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[NOTE: I just found this in my unpublished blog written in late 2016, for some reason it never got published; I'll leave it unedited--as relevant to our times today or not--you can decide]

Indeed, it's a "crazy" time in America right now. Many here are completely dismayed at the killings of police and police killings of mainly black men and on and on... Black Lives Matters protests, and the list is long but "terrorism" is everywhere to put it bluntly. You sort of have to really live here embedded in American society, or more like "American culture of fear" to really get it! To really feel the anxiety, fear, panic and terror that "sits" there in everybody's gut!

I agree with anyone who says, "It's a crazy time in America."

And, of course many political pundits and talk show hosts and news broadcasters and neighbors down the street will be talking about this... or, they will be ignoring and denying and cover-up all this feeling. All this 'crazy' stuff going on and the American presidential election is just perfectly cast as the stage for a crazy battle with likely Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump going at it head to head, like a great world boxing championship fight for the fall... to see who is going to win the powerful position of President of the USA.

My point of this blog is not to be "political" and enter all that discourse and analysis, as if the world needs one more voice repeating pretty much the same mainstream discourse, not do I want to repeat the typical and predictable radical activist language and analysis. I'll go only so far as to say, I agree with anyone who says, "It's a crazy time in America."

What is going on, is a whole lot of fear-mongering amongst Americans in this election and beyond it. The American culture of fear is nothing new, and yet, as I and so many other critics have pointed out for years, is growing rapidly and 'peaking' in the crazy kinds of violence we are seeing here. It was bound to turn out like this. Just like 9/11 was bound to happen. People overly fear-full will 'blow' and continue to do so until there is a ... change, a transformation, a revolution... something. It is unsettling times.

My perspective, rather than all the political analysis that is common, is from that of a fearologist, and expert and leader of the Fearlessness Movement. So, I'll say a few things below that may help you keep this crazy times in perspective. I'll even make some 'prophetic' guesses. I'll even offer a little advice. I don't often say such things nor promote that as my task. I trust people, somewhere inside, will know the truth and the best way to go... yet, sometimes they need to hear it from someone else. In this case, a fearologist, who has studied the history and dynamics of the culture of fear phenomenon for over 27 years.

First, what we are seeing are not only crazy times but dangerous times. Historically, every civilization and culture goes through this when it is in its death-throws, dying, and desperately trying to cling on to an "old paradigm." I know this is simplistic, my point is to keep a historical perspective on change and big change that some civilizations, cultures have to go through to correct themselves, to die and be reborn again--as you may want to say it. American culture is dying. It has been well documented by historians, cultural critics, political critics... and sure, not the mainstream media or others of that old Order are going to admit this.

Second, fear (Fear) is the great catalyst for these crazy times and all the extremist reactions, and in American politics this last year and half especially, it is ripe with Donald Trump running as candidate. He's a great fear-mongering leader, pretending to be fearless to save everyone who is afraid of the way things are and he is going to rebuild the American Empire... blah, blah.. these kinds of crazy leaders appear all throughout history... we should at least thank him for showing us how afraid Americans are (including himself) of losing what they feel they are losing... the American Dream is dying and people are having to awaken to a globalized reality that cannot be shut out at the American borders by "walls" of ignore-ance, arrogance and "Walls"-- Fear will remain, not matter what Trump does, or Hilary for that matter. The culture of fear is a bigger 'Beast' than Trump or anyone, and yet Trump is the kind of archetypal leader to purvey Fear... and it is working. Most Americans are really terrified what will happen if this guy gets to be President. Don't worry about it... he won't.

