I think one of the better teaching videos, with giving my background on how I make meaning of politics distinct from the political sphere is "The Great Citizen: Future Process Politics & Learning" from several months ago. I talk about my reasons for studying 'stars' like Michael Moore, Jordan Peterson, Marianne Williamson as a few popular culture examples. This seems to be my new research and writing--with my latest book manuscript currently under review as a study of the 2020 Democratic hopeful Marianne Williamson--a 'great citizen' in my mind and a teacher who can guide many to becoming such. And, yes, I am critical too. 

Climate crisis as part of an amoral economic system is part of Marianne Williamson's presidential campaign to tell the American people the whole truth and nothing but the truth. The question is, will the people be able to handle the truth? Fear can play it's own game of denial and forget, suppression and repression, and unfortunately I predict more and more people will carry on as 'business as usual.' Meanwhile, things will only get worse--and, deep below the surface of suppression and repression--eventually, more and more people will be overcome by the unconscious and collective fear/terror that's inevitable. Williamson teaches Love over Fear, Love as the solution to Fear-- and, so, you'd think perhaps a lot more people would 'rise up' and join her Revolution to transform America and the future. She will not be able to do it alone. 

See my series of two videos on Williamson ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHDlATRUYLM

This book published by Bloomsbury Continuum (2018), is by Dr. Frank Furedi, emeritus professor of sociology in the UK. He is one of the leading thinkers and writers on the "culture of fear" phenomenon and I highly recommend this book (and his many others). It raises very important questions as to what kind of society we want to live in and how we can change the direction we are currently proceeding. Here's a small excerpt from the first few pages of the book: 

------------

I first contacted Frank Furedi by correspondence in 1997 after his first book on this topic and he was gracious to send me some scanned pages of the book so I could study it and it had a strong influence on how I think about fear overall. He's recently taken up my offer to dialogue with him on fear later this year for a possible article we'll co-write for the International Journal of Fear Studies (Issue 3, in early 2020). 

I'd like you to meet Debbie L. Kasman, an integral educator in Canada, someone I have just done a long dialogue with on fear in education. She is also taking on the writing of a book (with me) on my work making it more accessible to the populus, to school teachers, parents, etc. Check out the dialogue FearTalk 6: 

This is 6th in the series FearTalks originated by fearologist Dr. R. M. Fisher. He invites Kasman to discuss fear and education, especially in the light of recent terrorism, mass murders and schooling communities reacting to it, including now the marketing of bullet-proof kid's backpacks. They discuss how fear is the opportunity (door) to fearlessness on the way to Love. A good video for school superintendents, policy makers, teachers, principals, parents etc. We talk about philosopher-theorist Ken Wilber in this video and the AQAL and Integral perspective, so for more on this see my video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPl3-... Debbie's Bio & Website (for more info.): http://debbielkasman.com/ Debbie L. Kasman, a Canadian educator interested in transformative, holistic and integral education, is the author of: “LOTUS OF THE HEART: RESHAPING THE HUMAN AND COLLECTIVE SOUL”--a former principal, acting interim superintendent, and student achievement officer at the Ministry of Education in Ontario with a career spanning over 28 years in Ontario. Debbie recently trained with Ken Wilber – a scholar of the Integral stage of human development. Wilber also taught and influenced Marianne Williamson, Deepak Chopra, Bill Clinton, and John Mackey. Debbie has lots to say about the need to transform education. She also writes about female leadership, equity and spirituality. The New-York Times Bestselling author, Daniel H. Pink, placed Debbie’s blog on his Reader Recommended List in December 2016. Four Arrows (aka Dr. Don T. Jacobs), Indigenous educator, is also referred to in this talk: See Fisher's book "Fearless Engagement of Four Arrows: The true story of an Indigenous-based Social Transformer" (Peter Lang, 2018).

See FearTalk 7 as well...

----------

ALSO, as an aside and complementary article on culture of fear and the role it plays in Education (especially, regarding higher education and the loss of intellectual inquiry) see Frank Furedi's article "he Campus Culture of Fear" --here's an excerpt from the article on the Internet: 

A climate of fear is inhospitable to the cultivation of academic relationships and the pursuit of intellectual inquiry. Take the growing stigma attached to the term “controversial speaker.” Once, controversy was seen as essential to the workings of an academic community; nowadays, many university administrators fear controversy to the point that they have designed policies to marginalize or ban provocative speakers altogether, as the title of a Xavier University publication—Controversial Speakers and Events: Strategies for Risk Management—demonstrates.

Arguably, the most regrettable feature of the campus culture of fear is the toll that it takes on human relations. People censor themselves vigilantly. Like other academics, I have been warned that it’s unsafe to shut my office door when I talk to a student. And as relations between academics and students become less spontaneous and more formal, the ancient role of mentor or interlocutor gives way to that of service provider or bureaucrat. The psychic distancing of members of the academic community from one another is the unacceptable price we pay for our obsession with campus “safety.”

Frank Furedi’s new book, How Fear Works: Culture of Fear in the 21st Century, will be published soon

----------

AND ANOTHER RECENT article on the negative impact of school lockdown drills that children in the USA are continually exposed to: see

https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2019/05/lockdown-drill-fear/589090/

Hi All. I am announcing here a project spurred by Osinakachi A. Kalu in Africa and colleagues, where they are putting on "The International Conference of Techno-Scientific Awareness 2019." It is a conference intended to bring the the best futurist thinkers, across disciplines, to bring a renewed infusion into Africa especially, but also could be other countries who are falling behind in innovation especially in techno-scientific education and advances. 

I am speaking online at this conference (see my bio. and topic: "God is Dead, Psychology is Dead, Fear is Dead: A Global Worldview Critical Analysis". 

Check it out... https://conference2019.taffds.org/speaker/r-michael-fisher-ph-d/

For a Newsletter to keep up on this initiative here are further information and contacts: 

Dr. Christopher Bollas, psychoanalyst-theorist

In 2016 the internationally renowned British (and American) psychoanalyst Christopher Bollas (one of my fav. of this school of psychology) has given an excellent lecture on "Mental Pain" and offers his decades of clinical experience, his creative original thought, and what I see as a profound wisdom of understanding the relationship of the self, to the mind, to the society (and history and politics). Go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9Frb4wMifw

I am inviting any new students out there to apply for The Fearology Institute Course TFI-118 "Expanding the Fear Imaginary". If you want to learn more about TFI just enter "The Fearology Institute" into the search box on the front (upper right) of the FM ning home page and you'll get several articles I have written about it. 

