatively” reacting towards something. Hence, she asserts in a descriptive form that, “an emotion is how an entity is present in a vicinity of a particular stimulus or how it escapes from that vicinity of the stimulus. Every entity strives to increase its presence in relation to other entities. And so the purpose of experiencing fear is to protect the self from potential danger”[4] . As a way of not mixing two concept, she explained further saying, “anxiety is when the self is still in anticipation of being subjected to a potential danger while fear is the ability to flee from the vicinity of the stimulu”[5]. Soni’s distinction between fear and anxiety is fearologically not the case. Fearologically speaking, not all fear leads to anxiety. This is because some scenario that creates fear often leads to development. One who is in a state of anxiety may not clearly give account of what led to it but one in a state of fear can to an extent.
For Zeeshan Hussain a Xinjiang Medical University trained medical doctor, "fear is nothing but man-made limits. I personally believe we can conquer anything as long as we are willing to rise above the limits we have limited ourselves to. Fear can do no harm unless we let it do otherwise. A strong determination and commitment can make impossible, possible. The best way to get rid of phobia is to expose oneself to it more often and by doing so there is no doubt that one day we will be no more afraid to it, because frequent exposure will make us used to it”[6]. He also pointed out the importance of fear management in the field of medicine stressing that, such practice is definitely pivotal for patients’ recuperation. Fear management should be practiced. Guess what, we prescribe antidepressant for patients the night before planned for surgery the following day. If we could lessen or totally kill fear in patients, outcomes of Surgery are also positive and it does help in swift recovery. Sometimes anxiety and fear are used interchangeably but I personally think, it is fear not anxiety. For example, a patient came to me a couple of days ago with immense fear of his brain been atrophied. Actually, this patient was young and someone had told him that he had accident years back and if such trauma happens, it definitely brings brain atrophy. It might be true but not in every single case. This patient was this worried because he was afraid, that I advised him to see a psychiatrist.
Building on their shoulder (Desh and Fisher), I realized that none of them are wrong in their understanding of fear. However, for me, fear is like a pointer. It serves as a universal harmony which direct things positively or negative. Ones management of his /her fear aids development or destruction of the self, Other[7], society or the universe at large. This is because, a state of fear effects the psychic conditioning of the emotive man who is a rational being. As an emotive being, no one can claim not to have an iota of fear. It requires nothing but existential suspension to be in a state of courage or bravery which is not the absence of fear but a way of being in another mood or state.
Having experienced so much fear in the face of danger and challenges of life, I took it upon myself to help people who are in the same shoe with me to overcome their fears. As a result of this, I started by trying to understand what fear really is by buying books, researching, reading, discussing and writing about fear. During my reflection and meditation period, I always try to make connections, linking what I have studied with the reality of my time especially concretizing it based on my worldview.
This desire, led me into writing about fear. The first set of books I read was How to Overcome Fear by Er M. K Guputa, Culture of Fear by Furedi, Fear and Trembling by Soren Kierkegaard and virtually all the encyclopaedias that contain any material on fear. These works influenced my notion about fear as something ipso facto bad.
This influence was reflected in my first book: Conquering the Beast Fear: A Philosophical cum Psychological Approach and some of my articles and poems. This is because the definition of fear by most of the encyclopaedia as a negative emotion or as an unpleasant feeling makes it impossible for one to conclude that fear has any positive dimension. Hence, any researcher making use of them is likely to see fear as something BAD, DANGEROUS etc.
A clearer understanding of fear came after reading the work of Lars Svendsen’s Philosophy of Fear, where he quoted Francis Bacon’s saying, “Dolendi modus, timendi non item” meaning “to suffering there is limit, to fearing, none”. He went further to write that “…a creature without the capacity to feel fear will have a worse chance of surviving and procreating. It is obvious that fear can often be a great assistance to us.”
In reaction to this book, I wrote so many articles trying to prove that such conception of fear by Lars Svendsen is mistaken until I met Desh Subba, a fearologist. With several academic discussions on fear with Desh Subba coupled with my intellectual ruminations on fear especially after reading his book, Philosophy of Fearism: Life is Conducted, Directed and Controlled by Fear, a scale literally fell off my eyes as it happened to Jeremy Bentham, the utilitarian philosopher after reading David Hume the thorough going empiricist, and my perception of fear was shifted. This book made me to understand that the place of fear in man’s existential struggle was pivotal and so cannot be conquered but controlled or credibly managed. This is because the opposite of fear being courage does not connote the absence of fear as Nelson Mandela opined.
In my quest to deepen my knowledge of the phenomenon fear and how it can be controlled or managed, I enrolled into the Fearism Study Centre Dharan Nepal, under the aegis of Desh Subba. After a period of fearological voyage, I became the coordinator of the fearism movement in Africa under the direction of Desh Subba.
Owing to my relationship with my master, Desh Subba, he introduced me to another fearological elder whose work is technical in the person of R. Michael Fisher. This man is one of the intellectuals I respect. He has written over hundred articles on fear with over eighty technical papers.