Third, Trump and his fear-mongering followers are going to be a loud dramatic voice alright, and they won't go away... but they will get trounced when it comes to voting time this late fall... why? because a very powerful Democratic force--a threesome, of Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders and Hilary Clinton and all they stand for in this classic "Good" against "Evil" if you want to use dramatic terms. American society, in the Transformation that began heavily (albeit, still in the margins) in the 1960s in this country and many Western countries around the world (especially)--where the average consciousness of the people is sliding toward a just society and one they wish no longer to be built on fear and maintained on fear--and, especially they resent "leaders" who do so and resort to punishment and regimes of surveillance and exclusivity (i.e., racism, for one)... no, what I witness living here in the USA in 2008, with Obama's decisive win in that election was a "felt" change--a big change-- that there are large forces in cultural evolution going on in this country and around the world for a "better" way to go--even a new society, and I knew then that American's on the whole (at least over 50% or so) won't return to the old patriarchal ways. The fact that Bernie Sanders did so well in popularity, running on a rather 'far Left' social democracy agenda in this country and then Hilary (a women) coming to be the next president--these are signs of a country going through crisis at the cultural level and they show there will not be a going back to old style Republican governments. The same trend hit Canadians in this last election of Justin Trudeau as Prime Minister. These countries will not 'go back'... so, don't worry about it.

Fourth, the various extremist factions however, are worrisome and will cause major damages, and attempt to fragment the Fearlessness Movement and the society of the just and the Good... for sure, they are an awesome 'enemy' worthy of respect for their capabilities to "fight" for the Old patriarchal White ways... ways of Fear's Empire. I also know, that telling people not to worry, or be afraid in excesses... or being paranoid... is not always very helpful. You cannot just "tell" someone not to be afraid. Politicians and all kinds of leaders and our parents perhaps, have told us those kinds of things... they are minimally helpful. What is helpful is to be aware of how you are being put into a trance by spectacle and dramatic enactments and events in a crazy society undergoing crisis. I make sure I watch when I am being put into "shock." I watch how susceptible my wife for example is when she watches the "news" (the horror and spectacle) etc. Many Americans are so in this cultural hypnosis, they haven't a clue that they are -- but worse, as my colleague Four Arrows teaches, when in this 'shock n' awe' state of consciousness (often felt as dismay or despair)--there is the problem of them being hypnotized by "Authorities" (like political leaders, and candidates, among just a few)--and you will eventually be "following" them and the kind of fear-based way of thinking they emit and transmit... this, is the worse of "learning" one can get conditioned by. So, my advice, "turn off the media" for one, and listen very sparingly if you need to... but mostly, you don't need to. There are other ways to educate yourself without the "screen" of spectacle that operates on using "fear" to get viewer attention and votes.

I think this is enough, for now. Too much information isn't useful either. Be focused, and clear "who you are" and "what you stand for" and what you are aligned for. I make all those choices everyday when I feel the wide-world emotional anxiety and terror--trying to pull me off-center and into debates that basically are between two choices of which neither one of them is really the "best" choice. The best choice, and my vote, always goes to those less fear-based in their motivations and actions. Currently, there is no political party anywhere, I know of, in the world, and certainly not in America,

Just to say hi to all here. 

Just to say, no matter who wins the US election tomorrow? 

Just to say, at some level, there is only one winner in that country

Just to say, that one winner is fear. 

That's why long ago, 

in Canada, 

I set up the In Search of Fearlessness Project. 

Just to say, at some level, there is only one winner 

Just to say, it is there awaiting

Just to say, it is Fearlessness. 

Four Arrows                                                        and                          R. Michael Fisher 

This interview (FearTalk #27) has some interesting words of wisdom from the Indigenous scholar Four Arrows (Dr. D. T. Jacobs). 

Dr. Sheldon Solomon, one of the co-founders of Terror Management Theory, recently sent me this info. on this book out last year (he also wrote a book endorsement), in which it looks quite interesting as a synthesis of several streams of thought and practices--ultimately, it puts "fear" in a pretty important category in terms of fear management and social change. I'm ordering it and look forward to see also what it has to say about fearlessness(?) 