Since a year ago opening, I have had five students attempt to do the course TFI-118 as a start to their program but for various reasons only 1 student has followed through and is soon to graduate from that course. It is an online program and thus people have to make priorities and be disciplined to make it through the course. I look forward to new students in the 2019-20 season. Email me for more information: r.michaelfisher52 [at] gmail [dot] com

For an Introduction (video) to TFI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVWD7IjJ2iM

For an updated TFI Program Brochure of full details: 

Contact: thefearologyinstitute [at] gmail [dot] com

"I'm very grim, and down and out," says Emeritus professor Cornel West in a recent interview. He was responding to Anderson Cooper's (CNN host) about the current Trump rally in the US and people chanting to "send her home" referring to a Congress Woman (of color). Indeed, West has long been a Left intellectual and anti-racist advocate and scholar and he is no doubt reflecting a mood many are feeling in the USA and a lot of the world that has strong racist-right-wing elements rising to power these days. 

Why doesn't Cornel West, this great liberation (populist, intellectual) leader of our times talk about "fearlessness"? [1]

Of course, relevant to the Fearlessness Movement, I ask myself if Cornel West is a proponent of "fearlessness" in his philosophy, his Christianity, his radical left Black activism? And, upon my preliminary searching I found, just like in his recent talk with Cooper, he barely mentions fear itself and when he does he usually is talking about angst and nihilism (as loss of hope and growth of meaninglessness) as a collective dis-ease in American society. Fear as a term is never usually mentioned more than 5 times in any of West's many books, and best sellers. I wonder why? And, in his recent talk with Cooper he will admit he is "down and out" in psychic temperament in relation to the rise of White Supremacism ideology in his country (again). He's old and tired, but he's not without a bit of spirit to fight. So, next after his grim response he says to Cooper and the audience that (paraphrasing) 'we must in this time especially have moral fortitude and courage' and that's what he and all the down-trodden people have always had when they are oppressed and the fight will continue until they find their victory and justice, no matter what happens in the meantime. 

"Moral courage" is the fav phrase in West's discourses, which has a long tradition (e.g., black liberation theology) in the justice movements of history. I see this as a particular fear management system (FMS-5 with some FMS-6)--and, it is basically modernist. It is about the individual (and society) under oppression fighting back and not letting fear of oppressors, nor internalized fear destroy you and your integrity and your will to keep fighting back, even if the odds are tremendously against you gaining much in the bigger political world. "Hope" is also his fav concept to accompany "moral courage." This is the basis of ethical philosophy behind West's popularity and stardom. He attracts great followings of people from the Left especially, and I'm noticing a lot of young men are really admiring West's character and intellectual prowess--and, see him as a hero in the nightmares of the times of post-truth bullshit that is invading most all of America day to day. The young men are scared as I see it, and rightfully so, and they are looking for leaders who speak to them and impress them as having the 'best' analysis. And, true, West is "brilliant" and "warm" and "sharp" at the mouth. He's very hip too! 

But my critique is that "moral courage" is not sufficient to deal with Fear's Empire, the 'Fear' Matrix of which America and the rest of the world is being swallowed up and coded into moment by moment. Moral courage, hope, and love, as the prophetic voice has always offered since ancient times, right up to the present modernist values and virtues of a Christian like West, are helpful, but not enough; from a fearlessness meta-psychological perspective, that is [2]. Listen to West (from his best selling book Race Matters (1993/2017):

"Being a hope is being in motion, on the move with body on the line, mind set on freedom, soul full of courage, and heart shot through with love. Being hope is foraging moral and spiritual fortitude.... being willing to live and die for the empowerment of the wretched [oppressed] of the earth." (p. xxiv) [3].

For three decades, I have advocated and argued, that if one trully penetrates into the nature and role of fear, across the spheres of Natural, Cultural and Spiritual realities, from a critical holistic-integral perspective--then, fearlessness will be understood like never before too. This new understanding of fear and fearlessness repositions many things from a moral and ethical and philosophical perspective--and, one major outcome is that when operating from Fearlessness there is no need to constantly boost "hope" and "love" and "empowerment" as does the modernist approach to activism and liberation. I am not dissing these modernist and even premodernist traditions of liberation, I am merely claiming they are largely out-dated and need a serious upgrade. And, that critique, no matter how much I publish and speak about it is still largely ignored by West, and so many of his contemporaries. 

As much as I so respect Cornel West as a leader today, it is disturbing he has not picked up on the great liberation traditions (at a minimum) and thus talked a lot more about fear and fearlessness. As I said, less than 5 pages in any of his books is on "fear" and when he talks about it usually it is rather thin and about "fears" --not seeing that the entire study of fearism-t (at the base of all oppression - ism diseases) requires so much more than moral courage, hope and love. It requires an incredibly systematic study of fear itself (and 'fear', as I argue)--it requires Fearlessness which is a meta-psychology (and philosophy) and methodological re-orientation that directs our gaze and analysis to something much deeper at-cause of our worst human behaviors, individually and collectively. Fear is not a factor, as West makes it out to and as that modernist discourse does as well. Talk about a "culture of fear," a "fear lens" a 'Fear' Matrix, etc., and then we'll realize we are up against an enormous power and complex of external and internal structures in everyday life that keep us "afraid" and, to then, even at times encourage us to thus be "courageous"--but, the latter encouragement actually supports us being more afraid so that we'll develop more courage--it's an ironical productive cycle of 'Fear' as oppression itself. That's not the kind of critical self-reflection you will find amongst the Left (or West) of their very notion of "moral courage" (and hope and love) and how they too are tainted already from the start when one lives in Fear's Empire. Everything is tainted with fear ('fear')--and that's what makes an oppressive society work so well (said, in sarcasm). So, no, I am not big advocate for "courage" alone as a fear management system (discourse) that will get us very far with liberation on the scale and with the depth I am talking and theorizing about. 

Unfortunately, I have learned that people don't want to do the work of discovering Fearlessness in this meta-context I propose and teach about. I am no celebrity, like a West, and likely never will be, but I will live and die attempting to show people we can do better than "moral courage" discourses and actions--even if, I admit, those may be better than nothing--but I will argue, they are going to be 'too little too late' unfortunately. That's a larger conversation, I'm always glad to engage with you all. 