Fisher who wrote his doctoral dissertation on Fear introduced me to his World Fearlessness Movement and I became a major contributor to the body. I see him as a father and he relates to me as a friend and academic contemporary. Building on this backdrop, he always sends me works to study so as to improve myself in that field.
As a result of our constant effort to give fearology a sure foundation in our time, we normally discuss on how to bring this noble intention of ours to fruition. Owing to the growth of our lexicon, some terms like “defearing”, “fearontic”, “feraontology”, “fearological Exhortation”, “defearologize” etc., which I coined are being worked upon for inclusion in the dictionary.
Whatever I am in the fearological milieu is because I rested on the shoulders of two great men, R. Michael Fisher and Desh Subba. Thus, as the first stage of my fearological career emerges after my program with the Fearism Study Centre, Nepal. My studies in this institute has made me see the “centrality” of fear in our lives and has led me equally to see fear as a pointer to the existence of a Supreme Being who is the creator and sustainer of the universe. Thus, I have learned, that though fear can be dangerous to humanity be delimiting people from achieving their potentials, yet at the same time, fear has contributed so much in the development of man by instilling in him constantly the need of self preservation which in my opinion is the driving force of civilization.
3.3 My Own Definition of Fear after Contact with Desh and Fisher
After my perception of fear has been modified by my meeting and reading the works of the fearological elders, I began the search for my own definition of fear. With the publication of my first article in the World Fearlessness Movement blog, I made my intention known which prompted Michael Fisher to write,
The ever energetic Kalu is at it again, and I look forward to seeing what his results are from this piece of research. I have long 'played' (seriously) with the problematics of how human beings "define," "conceptualize," and "operationalize" something called "fear" (by any other name, and, I am using English here because it is the only language I speak and know of, while admitting it is horribly biased from a global perspective of multiple languages, cultures and ways of knowing). I have published already on this search of mine, which is never ending. One thing I have mind-shifted on over the years is to focus less on the question "What is fear?" (as the only way to search for a definition or description, with a tendency toward only a rational-minded and logical deductive approach) to the question I find more fruitful "How do we best know fear?" (this latter, emphasizing an epistemic-based approach)--of course, both questions are useful for inquiry, and maybe there are even better questions to ask--that is what philosophers tend to always search for, and less a search for "the" answer per se. Kalu, in my view, has taken two avenues of expression and good research attitude in this study of his: (1) "creative definitions or descriptions" - yes, we really need to be creative with this and, (2) his title "Search for a Tentative Definition of Fear" -- I love this open-minded approach! Good for you, Kalu.”
In my first publication, I defined fear as, “the state for which someone is calculating so as to agree with what he or she thinks is positive and sidelines what he or she thinks is negative[8]”. This calculation can lead to miscalculation because the presence of fear will not allow the mind to uncover the bumps of the situation at stake due to the presence of unpleasant emotions caused by fear. The unpleasant nature of an emotion creates confusion in a person. Fear can never be a happy companion for most of the moments of our lives because the beast is wicked.
However, after meeting with Subba and Fisher, this my perception of fear changed. Hence, I define fear as an emotive process that exists between an object and a subject, which influences the subject’s decision either to improve, remain stagnant or degenerate in existence.
In this definition, it is important to explain the key terms used in it for a better comprehension of the definition:
Emotive Process- this is a process that is characterized by emotion; an operation that affects the mental content. Fear sends signals through this emotive process, which in turn affect the decision someone makes.
Object and a Subject- The object is “being”- concrete or imagined (whatever thought of) that makes one afraid. On the other hand, the Subject of fear is the one who is affected by objects of fear.
Improve – The human person tends towards self preservation when in the face of fear. This makes him to gear towards preserving or improving his existence, thereby working hard to not just to prevent the perceived danger that may occur, but equally working hard to improve on what is.
Remain Stagnate- For while fear helps man to improve in his existence, it also makes him helpless before danger (concrete or imagined). Putting him in a confused state, that makes him to remain in a particular state of existence. Thereby, making him to degenerate, because an unimproved existence cannot match with or survive in a world that gears towards improvement of existence.
[1] R. M. Fisher and S, Desh, Philosophy of Fearism- A First East – West Dialogue, UK, Xlibris,2016,p.158
[2] One who is involved habitually, consciously or unconsciously, in the act of perpetrating fear unnecessarily, cf., R. M. Fisher and S, Desh, Philosophy of Fearism- A First East – West Dialogue, p.156
[3] Fallacy of Composition simply means using an aspect of reality to make a general judgment.
[4] A discussion on fear and anxiety with an India female researcher and writer on consciousness. Cf., https://m.facebook/Pooja.Soni.
[5] Ibid
[6] A LinkedIn chat with Dr. Zeeshan Hussain on “Fear”, https://ng.linkedIn.com/feed/, Retrieved 1/26/2018
[7] Other from the existentialists views point. It means humans living with one in the society or the world
[8] Osinakachi Akuma Kalu, Conquering The Beast Fear: A Philosophical Cum Psychological Approach, Port Harcourt, EJ&Sons Publishers, 2016, p.22-23
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