Update: (Sept. 20/24) I bought and scanned the book (author is professor J. K. Rowe, Univ. of Victoria, BC) as I usually do, and within a few hours I could see the biases of the book's constructions. I wrote the following informal brief review and it is now posted up on amazon.ca (here is a copy of it): 

Reviewed in Canada on September 21, 2024

****

My first recorded FearTalk #1 (2018), with Four Arrows (Wahinkpe Topa, aka Dr. Don T. Jacobs) was the first opportunity to talk with an Indigenous-based scholar and activist-educator about the topic of fear and fearlessness. We got into talking about "aesthetics of fear" as perhaps a better alternative (more Indigenous) way to understand fear. Take a listen to this spontaneous dialogue. 

My second recorded FearTalk #12 (2021) with Four Arrows. In this talk we both again arrive back and remember "Indigenizing & Fearlessnessizing" --independently, and collectively, as a fundamental way to carry forward education for all in the 21st century. There is no other educator who is open and so progressive to want to address this topic with me, and excitingly we are going to do our 3rd FearTalk on this in the next few days, so stay tuned. 

****

Note: for those who want to read up on Indigenizing and Fearlessnessizing by Four Arrows and myself, brought specifically into dialogue and critique with the field of Critical Pedagogy, go to: 

Four Arrows & Fisher, R. M. (2020). Section V Indigenous ways of knowing. In S. R. Steinberg & B. Down (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of critical pedagogies Vol. 2 (pp.547-49). SAGE. 

Fisher, R. M., & Four Arrows (2020). Indigenizing conscientization and critical pedagogy: Integrating Nature, Spirit and Fearlessness as foundational concepts. In S. R. Steinberg & B. Down (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of critical pedagogies Vol. 2 (pp.551-60). SAGE. 

As I have since late 1989 been mapping and teaching the Path of Fearlessness, as a universal path awaiting all humans who wish it; however, such an idealist notion has to be brought down to practical boundaries and limitations of real people in the real worlds (and personalities) they inhabit. 

I am talking about the merits of and the limits of "personalities" (so, called "personality types" in psychology). In other words, some genetic, and some personality type patterning (usually pre-set during pre-natal to first 7 years of age) can influence the ease or difficulty of finding oneself able to slide along the path of fearlessness as a life trajectory--as a path of liberation.

Another factor is environmental circumstances, that will make it easy or hard to advance along the path of fearlessness. But all of the above factors are also built-in with the ability of making choices and being responsible for making them. A huge factor is the attachment to "social bonds" --that can be both valuable to growth and devlopment of fearlesnsess and it can be excruciatingly limiting. "Fear of exclusion" terrifies some people more than others--even though, as a social species we are all terrified to be socially excluded. 

What I want to share with you is that the Myers-Brigg's Personality Assessment (with its 16 types of personalities, based on a lot of research), (for a free testing service to see which type you are: go to:Nine Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 1GE, United Kingdom
Registered in England and Wales, # 8646330
https://www.16personalities.com

....has some value in each of us finding our personality type general orientation [1]. Again, I am critical of much of the typology discourses, and that they are not critical enough to larger issues of what impacts people and their personality, values, genetic dispositions, motivational templates, environmental and historical and political conditions, etc. However, of late, I have seen that my own personality type is likely a larger factor in my own life and profession and my mission on this planet.

I am an INFJ type (2% of the population) [2] for sure, according to this personality assessment schema. I find this kind of psychological information sometimes helps me personally deal with my ups and downs in the world and explains 'a story' for my dilemmas, my doubts, and also my successses or near-to-come dreams of successes. In many ways, the following video (which I can't stand like the gross stereotypic images at all: you might just want to listen to it and turn the picture off or close your eyes)--in narrative is very good at describing the "enlightened INFJ" --although, it doesn't really define "enlightened" so you can take that with a grain of salt. I would say, it is a close description (i.e., 7 characteristics) of fearlessness personality, in other words. However, the rest of the summary of the INFJ provides a lot of resonance with my notion of walking the path of Fearlessness--and, why I am drawn to it...and, why others may be as well. Fearlessness provides the lens upon which to critique the world and be compassionate and useful at the same time. Yet, the video also explains why there is such resistance and animosity amongst most all people towards the INFJ types. [3]

End Notes

1. Btw, I am not interested in personality types (or any other typology, like Enneagram, like Astrology, or others) if "personality" is all that one is seeking to understand. I am rather interested in the soul path, and spiritual journey of consciousness and my role in that in this life time and/or others. Simply, I believe personality (also temperament) are sold constructs of a lot of gravity in determining how one evolves but there are also larger forces than personalities at work. Most spirituality, tends to diminish the importance of identifying one's personality and temperamental biases. You could say my interest is biopsychospiritual in this regard--that is, more ecological. 