Notes:

1. I have tried email contacting him and sharing with him my work but to no avail, he typically doesn't respond or engage the work. Only once did I find in several of his books one reference where he used "fearlessness" (per se), and that was in his talking about his appreciation of the "New Black Panther Party.... they have a certain fearlessness like Malcom [X]" (West & Buschendorf, 2014, n.p.). But West doesn't define the term. See West, C., & Buschendorf, C. (2014). Black prophetic fire. Boston, MA: Beacon Press. See also my criticism of American pragmatist philosophy (Fisher, 2015) in general and its domination of American ideas, culture and society, of which I find Cornel West is susceptible to in his discourse (and ideology): Fisher, R. M. (2015). What is the West’s problem with fearlessness? Technical Paper No. 53. Carbondale, IL: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

2. I am currently writing a new book "A Fearlessness Meta-psychology" for the 21st century. See also my Fisher, R. M. (2019). Fearlessness psychology: An introduction. Technical Paper No. 79. Calgary, AB: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.  

3. West, C. (2017). Race matters, 25th anniversary. Boston, MA: Beacon Press. 

Part of the Fearlessness Movement is educational, involving learning where our knowledge of fear has originated in our culture, and other cultures and times. As a nice short example this teaching video (July 11, 2015) by philosopher Gregory B. Sadler, is well worth a watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vvxSXDcCKk

I am myself barely educated on all the various philosophers (even in the W. world)... as to how they may contribute to our current knowledge, awareness, and fear management/education practices. 

Greta Thunberg (age 16) the Swedish climate activist, reminds me of Arthur Schopenhauer (age 16)-- as I have been reading AS's biographers and his letters and how he wanted to be a philosopher at that age and spoke his critical mind about human society--and the way "bipeds" operated in this world, which he was not impressed with--that was the early 19th century. AS has been criticized severely for being so blunt and honest with how he saw humans carryinng on--causing so much suffering. 

Today, Greta is at least being recognized as being just as blunt, and tough as she told British parliamentarians the very words in the image I created... she is someone who was diagnosed with a disability early in life along the spectrum of Asperger's disorder--and, it is proving to be a very useful psychic tool for her at least to speak out the way the world is and I ask you to read and sit with and meditate upon her words... spoken with virtually no emotion-- and just plain truth... from a young person's point of view. 

My last blog (see my video) was on asking all of us as adults (and youth) to contemplate our "philosophical disability" in confrontation with the existential crises we have created-- and, what is it like for us to hear a young teen like Greta say what she said to government. I find it a stunning moment of truthing--which is hard to put any reference upon in history--really... it is something awakening in the collective (thank you Greta)--and, I wish it hadn't arisen and Greta (and Arthur) never had to suffer with this facing a future that is not a real future-- but one that has been squandered--and, with the Anthropocene before us-- the terror is of an entirely new species. 

Time for fearologists to really take this on... a most poignant problem of our day. 

SEE my first FM blog on Greta https://fearlessnessmovement.ning.com/blog/youth-leadership-fear-greta-thunberg

Also, see a good critique respectful of the Greta Effect (as backlash):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lieZSkg6WEA

Asperger's (neuroatypicality) is a "gift" according to the world expert (clinical psychologist Tony Attwood) on the syndrome (i.e., autism spectrum): 

"I think many of the heroes in life, and many of the greatest scientists and artists actually have [or had] Aspergers.... I think in the future, some of our major problems will be solved by people with Asperger's, whether it be pollution, electricity [alternatives] or whatever it may be, by somebody who thinks outside the box. In Aspergers they say 'What box?'.... our [sustainable and sane] future is based on such individuals.... is Aspergers the next stage of human evolution?" - Tony Atwood (from)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdQDvLXLqiM

My preliminary study of Arthur Schopenhauer, leads me to think he was on that end of the spectrum of autism, Aspergers... but was undiagnosed, unfortunately, and had to cope with it without understanding what was happening... he made up his own means to understand (and rationalize) why he did not fit in the world. 

New video

Dr. R. Michael Fisher, fearologist, educator and philosopher, explores existentialist frameworks within a new and exciting imaginary that goes beyond traditional philosophical and existential pursuits--he does that by taking off with a notion of having us all acknowledge "philosophical disability" and he creatively demonstrates what that might mean, how it could be applied--albeit, this is a very preliminary sketch only of this concept--and the way this philosophical work can prepare everyone interested in it for the coming "end times" or more accurately, the coming of major cascading crises that will bring and are bringing already massive suffering and extinctions on the planet. This is a teaching video for the Anthropocene era.

Hello everyone. I'm pleased to announce here the IJFS second call .docx to the 2nd issue of the International Journal of Fear Studies. 

I look forward to seeing your submissions. 

Anyone who knows my work on "fearanalysis" over the decades, knows that it is my own adaptation of several psychoanalysts' works, theories, etc. Ultimately, fearanalysis focuses the understading of the development and evolution of human individuals and societies (and history) around how they deal with "fear" ('fear'). Recently I have been reading the 1933 work by Wilhelm Reich (Austrian-American psychoanalyst, 1897-57), a contemporary with Freud, Jung, etc. Reich was much more radical and controversial, and decidedly more political--that's why I am liking his work in The Mass Psychology of Fascism" [1].

Many critical commentators today are raising awareness (again) of the rising problem of "fascism" (left or right)--and, they tend to pin that fascism (ideology) on this or that political party and/or social movement, etc. This is exactly where Reich saw beneath the pattern of the patterns of such surface symptoms of "fascist" regimes in history. Reich came up with his own theory of "emotional plague" (what, I would label now, as a fear psychology of the masses). I won't say more but that you may want to look at this notion and related it to fearwork and fearanalysis, fearism, etc. 

In contrast, my work has been attempting to constitute a counter project (counter-hegemony) to the fear psychology and its fascist ideological structuration, and personality-character--individually and in social systems. I love how Reich takes this on front and center unlike any other of the psychoanalysts in history that I know of. That's what gave him the dark excluded and vicious reputation amongst others and especially from the mainstream and its leaders. That's another story about his excommunication. He called fascism a form of a deeper "emotional plague"-- and says there are none in society of the West (at least) not infected by it. Again, that's similar to my 'Fear' Matrix concept, upon with the total operations of a fear psychology operate. Reich saw individuals and societies as "sick" on mass scale, and yet he was convinced that a lot of that was due to a sick authoritarian patriarchy that he was not afraid to call out. 

My work on a fearlessness psychology [2] of late, is now making more sense why I want to call it that. 

End Note

1. This whole book (1946 edition) is available free for download on the internet, which is quite an amazing read and so appropriate for our times today. 

