I’m constantly surprised at the amount of fear, anxiety and dread which is so prevalent and ever increasing in our society.
It tends to keep our activities, travel and interpersonal relationships suppressed as well as hindering progress and our human goodwill.
We as a nation suspect and question other countries intentions toward us even though, in so many past years, we have invaded and occupied their lands while they have been no real threat to us.
And it’s this fear that allows our leaders to build up a mighty military and huge arms industry with enough explosive potential to destroy our planet’s population several times over.
It was a commonly accepted activity just a few hundred years ago to build strong walls to protect your castle. Collecting all the necessary rocks helped in clearing the surrounding fields for cultivation.
Erecting your fortress helped to protect the castle’s human inhabitants from wolves, thieves, barbarians and assorted monsters of the night.
The human population grew and expanded. as humans are inclined to do. Soon the castle could no longer house them all. So, a town sprung up all around outside its protection.
But it was vulnerable to the wild, wicked world out there. Therefore, the townspeople built another wall to ring and fortify their homes. Yes, safety and security were priorities back then too.
Growth and expansion of human populations continued down through the years. And eventually towns developed into regions. But you didn’t just trust your neighboring region to have your best interest at heart.
Therefore, borders were deemed necessary. Walls as well as razor wire fences and rivers made for protective and useful barriers.
Sentries with rifles posted on these walls made them doubly serious, not to be crossed, border lines. It may have been before your time, but I’m sure you’ve heard of the Berlin Wall.
Towns, regions, territories and countries; the expansion continued. Technology advanced and living conditions improved. But sadly, goodwill and trust among humans did not.
Battles, revolutions and wars ensued among the enclaves of opposing groups and religions. Great pain, suffering and destruction resulted. Things simmered, boiled over, and simmered again. And here we are today.
So, with our advancement of space travel, lasers and electronics, it would not surprise me to soon hear proposals for a force shield to surround and protect our planet.
Who knows what dangerous monsters and dragons may lurk out there just waiting to pounce on us?
On the other hand, I’ve read of “conspiracy theories” claiming how more advanced civilizations may be well aware of our primitive inclination to mistrust others, shoot first and ask questions later. They may already, according to this theory, have us sectioned off by a planetary force field in order to contain us and protect themselves from us!
Fear, I suppose, could be looked at as a faulty and many times self-destructive human trait. It’s result can be paralyzing.
It renders people ever so vulnerable to exploitation. The king says “Pay your taxes and be good citizens. Support my kingdom and I will protect you from the dragon who’s coming to get you”.
The people fall for it every time.
But even without all the programming and propaganda, we are prone from a young age to build our own personal walls of protection. We are like turtles and porcupines in this respect. Got to have a shell, shield and defense!
Threats and dangers certainly do exist in this world of ours today. But in our minds, we tend to multiply them.
Governments, military, police, media and insurance companies all feed and flourish as they continually reinforce and utilize this misconception.
But how do you get across to people that the monsters they so terribly fear may well be some ninety percent imaginary and non-existent?
Dan O’Connor can be reached at danhughoconnor@gmail.com