2. Note: this 2%, independently derived by Integral Theory (and Spiral Dynamics Theory) is resonant with % of people at Yellow-vmeme (i.e., Integral Consciousness). I have totally studied these later theories for decades, and knew that I was an "integralist" through and through. Now, to see it correlates with the Jungian model of Myers-Briggs is more than a little interesting and raises lots of questions. "Fearlessness" in its true sense is way beyond behaviors, it is a Paradigm and Consciousness in my own thinking and sure, probably < 2% of the population really 'get it.'  

3. My book with a colleague on "Resistances to Fearlessness"(2021) is a good resource for detailed analysis of this problem; and, why the world remains addicted to Fear as its ruler. 

Dr. R.Michael Fisher, fearologist. 

I would highly recommend this talk (38 min.) I made 5.5 yrs ago. There is something in the simplicity of how I talk about fear(ism) and its applications that today I am much more complicating and for many listeners more confusing. Sad truth. So, it is good to go back to my earlier articulations. My point implicit is, that if you are only interested in managing fears better (short-term gain), and not interested in the path of fearlessness via an understanding of the philosophy of fearism, then I will not be much help to you as a fearologist. I am critical of the short-term quick-fix solutions to the problems of fear, individually or collectively. 

This photo/art installation I created in c. 2012, while living in the USA. It represents a vision of a way that "organization" is designed into the cosmos, at least the human-solar-earth cosmos of relationships. It is called a Spiral Dynamic of Values-Memes, each of the nine, totally interlinked are given an arbitrary color to classify their uniqueness (patterns of values within the pattern of all Life--that is, of Evolution). This theory and analytical tool is a means of understanding a big part of reality, especially cultural memes (analogous to genes in the materialist plane of existence). I have been trained in this theory and practices--sometimes called Spiral Dynamics Technology. I wanted to share it as another way to understand "worldviews"--as this is an approach to worldview meta-theory. 

If you are not so interested in all of the trandisciplinary research and thought behind this "structure" and its usefulness to analyzing and solving human problems on this planet, then at a minimum you might be interested that the theory has a notion of 3 tiers of holarchical development/evolution (or what I prefer to call Evol [1]): the first v-meme patterns of Tier-One are (beige, purple, red, blue, orange, green). The cover the developmental phases of pre-concrete, to concrete, to formal cognitive thinking and the associated values and intelligences operating from that consciousness structuration. These are more or less fear-based in general structure, and then there is an Evol movement to develop more complex systems/thinking/consciousness (soft structures and harder ones too) that are Tier-Two (yellow and turquoise), and then Tier-Three (coral). I won't be able to near go into all of what is behind this model/theory but to say I have found it very useful in my own work on the path of fearlessness (theorizing). The researchers from Claire Graves to Don Beck and Ken Wilber and others have argued that once you come to the transition borderlands of development between Teir One and Tier Two, the biggest factor underneath motivations is that the Tier One memes tend to still make decisions and act according to fear-based criteria and emotional registrations in the systems, whereas this is not the case with the (rarer in occurrence) Tier Two v-memes which I label fearlessness [2]. Then Tier Three v-meme (of Evol) is the highest LOVE v-meme associated with the non-dual. 

So, those interested in how I think and theorize about the Path of Fearlessness, you now have some more data/theories to think about, re: worldview changes and growth (development) that exist--which, I find explains a lot of phenomenon, individually and collectively. But, of course, lke all theories they have their problems and limitations. I argue with others that Spiral Dynamics (Meta-theory) is useful to bringing about an Integral Age (vision-logical and integral consciousness). That's a longer story...  