2. Fisher, R. M. (2019). Fearlessness psychology: An Introduction. Technical Paper No. 79. Calgary, AB: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute. 

In Jan. 2015 Barbara Bickel and I began the FM ning. I was then and still am the active moderator. I wrote the above mission to get things started. Now there are 80 members of the FM ning from around the world, from all kinds of backgrounds. I am writing this blog to invite you all to find ways to be more active on the ning. I want a strong social (media) community and more so I would like to see us communicating and connecting and working on projects together to really make a difference in the world that is ruled by excess fear. Things are going to get very challenging in the world crises we face. It is time for groups like the FM ning to pull together, co-evolve and support each other to grow and actualize our aims.

That's why I am writing this blog. On average only 2, 3 or 4 people seem at any one time to actively post things on the FM ning (either a Blog, Discussion, Picture, or Comment). I understand there are diverse reasons people sign-up on the FM ning or on any social media group. Some want to share lots, others don't feel they can share or are shy, cautious or don't have time to. That said, I also believe as mediator of the FM ning and as a leader in the Fearlessness Movement myself that it is my passion to get others involved. I know that little can be accomplished as a movement if others are not feeling welcomed, involved and invited to participate. 

BUILDING A STRONG COMMUNITY on social media requires at least two basic things: (1) that members know what the ning is about and feel connected to its mission so they can belong, feel motivated and participate in their own unique ways and (2) that members risk to share about themselves on the ning, share their backgrounds, and at the same time invite others to connect with them for a common purpose. 

In regard to the first basic of the FM ning, I ask that you all now and then, especially at the beginning of joining the FM ning, take time to study not only what is going on on the ning itself, reading back posts, etc. but that you read and study the Fearlessness Movement wiki-like description I made several years ago as information on the movement's history and what it could possily grow into so as to make a powerful difference on the planet. Please read Fearlessness Movement (wikipedia summary)  --share this with others not on the ning, discuss this with others on the ning, add things to this summary you'd like included by writing a Blog here, and/or contact me r.michaelfisher52@gmail.com to discuss it with me.

NEW COMERS

I realize some FM ning members are new to the whole fear and fearlessness topic and may not feel academic or experienced enough to post things on the ning because maybe they feel it will be judged and criticized. I also realize some may not be experienced writers. Some may not have English as their first language. I will help anyone who tries to write, and you may send me your drafts first and I will give ideas of how to improve it in English. So use me as an editor if you wish before you post.

True, sometimes any social media has people who like to be critics, that is part of community and part of the growth of a movement. It is my job as moderator to make sure these critiques are respectful and constructive and any that are not I will delete and/or ask the critical member to re-write their points in an appropriate way. The aim of the FM ning is to focus on improving our knowledge, connections, skills... and building good relationships where possible to strengthen what we can accomplish together to liberate ourselves and the world--to move from fear to fearlessness. And, so we have to learn how to best do that, and it can be a bit intimidating learning that together--being vulnerable on social media is a good practice. I know there are people on the FM ning now that are very supportive and good mentors for people learning, and I will do my best to mentor and support newcomers especially who may need some guidance to 'jump in'. 

WHAT CAN THE FM NING DO FOR YOU? 

I think if more of the FM ning members ASK for what you want, the whole community here will grow and support you and your aims more and more. It can be place for you to explore, do research, share and a place for you to heal and overcome fears and realize you are not alone out there. The world is a pretty scary place at times for sure, if not most of the time for some. This social media site is a place for you to be honest, to be angry, sad, fearful... and, then ask for assistance to move forward and growth and learn from all that emotion and bring forward your best thinking--and your ideas for actions to change your life and those around you--in the direction from fear to fearlessness ---and, some say, as do I that that will be to live more and more in authentic love. And, yes, FM ning is support for you on this journey and it is also not a counseling/therapy site either (or only)--because that is another task for other places and yet, we all deserve to be heard around our struggles and challenges and feelings. I have a lot of therapeutic years of experience so I'll make sure you get support in some way and again, you can always share some vulnerable things with me privately on email at first, and then I'll encourage you to shape that and share it on the FM ning because that is the mission--for us to journey together, share together the journey--as much as possible--from around the world. At times, members may even want to form small groups to be more political-activists--and, that's great too. There is no end of possiilities and yet, people have to share here on the FM ning--and/or you can ask people on the ning to contact you in a private conversation by email etc. I know there are likely ways to use the FM ning system to do these things, not that I have figured it out myself yet. You may want to explore those possibilities on the FM ning--and, if you discover cool things of how to form private and small group chats let me know. 

WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR THE FM NING? 

To balance what the FM ning can do for you and your goals and growth, you'll have to find a way to balance what you can do for the FM ning--which is the same as what you can do for the Fearlessness Movement globally. I have listed a few things you can do below to be an active supporting member: 

1. regularly go to the FM ning (once a week at least)--to see what is new there, and/or read past blogs, discussions, browse photos

2. post regularly something on the FM ning and share, about yourself and your interests, your projects, ideas, philosophy, etc. or simply link some other article or event in a Blog on the ning so to invite others to check it out

3. share the FM ning with others who are not members

4. post FM ning link on other websites, Fb etc. 

5. offer to help the FM ning (via through me as moderator), which includes outreach activities to grow the movement, to find funding for our activities and future projects, to get an official Wikipedia entry online, to enhance our exposure on the Internet (for the digital savvy) and to also help fund our yearly cost of $300 U.S. per year to run the ning--donations can be sent to me as moderator--again, email me: 

r.michaelfisher52@gmail.com

So, that's a prompt for all of you to become more involved in the Fearlessness Movement. I look forward to hearing from you and watching your ways of getting involved.  -Michael

Hi All,

I've just completed a lengthy Technical Paper No. 79, "Fearlessness Psychology: An Introduction"... it is long over-due as I have been pursuing to clarify my 'new' psychology project that seems imperative in our troubled times. I have been a critic of Psychology (therapies, etc.) for a long time... and, I think this will help you understand my work better, as no doubt many have found my work still difficult to get their head around--and, many have rejected it. I believe this paper will make it all more clear but who knows. 

Enjoy,

M.

