Fear Does Not Equal Danger

Fear and danger interact in a way that can be deceiving. For example, a lot of people are more afraid of things like sharks, bears, and snakes than they are of deer; meanwhile, deer that run in front of vehicles are the statistically higher killer. So why aren’t more people afraid of deer?

This is because our brain draws to the most vivid and sometimes recent memories, which causes us to react based on emotion rather than reason. If you’ve seen the movie Jaws, then you might have vivid memories of a shark terrorizing a beach full of innocent people, so being afraid of sharks and open water seems rational. Most people don’t have vivid or traumatizing memories involving deer, so being afraid of them might seem irrational. That’s my point.

I’m not saying to be afraid of deers, and think sharks are harmless. Instead, think about the fear and try to assess the danger. Take a moment to ask yourself this whenever you feel afraid; where is the danger, and is this a rational thing to be afraid of right now?

Just because you’re afraid, doesn’t mean you’re in danger.