Notes

1. Love spelled backwards is Evol. I really like that because it is evol(ution) as I think of it, in which there is ever-evolving 'source' (beginning) and end--which is Love. I do not see "evolution" only the way scientists do nor all the mis-uses of evolution/development in human history because of a pathological set of worldviews that have guided interpreting Evol. The integral model and meta-theory (Tier-Two consciousness) is capable of correcting that flaw and thus replaces evolution with evol. The holarchical concept is an integral corrective to "hierarchy" (especially, pathological hierarchies). The holarchic means part/Whole units in systems are the focus of study, not one or the other but both all the time simultaneously--also written as Self/System dynamics in evol. That may still not be satisfying for critics who see this model as hierarchical, not matter what the theory actually says, and they are convinced that any "structure" of lower and higher order systems is making one 'higher' better, etc. This is very old paradigm thinking of worldviews that are pre-Tier Two in consciousness structure. At Yellow meme (FMS-7), true Fearlessness, in my theory, the clarity and intelligence of "integral" is quite different and sees that the base foundational v-memes are the most "foundational" to the entire spiral--and, without them, the whole spiral comes down--not good. However, the upper v-memes are the most "significant" and bring great gifts to what the foundations have built. And, of course, there can be pathologies at all levels of the v-memes in the Spiral in evol. That's another complexity I won't go into, but "fear" (and 'fear' constructions) are core to my articulating a critical fearanalysis of what goes wrong in evolution and development and why we end up with messes (crises) like we do as our species continues to grow and develop. 

2. See my (integrally-informed) Fear Management Systems Theory (nine FMSs) at the base of all my work on "fear" and "fearlessness" since 1989. 

With the risk of sounding arrogant, god help me, I have to smile and stand up tall, and sit down again, and think... why is it I want to share a new list of RMF Theories.docx I have created, co-created and/or adapted from others over the past 50 years or so (?). I guess, it feels good to list them and explain them briefly, all in one document, and now they may be a resource for others. Of course, there are a lot of these theories that come from my work with fear/fearlessness but also a lot that don't. It's their combination that makes up the capacitance and proficiency of my thought, my critiques, my inventions... and I look forward to more to come. Maybe in some way, it will make you ponder about your own theories, and/or the one's you tend to follow and may not be so aware that you do. I'm all for being more conscious about our theories that are hidden in the background of our minds. 

To view this short documentary audio podcast on an amazing leader from India, and one who promotes "cultivating fearlessness" -- see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1O7bPqHy2E 

Her 40+ years has been, amongst other things, devoted to fighting (via non-violence) the "industrialization of nature/food" (agriculture especially). I was listening and thinking most of her critiques and protest ideas could be analogously applied to the "industrialization of children and child care" (education especially). 

I think in a world of such crises and tragedy, horrors and fear, it is easy for activists of justice to become soured and mean, hateful and despairing. Here, if you look at this face and listen to this Sacred Warrior, Vandana Shiva, you are faced with a 'mirror' of how to 'balance' the dark and the light.  

Published in 2024, by Information Age Publishing, I highly recommend this book, some of my best writing on fear(lessness) and education. Here's a mere excerpt from the Table of Contents, to excite your neurons:

There's a long story behind my finding this 4 pp. fold-out brochure in a medical library in New York City. It is the only evidence currently available on this group [1] that was apparently started under the guidance of the famous theosophists, Alice & Foster Bailey. Since 2006, when I found this brochure (which I made in color, aged, and adapted with a few excerpts here only using photoshop), I have been searching for answers to the mystery of where this group and The League 'disappeared' and why no traces. Currently, the fine folks at Lucis Trust, NY, are attempting to search into this. Curiously, no body in the current big American theosophical organizations has heard of this League but they do suspect the Bailey's were quite likely to have taken on initiating such a project. IF anyone has any leads to finding out more about this group, let me know: 