Abstract (to Tech Paper 79):

The author tells of his resistances to and his love of “psychology” since his youthful years until the present. He sets up the most basic (inadequate) starting place for his new psychology or psychology in a ‘new key’ by placing his inquiry and explorations upon the reference of an “Indigenous Perspective” (or worldview). He calls this “fearlessness psychology” of which it immediately by name alone challenges that most all other psychologies available to humankind are fear-based in their conceptualization and in their offerings and thus no wonder the Fear Problem continues to blossom. He lays out the problematics of all he is doing here and claims that his entire exposition in this technical paper is necessary to go through—he believes it will communicate itself with a wider audience because of this—but his critical philosopher-self is constantly critical of just about everything he sets out—and, yet, there’s no room in this introductory paper to deal with all his philosophical critiques of his own work (and others). This he suggests, a conflictual tension throughout the paper, is probably a really good way to proceed creating a new psychology—which, he wishes he didn’t have to call a psychology per se. With that, the author proceeds to engage a fascinating array of ideas that potentially will change the way “Psychology” is conceived in the first place. The future, if it is to be at all healthy, sustainable and sane, ought to take this Fisherian path and the sooner the better. For it is worth, an improved universal ethical referent is needed, says the author and fearlessness psychology is one way to nourish that imperative and transformative option. A better wisdom and compassion, he argues is likely a consequence of this new psychology—which is not really a psychology.

There are obviously more and more growing uses of "fearism" -- this particular one I found recently by some anonymous author on a website in which a particular shaping force of "ism" is identified by the author as "Fearism" at the penultimate bottom of the evolutionary chain of developmental stages (beginning at c. 2 million years ago)-- interesting. I also bring your attention that the description of the "behavior-isms" identified on the spectrum of development in the drawing/chart are given details below in the box but you may notice there that the word "fearism" is not used and replaced with "tabooism" (albeit, there is an obvious link between the two terms on the surface at least).

HOW AFRAID SHOULD WE BE?[1]: Case of Climate Change Today               - rmf May 18/2019

 The fear of eco-turbulence is the greatest one.

This eco-fear must be made positive fear to prevent the possible disaster.                                                                                                                                                            - Bhawani Shankar Adhikari[2]

             Preamble

 I too, like Adhikari and other fearists (of recent expressions), am seeing something powerful amidst the current zeitgeist on the planet in general, of something which could be called “eco-fear.” This is the fear related to eco-issues (i.e., environmental and global issues of great ecological consequence to quality of life (and Life itself) in the early part of the 21^st century).

I have written about this topic off and on, not the least of which was my series of technical papers on what Simon Estok calls “ecophobia” and its importance in literary criticism and beyond.[3] Many issues are thus being raised about the relationship between eco and fear that require more analysis and perhaps ‘better’ guidance than so far offered by anyone thinking about this. I’ll attempt to move forward this discussion and offer some direct guidance as consulting to eco-fear—and, I think I can do that best through a case study, albeit, it is more imagined for me personally at the moment than real. That is, climate change education (CCE) of which some in the literature refer to it as merely “climate education” but it is assumed they are speaking about “change” and big changes in climate—that is, global warming and the human-causation of that phenomena and the issues around how humans can mitigate the impacts of global warming crises upon us now and that are to become increasingly severe by most scientific predictions in the next decade or less—to the point, where mass extinctions of species and perhaps, more or less, our own species is immanent as is the product of great risk of toxification that will destroy life-sustainability on planet Earth.

I will not here, go into an analysis of the toxification problem, that is global warming as part of the CCE curriculum per se—if anything, I will focus on the issue of “fear toxification” as one particular angle in the discussion, whereby over the last several years I have made the direct analogy between CO₂ rising levels of threat to Fear rising levels of threat[4]—both, with their interdependent relationship and mutual causality (arguably). I’ll not pursue this relationship in this paper further than this mention. There are other concerns I am focusing on here and they can simply be wrapped-up in and around the question I ask myself in this context of toxification, How afraid should we be?—while, I realize that is not the only or even the ‘best’ question—it is one I think is rich with heuristic value to pursue.

My First Thoughts and Question(s)

If I (or any fearist) puts themselves into the situation of answering this question, several things arrive to be clarified, if not answered with a powerfully thought through rationale and direction:

(a). in concrete, if I am teaching and/or advising the teaching of say “climate education” today (as it is sometimes called” and, I am also answering to the critique “Climate Education is Screwed Up” as a recent video announces [5] – I am also having to answer philosophically and pedagogically how afraid should the students of such a climate education (CE) be at the first, in the middle and at the end of the class or course, or lecture? How does “fear” (i.e., fearfullness) enter into CE and specifically my way of ‘best’ teaching CE and/or advising others to teach CE?

(b) what theoretical and philosophical grounds (e.g., philosophy of fearism, and/or a General Fear Theory) can I draw upon to help analyze this questioning and calling as a fearist—and, how might I compare that guidance I seek be compared to some other guidance from other theoretical and philosophical grounds?—and, thus in that comparative analysis how I could make my ‘best’ recommendations to others in CE and/or follow the findings to my own curriculum and pedagogical design in the classroom?

(c) if I was to analyze the already prevailing general critique (since the mid-1990s) that is substantive amongst diverse critics of a growing “culture of fear” phenomena –a critique that at times takes the provocative label by some writers as “Are We Scaring Ourselves to Death?” [6]—there seems to be an important point of analysis required (fearanalysis) as to “why” and “how” this latter phenomenon is functioning already and this was showing itself (as a symptom) in a historical time when “climate” and the crisis around “global warming” were there but only minor in the zeitgeist of planetary consciousness—at least, it was much less than it is today and in the last decade of the 21^st century’s unfolding... then, to analyze this I have to bring forward problematic issues that are in that particular historical discourse, and then bring them into light of my own search in (a.) above and ultimately to answering (b.) above.

No one has pursued, to my knowledge, this kind of in depth research project that (a.), (b.) and (c). involve—and, the time has come for this work to be done, and the sooner the better. It will take a dedicated number of individuals and a team (perhaps) to do a good job of this and prepare the material for publication. I’m inviting interested researchers and thinkers to consider my proposition. I myself have already begun this venture, however, I am only in the very early stages of organizing and designing how to proceed. It would also be great to acquire “gifting” and “funding” supports for such an initiative.

 ****

NOTES

[1] See my recent 2019 teaching video : “The Great Collapse: How Afraid Should We Be?”

[2] Excerpt from April 25, 2019 FM blog (which Desh Subba and other fearists endorsed enthusiastically).

[3] See Fisher (2018) tech papers No. 66-70.

[4] For e.g., CO2 FEAR chart Posted by R.Michael Fisher on September 11, 2015.

[5].  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXuzdoKs9pI

[6] For e.g., Cohl, H. A. (1997). Are we scaring ourselves to death: How pessimism, paranoia, and a misguided  media are leading us toward disaster. NY: St. Martin's Griffin. 