r.michaelfisher52@gmail.com

But besides that fascinating historical evidence, and a story yet told, I wanted to share the brochure today, it seems appropriate as just 5 days away from one of the most important elections ever in U.S. history. The level of tension, fear, dread, etc. is palpable. It's also in my dreams. And, so, I thought it would be good to share these words, ideas, and spirit of fearlessness from this group in 1931, of which North America was deep in the Depression and fear was rampant. If you haven't already picked-up the nuanced connection between The League's mission and my own via the In Search of Fearlessness Project (1989- ) and later, founding the In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute (1991- )--and, the uncanny sense of a paralleling historical soul-based work that is wanting to go on in this world, it is so obvious to me--and yet, struggles of resistances to manifest this Project effectively are so powerful as well. To say it bluntly, there is no such project that has such a systematic well-thought out "program" to improve fear management and remove fear on the planet as a barrier to the evolution of consciousness. This is powerful beyond words. I wished, in retrospect, I would have found this brochure in 1989--boy, that would have made a big difference! But, that's the way it is. 

End Note

1. Just recently, I have attained a few documents on this group, I am reviewing, and will keep you posted with updates, if you let me know you are interested. 

* A variant theme arrived after, which is more accurate to Barbara and my visioning and planning: "CARING ABOUT CARING, IN AN AGE OF ANXIETY" 

End Note (for this blogposting)

1. "Religion" sounds awefully strong I know. I could have said "spirituality" or "philosophy" and I could have not mentioned this at all. I suppose it was thrown in just now [a week after I posted this all] because of my critical reflective journaling on what it is that I am doing and attempting to ignite on this planet. I wrote, that the In Search of Fearlessness Project 1989- came as if from centuries before there was an 'I' or 'prophetic moment' of encountering with this truth path and revelation. But everything I can write and publish and teach on fear and fearlessness, really won't make sense until the total context of it is understood by others. It is a religion--meaning a religio (a return to source connectivity and sanity thereof) and it is a therapy--meaning a therapia (a philosphical therapeutic corrective in metaphysical dimensions and structural dimensions of the evolution of consciousness and dysplasia within that developmental circuitry) and, it is an education--meaning edu-care . I have qualified, using Latin words for what I am onto and called to bring out to this planet's evolution. A much longer discussion of course. And, as for the religio of fearlessness, if you attune to it, and go beyond what most "religions" are these days and in the past, you'll perhaps come into a new learning and imaginary of another kind (aka for the 21st century). You'll have the potential to see what I see, or know what I know, and to breathe and to move to action. A religio of fearlessness has never been strange to me since its inception in late 1989, however, I am not one to go around talking or promoting religion. That said, in my 2010 first major book published [2] I went so far as to see (and act out) that I could easily articulate a first draft of a "Credo of Fearlessness" (see pp. 39, 126, 205, 214). That Credo came about as a reflecting on what it was that is going on with this whole fear and fearlessness thing. Indeed, Credo's are part of all religions pretty much. 

2. Fisher, R. M. (2010). The world's fearlessness teachings: A critical integral approach to fear management/education for the 21st century. Lanham, MD. University Press of America/Rowman & Littlefield. 

A volume in the series: Studies in the Philosophy of Education. Editor(s): John E. Petrovic, The University of Alabama.

Published Nov. 15/23 2023 and for sale (see ordering flyer): SITPOE8.pdf

Also, add Discount Code for a good price reduction deal: discount code  TFP23, effective today, ending March 31, 2024.

[also, as of Dec. 18/23, I made a 30 min. video on introducing the book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tXi-uEE4fk ]

The author, with over three decades of focused research on fear and fearlessness and 45 years as an emancipatory educator, argues that philosophy and philosophy of education have missed several great opportunities to help bring about theoretical and meta-perspectival clarity, wisdom, compassion, and practical ways to the sphere of fear management/education (FME) throughout history. FME is not simple, nor a luxury, it is complex. It’s foundational to good curriculum but it requires careful philosophical critique. This book embarks on a unique transdisciplinary understanding of The Fear Problematique and how it can be integrated as a pivotal contextual reference for assessing the ‘best’ way to go in Education today and tomorrow. Educational philosophy is examined and shown to have largely ‘missed the boat’ in terms of responding critically and ethically to the insidious demand of having to truly educate ourselves when we are so scared stiff. Such a state of growing chronic fear, of morphing types of fear, and a culture of fear, ought to be central in shaping a philosophy of fear(ism) for education. The book challenges all leaders, but especially philosophers and educators, to upgrade their own fear imaginary and fear education for the 21st century, a century of terror likely to grow in the cascading global crises.