Dr. Jinmin Lee was a Korean graduate of Politics Department of Brandeis University, USA, and has written a most valuable contribution to fear management literature in their doctorate dissertation: "The Faces of Fear: Cross-Cultural Dialogues on Fear and Political Community" 2014

Anyone interested in the interrelationship between fear and politics, especially the imaginary of fear of political philosophers (E. and W.)--this dissertation is going to be of great interest. I offer the dissertation here in pdf (link above), with the following Abstract: 

"Inspred by the hopes of better understanding and managing fear in our political lives, this dissertation engages Western and Chinese thinkers in a cross-cultural dialogue about fear. Influenced by the Enlightenment portrayal of fear, we tend to think fear as the great evil of civilization and the greatest enemy of freedom. This research shows that this way of thinking about fear is not the only one that is plausible or available to us. In order to understand what is missing from our current understanding of fear, this dissertation explores parallels among six philosophers who represent diverse attitudes to fear and political community. The six philosophers are grouped in three pairs, each of which includes one Western and one Chinese thinker: the moralists Aristotle and Confucius; the realists, Hobbes and Han Fei; and the Enlighteners, Montesquieu and Lian Qichao. From the dialogue among these thinkers, the thesis shows how the concept of fear has changed its character; how fear has developed critical relationships with justice, equality and liberty; and how fear has been related to the different ways of political life. At the same time, by highlighting each voice's strengths and weaknesses, this cross-cultural dialogue enables us to see how each theory may hide sources of fear within itself and how, ironically, they sometimes inflate the fears that they were designed to tame. Contemporary liberals, in particular, need to learn that there is much that is missing in our current understanding of fear and how these limitations may undermine their efforts to promote individual liberty and security. In this regard, these different faces of fear point both to a richer portrait of fear and a better understanding of how to handle it." 

*****

I just published a Tech Paper 83 .pdf (involving Lee's work).

The following Technical Papers (1-84) are all available and all Yellow Papers, on the PRISM digital library, University of Calgary archives. A Google Scholar Search under my name will likely show them all as well. 

Fisher, R. M. (2019). Schopenhauer on fear. Technical Paper No. 84. Calgary, AB: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute. 

Fisher, R. M. (2019). Politics of fear: An integrative paradigm of fear management/education. Technical Paper No. 83. Calgary, AB: In Search of Fearlessness Research

Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2019). Notes and drawings to myself: A Fearlessness future. Technical Paper No. 82. Calgary, AB: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute. 

Fisher, R. M. (2019). How the “culture of positivity” debilitates Fear Studies. Technical Paper No. 81. Calgary, AB: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2019). In Search of Fearlessness Project: Archival memory, 1989-91. Technical Paper No. 80. Calgary, AB: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2019). Fearlessness Psychology: An introduction. Technical Paper No. 79. Calgary, AB: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2018). Fisher’s engagements with fearism: An annotated bibliography. Technical Paper No. 78. Calgary, AB: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2018). Fear, fearlessness and education: Annotated bibliography of the publications of R. Michael Fisher. Technical Paper No. 77. Calgary, AB: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2018). “Fear has no place...”: The youth movement for fearlessness in need of critique. Technical Paper No. 76. Calgary, AB: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2018). Hypnosis to feargnosis: An introduction to trance-formations. Technical Paper No. 75. Calgary, AB: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2018). ‘Fear’ Studies, 12 years later: Progress and barriers. Technical Paper No. 74. Calgary, AB: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2018). The fourth stage of the fearologist. Technical Paper No. 73. Calgary, AB: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2018). The Fearlessness Movement: Meta-context exposed! Technical Paper No. 72. Calgary, AB: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2018). Education and the Fear Problem: An investigation of “truths”. Technical Paper No. 71. Calgary, AB: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2017). Ecocriticism, ecophobia and Indigenous criticism. Technical Paper No. 70. Calgary, AB: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2017). Fearanalysis and ecocriticism in the light of terrorcriticism. Technical Paper No. 69. Calgary, AB: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2017). Eco-philosophy of fearism and ecocriticism: In an Age of Terror. Technical Paper No. 68. Calgary, AB: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2017). Ecocriticism, ecophobia and the culture of fear: Autobiographical reflections. Technical Paper No. 67. Calgary, AB: In Search of Fearlessness Research Insitute.

Fisher, R. M. (2017). Why eco-criticism now?: Pathways to the Eco-Fear Problem and ecophobia. Technical Paper No. 66. Calgary, AB: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2017). Love-Fear: Uni-Bicentric Theorem as basis for the Fearlessness Movement. Technical Paper No. 65. Carbondale, IL: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2017). “Fearism”: A critical analysis of uses and discourses in global migration studies. Technical Paper No. 64. Carbondale, IL: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2016). Transformation of Fear: A critical look in educational philosophy and contexts. Technical Paper No. 63. Carbondale, IL: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2016). Invoking fearanalysis: A new methodology applied to wicked problems and paradigm shifts in the Anthropocene. A CSIIE Yellow Paper, DIFS-15. Carbondale, IL: Center for Spiritual Inquiry & Integral Education.

Fisher, R. M. (2016). Four Arrows: His philosophy, theory, praxis & pedagogy. Technical Paper No. 62. Carbondale, IL: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M., Coyne, E., and Biddington, T. (2016). Education, theology and fear: Two priests and a fearologist in dialogue. Technical Paper No. 61. Carbondale, IL: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2016). Educators, we have a culture of fear problem! A CSIIE Yellow Paper, DIFS-14. Carbondale, IL:  Center for Spiritual Inquiry and Integral Education.

Fisher, R. M. (2016). Ideological underpinnings of colonial domination in understanding fear itself. Technical Paper No. 60. Carbondale, IL: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2016). Problem of branding “fearlessness” in education and leadership. Technical Paper No. 59. Carbondale, IL: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2016). In defense of fearism: The case of Noam Chomsky. Technical Paper No. 58. Carbondale, IL: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. and Subba, D. (2016). Terrrorism: A guide to fearful times based on a philosophy of fearism. Technical Paper No. 57. Carbondale, IL: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2015). Fearanalysis: Further notes from a forensic craft. Technical Paper No. 56. Carbondale, IL: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2015). Educative criteria for using the terms “fearlessness” and “fearless.” Technical Paper No. 55. Carbondale, IL: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2015). Educating ourselves: Lovist or Fearist perspective? Technical Paper No. 54. Carbondale, IL: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2015). What is the West’s problem with fearlessness? Technical Paper No. 53. Carbondale, IL: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2015). Further steps to an ecology of fear. Technical Paper No. 52. Carbondale, IL: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2014). Towards a theory of fearism. Technical Paper No. 51. Carbondale, IL: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2014). Aesthetics of a decolonizing mind. A CSIIE Yellow Paper, DIFS-13. Carbondale, IL: Center for Spiritual Inquiry & Integral Education.