 CONTENTS

Preface. 

CHAPTER 1: Introduction.

CHAPTER 2: Philosophy and a Fearturn.

CHAPTER 3: Education Philosophy 'Misses the Boat.'

CHAPTER 4: Fear(ism) as Philosophy: A Transformative Paradigm.

CHAPTER 5: Fear Management/Education for the 21st Century.

CHAPTER 6: Fearlessness as Educational Philosophy.

CHAPTER 7: Recommendations.

Glossary. References. Index.

A volume in the series: Studies in the Philosophy of Education. Editor(s): John E. Petrovic, The University of Alabama.

In Press 2023 and for sale: Information Age Publishing

The author, with over three decades of focused research on fear and fearlessness and 45 years as an emancipatory educator, argues that philosophy and philosophy of education have missed several great opportunities to help bring about theoretical and meta-perspectival clarity, wisdom, compassion, and practical ways to the sphere of fear management/education (FME) throughout history. FME is not simple, nor a luxury, it is complex. It’s foundational to good curriculum but it requires careful philosophical critique. This book embarks on a unique transdisciplinary understanding of The Fear Problematique and how it can be integrated as a pivotal contextual reference for assessing the ‘best’ way to go in Education today and tomorrow. Educational philosophy is examined and shown to have largely ‘missed the boat’ in terms of responding critically and ethically to the insidious demand of having to truly educate ourselves when we are so scared stiff. Such a state of growing chronic fear, of morphing types of fear, and a culture of fear, ought to be central in shaping a philosophy of fear(ism) for education. The book challenges all leaders, but especially philosophers and educators, to upgrade their own fear imaginary and fear education for the 21st century, a century of terror likely to grow in the cascading global crises.

 CONTENTS

Preface. 

CHAPTER 1: Introduction.

CHAPTER 2: Philosophy and a Fearturn.

CHAPTER 3: Education Philosophy 'Misses the Boat.'

CHAPTER 4: Fear(ism) as Philosophy: A Transformative Paradigm.

CHAPTER 5: Fear Management/Education for the 21st Century.

CHAPTER 6: Fearlessness as Educational Philosophy.

CHAPTER 7: Recommendations.

Glossary. References. Index.

Here is my latest FearTalk in the series I started some 4 years ago, whereby I wanted to have the most honest conversations possible with people I knew, or don't know that well, and merely talk live and unedited on the topic of fear. Here is the link to this recent video on my Youtube Channel 

In an intriguing article 13(3)+Buddhism+Moral+Courage+Perspective+on+Fear+and+Truth+(3504-3516) (1).pdf on Buddhism and fear (and fearlessness), I have taken one extract here :

Here's my latest teaching video on "Shaving the Edge off One's Personality" (aka, how to deal with fear)...and, I share recent experiences of working with primal early trauma and terror and how Nature can be a powerful healer. 

Over the 34 years studying the way people perceive, think, talk, teach and preach about fear (and fearlessness), has led me to many conclusions, hypotheses, theories and a philosophy around this topic. It has never ceased to amaze me how difficult it is to find people who really want to learn something fresh and new about fear (and, typically, concomitantly that means they are likewise not very interested to learn anything new or fresh about fearlessness or fearless). 

Basically, it is not their fault they are so unwilling and uninterested to learn anew and to even transform their thinking and imaginaries about the nature and role of fear (and fearlessness). What I see over and over, generally, is their fixing in on some fav definition and conceptualization or even a theory or implicit philosophy that has grown. They have adopted such a philosophy and they teach it with such confidence. 