Fisher, R. M., and J. M. Massey) (2014). Decolonizing: What makes for a (r)evolution today?: Oppressor and oppressed in critical integral praxis. A CSIIE Yellow Paper, DIFS-12. Carbondale, IL: Center for Spiritual Inquiry & Integral Education.

Fisher, R. M. (with Massey, J. M.) (2014). Decolonizing: Physician of the mind (interview with Jason Martez Massey). A CSIIE Yellow Paper DIFS-11. Carbondale, IL: Center for Spiritual Inquiry & Integral Education.

Fisher, R. M. (2014). "Fearless leadership" in education: Containers, contradictions & recalibrations. A CSIIE Yellow Paper, DIFS-10. Carbondale, IL: Center for Spiritual Inquiry & Integral Education.

Fisher, R. M. (2014). Making an integral therapist: Sociotherapist (Part 1). A CSIIE Yellow Paper, DIFS-9. Carbondale, IL: Center for Spiritual Inquiry & Integral Education.

Fisher, R. M. (2013). Fearuality: Introduction to a theoretical and conceptual breakthrough. Technical Paper No. 50. Carbondale, IL: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2013). Females and fear: Contributions and challenges. Technical Paper No. 49. Carbondale, IL: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2013). The problem of defining the concept of "fear-based." Technical Paper No. 48. Carbondale, IL: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2013). On being a good integralist. A CSIIE Yellow Paper, DIFS-8. Carbondale, IL: Center for Spiritual Inquiry & Integral Education.

Fisher, R. M. (2013). Fearology and the French historical consciousness of its Intelligentsia. Technical Paper No. 47. Carbondale, IL: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2013). Fearlessness paradigm meets Bracha Ettinger's matrixial theory. Technical Paper No. 46. Carbondale, IL: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2013). Making fearuality more sexy: Intersections with Foucault. Technical Paper No. 45. Carbondale, IL: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2013). 'Fear' without feelings (FWF): Latest discoveries & speculations on the cure for 'fear.' Technical Paper No. 44. Carbondale, IL: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2013). Shadow Problem, Fear Problem: Jung meets fearanalysis. Technical Paper No. 42. Carbondale, IL: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2012). Foundations for 'Fear' Studies: 9 propositions. Technical Paper No. 43. Carbondale, IL: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2012). Towards an integral fearlessness theory (Part 1): Nondual integralism. Technical Paper No. 41. Carbondale, IL: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2012). Do we really want a fearless society? Technical Paper No. 40. Carbondale, IL: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2012). Erich Fromm and universal humane experience: Application in the aesthetic domain for art educators. Technical Paper No. 39. Carbondale, IL: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2012). Steps to an ecology of fear: Advanced curriculum for fearlessness. Technical Paper No. 38. Carbondale, IL: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2012). Love and fear. A CSIIE Yellow Paper, DIFS-6. Carbondale, IL: Center for Spiritual Inquiry & Integral Education.

Fisher, R. M. (2012). Beginning dispensations of integral fearology: Systematics and problematics in the study of fear. A CSIIE Yellow Paper, DIFS-5. Carbondale, IL: Center for Spiritual Inquiry & Integral Education.

Fisher, R. M. (2012). The Fear Matrix: The making of a revolutionary lived curriculum. A CSIIE Yellow Paper, DIFS-4. Carbondale, IL: Center for Spiritual Inquiry and Integral Education.

Fisher, R. M. (2012). A survey of contemporary integral adult/higher education: A CSIIE pilot project. Carbondale, IL: Center for Spiritual Inquiry & Integral Education.

Fisher, R. M. (2011). "Culture of fear" and education: An annotated bibliography [2nd ed.]. Technical Paper No. 28. Carbondale, IL: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2011). A new ‘Fear’ Studies vocabulary. A CSIIE Yellow Paper, DIFS-3. Carbondale, IL: Center for Spiritual Inquiry & Integral Education.

Fisher, R. M. (2011). A research agenda to legitimate the study of ‘fear;: Beginning Fearology 2000-11. A CSIIE Yellow Paper, DIFS-2. Carbondale, IL: Center for Spiritual Inquiry & Integral Education.

Fisher, R. M. (2011). The flatland and fearlessness teachings of Ken Wilber. A CSIIE Yellow Paper, DIFS-1. Carbondale, IL: Center for Spiritual Inquiry & Integral Education.

Fisher, R. M. (2011). A ‘Fear’ Studies perspective and critique: Analyzing English and Stengel’s progressive study of fear and learning in Educational Theory. Technical Paper No. 37. Carbondale, IL: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute. 

Fisher, R. M. (2010). The death of Psychology: Integral and Fifth Force psychologies. Technical Paper No. 36. Carbondale, IL: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute. 

Fisher, R. M. (2010). World’s fearlessness teachings: Radical approach to fear management/education. Technical Paper No. 35. Carbondale, IL: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2009). The quest to control emotion(s): A critical integral fearanalysis. Technical Paper No. 34. Carbondale, IL: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.  

Fisher, R. M. (2009). “Unplugging” as real and metaphoric: Emancipatory dimensions to The Matrix trilogy. Technical Paper No. 33. Carbondale, IL: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R. M. (2008). What ‘color’ is Pandora’s Box?: Dialoguing on fear, art installation 1. Technical Paper No. 32. Vancouver, BC: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R.M. (2008). Fearless standpoint theory: Origins of FMS-9 in Ken Wilber’s work. Technical Paper No. 31. Vancouver, BC: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R.M. (2008). A post-9/11 watershed: Uniting the fearlessness movement. Technical Paper No. 30. Vancouver, BC: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R.M. (2007). The need for holistic fear management. Technical Paper No. 29. Vancouver, BC: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R.M. (2007). Culture of fear and education: An annotated bibliography. Technical Paper 28. Vancouver, BC: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R.M. (2007). Ken Wilber and the education literature: Abridged annotated bibliography. Retrieved from

      http://www.pathsoflearning-net/resources_writings_Ken_Wilber.pdf

Fisher, R.M. (2007). A guide to Ken Wilber and the educational literature: Annotated bibliography. Technical Paper No. 27. Vancouver, BC: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R.M. (2007). Disappear fear: Action fearology for the 21^st century. Technical Paper No. 26. Vancouver, BC: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R.M. (2007). Education and the culture of fear: A review. Technical Paper No. 25. Vancouver, BC: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R.M. (2007). Toward an integral terror management theory: Wilber-Combs lattice. Technical Paper No. 24. Vancouver, BC: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R.M. (2007). Conceptualizing a fearlessness philosophy: Existential philosophy and a genealogy of fear management system-5. Technical Paper No. 23. Vancouver, BC: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R.M. (2007). History of the fearlessness movement: An introduction. Technical Paper No. 22. Vancouver, BC: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R.M. & Bickel, B. (2007). Toward a postmodern spirituality: A ‘new’ vision for ISOF. Technical Paper No. 21. Vancouver, BC: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R.M. (2006). Integral fearlessness paradigm. Technical Paper No. 20. Vancouver, BC: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R.M. (2005). Critical integral ‘Fear’ Studies: A basic organizing framework. Technical Paper No. 19. Vancouver, BC: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R.M. (2004). Significance of fear. Technical Paper No. 18. Vancouver, BC: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R.M. (2004). Wilber and fear management theory. Technical Paper No. 17. Vancouver, BC: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R.M. (2003). Fear is... Technical Paper No. 16. Vancouver, BC: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R.M. (2003). A report on the status of fear education. Technical Paper No. 15. Vancouver, BC: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R.M. (2002). On being a 'fear' critic. Technical Paper No. 14. Vancouver, BC: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R.M. (2002). What is the 'Fear' Matrix: Part I, Failure of cultural. Technical Paper No. 13. Vancouver, BC: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R.M. (2001). Fearology: Biography of an idea. Technical Paper No. 12. Vancouver, BC: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R.M. (2001). 'Fear' studies: A conceptual proposal. Technical Paper No. 11. Vancouver, BC: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R.M. (2000). A movement toward a fearless society: A powerful contradiction to violence. Technical Paper No. Vancouver, BC: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R.M. (2000). Unveiling the hidden curriculum in conflict resolution and peace education: Future directions toward a critical conflict education and 'conflict' pedagogy. Technical Paper No. 9 Vancouver, BC: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute. 

Fisher, R. M. (2003). Philosopher on fear meets Oprah-Not!. Technical Paper No. 8. Vancouver, BC: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute. 

Fisher, R. M. (1998/2012). Culture of 'fear': Toxification of landscape-mindscape as meta-context for education in the 21st century. Technical Paper No. 7. Vancouver, BC: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R.M. (1997). Defining the enemy of fearlessness. Technical Paper No. 6. Calgary, AB: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute. 

Fisher, R.M. (1997). (2nd Ed.). A research guide to Ken Wilber's critics. Technical Paper No. 5. Calgary, AB: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute. 

Fisher, R. M. (1997). Thanatos and Phobos: 'Fear' and its role in Ken Wilber's transpersonal theory. Technical Paper No. 4. Calgary, AB: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R.M. (1996). A Wilberian critique of the philosophy of emotion. Technical Paper No. 3. Calgary, AB: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Fisher, R.M. (1995). An introduction to an epistemology of 'fear'; A fearlessness paradigm. Technical Paper No. 2. Calgary, AB: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute. 

Fisher, R.M. (1995). An introduction to defining 'fear'; A spectrum approach. Technical Paper No. 1. Calgary, AB: In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute.

Art work by R. Michael Fisher (c) 2003.

This is an image from p. 359 of my dissertation (Fisher, 2003) [1]. I wanted to show that I was into doing digital graphics for the first time that year and exploring what I could do with it... though, this is a b/w version of the color plate in my original dissertation. 

As for the real reason I want to share this political blog, it is because I found a very humorous (and serious) excerpt from pp. 18-19 of my dissertation. This excerpt below picks-up on a dialogue of a real historical political-activist figure, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, a youth leader of the May Revolution of students in 1968 in French universities--the dialogue is a fictional one but based on my study of Cohn-Bendit's theories and philosophy of revolution. So, below, he is the D and I am the M. 

M: So, Daniel let's get back to the May Revolution. How are things different now, as you see them? 

D: I won't talk about me. I want to talk about the liberalism that has infected so many old and new activists, intellectuals, and just about everybody else under capitalism's insurgence into every fabric of our lives today. 

M: You sound like Mao.

D: One doesn't have to be a Maoist or Marxist, to see the opportunism and individualism that goes with liberalism--that is, the cracked-out addiction to safety and security, greed and waste, that drives this fearism, hey Michael? Henri Lefebvre called it the "terror of everyday life." It is the pernicious creeping passivity that throttles our liberal 'souls' and leaves us 'sitting ducks' or TV-couch potatoes, computer-chair potatoes, fragmented cyborgs....

M: That's my experience in most North Americans, and certainly of most youth today in Canada, where I live. Sure, I'm generalizing... but god just look at the young people going to The University of British Columbia. My six years of graduate school here have left me pretty depressed--especially, when I look at most graduate students, preservice teachers, their professors, the courses offered, the regulation of campus life and rigid bureaucratic protocols--and worst of all, a collection of "managers" posing as administrative "leaders" in the Faculty of Education and the entire university system. I don't think UBC is unique in its pathology--culture of fear. Wilber really goes after the postmodern university and cites Kors and Silvergate's study in their book The Shadow University: The Betrayal of Liberty on America's Campuses--the administrators are becoming Grand Inquisitors, they argue. Boomeritis [a la Wilber], in leftist garb, assaults liberty in trying to defend it (narcissistically)--and a pathetic neo-liberalism results in some cases and a facist liberalism in others. 

I too am 'bit' by the deadly liberalism 'bug' and the green meme psychologism of the 'new age' human potential movement that has been the hegemonic matrix of our W. society since WWII. I have long been searching for a political social movement to create, to belong to, to imagine...something Melucci (1989) describes the essence of what I am looking for in a social movement and transdisciplinary inquiry (outside of the 'Fear' Matrix): 

"The submerged networks of social movements are laboratories of experience. New problems and questions are posed. New answers are invented and tested, and reality is perceived and named in different ways." 

****

Note:

1. Fisher, R. M. (2003). Fearless leadership in and out of the 'Fear' Matrix. Unpubl. dissert. Vancouver, BC: The University of British Columbia, pp. 18-19.