On one level, you'd think as an educator and human potential advocate that I would be happy that people learn anything about fear and then teach it confidently. You'd think. But that's where the subtlety comes in and disrupts what might be my easy default position to take on individuality and human expression and opinion. I am all for such a beginning of that individual attitude and teaching, even preaching, as long as it is not oppressive and "demanding" (as Yahweh recently uttered on their post here)--but that alone, that free speech agenda, and tolerance, is not what makes a systematic study and learning about fear happen. No, it will not go far. 

That limitation is part of why I began the Fearlessness Movement and its mission "to better understand..." (that's exactly what this website is about)-- and, I'll leave you all with the educative challenge as a community of learners to really look at our self, our conditioning, without blame and attack or loathing, without fear that we are doing something wrong IF we are not so confident in preaching about fear. Good intentions to give advice about fear, a mainstay, of the teacher or preacher, is often a shallow pattern of knowledge pretending to be way more than it is because the intentions of goodness and helping are seen by the individual as their motivation for "sharing." 

True fearlessness work, as a path of learning and transformation, requires so much more than that "sharing"--I guess that's my main intervening point in this short blog. After 34 years of fear study, I can tell you, and I publish on this all the time, there is less confidence I know what I am talking about or even preaching about. 

One of the things that regularly disturbs me in the common discourses that have shaped people's minds, is they think they know what not only "fear" is all about but they utter the term "fearless" or even "fearlessness" as if they know exactly what that is. Maybe they do, in their own minds. But I ask, what theory of fear(lessness) are you utilizing to make your truth claims, your offerings of advice and your expressions? I am not saying here nor have I ever said, "stop sharing people because you don't know enough" and I am not saying either "you should listen to me because I know better." That said, some will definitely interpret that is what I am saying and publishing about in my work. 

The nuances of my points above, could be debated, and I'm glad to do so as part of the learning here on this FM ning. To offer but the most basic outline of a "theory" and a good deal of how I think about these topics, go to my book The World's Fearlessness Teachings: A Critical Integral Approach to Fear Management/Education for the 21st Century" (2010). That publication is one of many of mine. It also lists hundreds of references I have looked at and suggests where you can learn more about these topics. To end here, my short thesis in that book (based on 20 years of research) is that "fearless" is quite completely misunderstood by most people and "fearlessness" is even less understood. I create an integral developmental theory (from a fearlessness perspective) in that book. The theory says that we need to speak much more carefully about our ideas re: fear and how we manage it and educate ourselves and others around it. I call for a new improved and critical Fear Education 101. 

My basic developmental (evolutionary) theory of fear (management) goes through several distinct (albeit, overlapping) phases or stages--each with its own particular intelligence and adaptive strategies to manage fear:

Stage 1 - No Fear,

Stage 2 - Bravery,

Stage 3- Courage(ous),

Stage 4 - Fear Less,

---------------'Fear' Barrier (abyss) ----------

Stage 5 - Fearlessness

Stage 6 - Fearless.

I ask people to look at the data, the arguments, the references, the logic and the intuitions behind why I have used this language and these categories. I want to upgrade our poor fear education generally to get it up to snuff with the 21st century demands upon us as a species. 

Let's learn more together! 

Hi all, just wanted to encourage you all to take time to look through this FM ning site, to search in the upper (right hand) box on the front page for topics and see what shows up here, and/or start your own Blog writing and sharing, and of course Forum Discussion threads are also available and sharing Photos. Look forward to what 138 people can do IF we decide to work and connect and play together to revision a world that is not "fear-based" at its core, but shifts to a "fearlessness-based" approach to everything! 

Of course, then we have to study and learn and create, and check out reflectively what it iis we think we already know about fear and fearlessness, and that maybe we don't agree with others' views about these topics and/or we may have to be honest we don't know as much as we think we know. We can co-inquire, debate, dialogue, and travel respectfully, together, or alone or a bit of both--that fact is, this is an online community that can work for us or it can remain a 'shell' with little life in it. Our choice... 

Looking forward to continuing the sailing...