For the question,
My answer would be that our innate quality of taking control of something by acquiring knowledge about it, is the cause behind fearing the unknown… we can not control the unknown… So being more specific we fear losing control because we enjoy it…
There is comfort in the known. But like Smudged said above, the unknown could be dangerous. It is difficult to expect that all will work out. “Brains” love to be able to expect what is coming. It feels like survival depends on knowing what to expect. And I would say that we fear the unknown because we don’t trust.
I think some people are just naturally more adventurous. Some may have done their research and made the unknown more known. Some have faith and trust in a power or powers greater than themselves. They may trust their abilities to adapt to change. They may believe they have divine protection. This list is likely not extensive lol
Definitely think it’s the whole control factor. We have a belief that if we are in control, we are safe. So because we don’t know if the unknown will be safe, our anxiety kicks in our fight or flight instinct for survival. Depending on how you look at that part means you either embrace the unknown and embrace it like an adrenaline rush or you run….. or something along those lines lol (did that make any sense?)
Yes, so it’s like one of your previous questions about living. if we do the same things over and over again, every single day, we aren’t living, that’s just surviving. So when anxiety and fear of the unknown makes us cling to what we do know, its why some people resist change. Whereas there are other people who view the unknown as adventure and embrace the experience. Which person will grow, evolve, make new skills, meet new people, or possibly have a life changing experience? I’m the person who would be kinda in between, I go to face the unknown, sometimes I’ll dip a toe in the waters, sometimes I’ll jump blind and other times I cling to what I know, but what I’ve learnt is when I play it safe, I’ve missed some great opportunities but when I’ve jumped, I learn, whether it’s been or bad. I’ve learnt!
People fear the lack of certainty and inability to prepare. When we know that something is about to happen, whether it be good or bad, we can at least prepare for how we will handle it.
Well, I guess that always something is about to happen. It’s strange that we, as humans, are the ultimate adaptive “machine”, but fear stops us from using this at it’s fullest potential.
It might be. I think that it’s also related to the fact that some people have little trust in themselves so they don’t know how they’ll react in such unknown situations…
Because the unknown, the void, can be filled with all sorts of things in our imagination and we have a tendency to fill it with both wonder and fear. The two often go together. We are curious, but still afraid we might have to give something of ourselves to whatever or whoever we come across in the unknown. We might lose a part of what we thought we were. Some people are excited by this thought, others are scared. Also, it’s natural instinct to be cautious 😉
I think it’s because we don’t know the consequences of the unknown, since we have never been there before. We don’t know how it will affect us – whether it will be good or bad. It’s easier to focus on how it might not work out and I guess that’s why we fear it.
I think it’s because the nature of uncertainty and differences that may come with the unknown. People normally are afraid or dislike of the things they don’t know or understand, may associate them with danger. And people commonly value self-preservation in high regard
That’s true! If we think about our history, whenever someone came up with something new, they were immediately rejected. It took a while to process the information…
Because it’s the “unknown”
People want to touch, see and feel things. We look for tangiable things. People like to believe their in control. So when we can see, hear,feel or touch something it keeps us comfy. However, something that isnt always felt or seen, well that’s scary to lots of people. Take God for instance; though He can be felt, and heard, He cant be seen.
I guess it will always be this way. It’s helpful for our survival. I’m glad there are people that step into the unknown with courage. They’re helpful for our evolution.
the unknown is associated with suffering but with curiosity either; it’s a conflict, therefore, the thirst of information to continue, it’s triggered; it’s no other choice; the unknown becomes known; what’s your aim?
The unknown could be ANYTHING! The variety of outcomes our mind predicts intimidates me heavily. And thus, this is the main reason why I fear the unknown, and probably why others do, too!
Thank you for reading and for taking your time to reply! I guess that the unknown is the perfect place where humans can project their fears. And it makes sense to fear your fears, doesn’t it?
People fear it because they can’t control it. We thrive on knowledge and use it like a superpower. And if we know nothing of the unknown, how are we supposed to use our superpower.
So the inability to prepare ourselves due to lack of information is what causes us to fear the unknown? Would you say this is related to the level of self-knowledge? I mean, do people that know and trust themselves fear less the unknown?
Yes I think this is related to self knowledge because if you know yourself then your less likely to be unprepared. You are able to face anything as you can gauge how you are going to react and deal with the unknown.
They fear the unknown because there is a element of world’s society creating that fear… there is a percentage of world’s ideologies that are based on fear… 🙂
Only if you want to… I assume you are happy being in place?… 🙂
“Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or it is nothing.” Helen Keller
It is true, but I think people need to consider this once they face something. “Facing” the unknown as a concept creates only fear because everything is possible. Once we step into it, we see what’s possible or not so we can “adjust” our fear accordingly.
We are programmed to resist change. Change is potentially dangerous. The unknown is change that could be quite dangerous.
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Honestly speaking I believe we are programmed to change rather than resisting it. Take our lives, we change every second. We grow.
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Interesting! I guess it’s a matter of not knowing how to behave since the unknown is the… unknown.
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For the question,
My answer would be that our innate quality of taking control of something by acquiring knowledge about it, is the cause behind fearing the unknown… we can not control the unknown… So being more specific we fear losing control because we enjoy it…
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Yeah… and we assume we cannot control whatever the unknown could serve us and that scares the sh*t out of us.
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Courage we desire.
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We enjoy control over things🥀
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There is comfort in the known. But like Smudged said above, the unknown could be dangerous. It is difficult to expect that all will work out. “Brains” love to be able to expect what is coming. It feels like survival depends on knowing what to expect. And I would say that we fear the unknown because we don’t trust.
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True! How come some people can step in the unknown like they know what’s going to happen?
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I think some people are just naturally more adventurous. Some may have done their research and made the unknown more known. Some have faith and trust in a power or powers greater than themselves. They may trust their abilities to adapt to change. They may believe they have divine protection. This list is likely not extensive lol
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Definitely think it’s the whole control factor. We have a belief that if we are in control, we are safe. So because we don’t know if the unknown will be safe, our anxiety kicks in our fight or flight instinct for survival. Depending on how you look at that part means you either embrace the unknown and embrace it like an adrenaline rush or you run….. or something along those lines lol (did that make any sense?)
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Actually, it does. So we either let that fear and anxiety control us or we can take it all in and move in spite of it. Right?
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Yes, so it’s like one of your previous questions about living. if we do the same things over and over again, every single day, we aren’t living, that’s just surviving. So when anxiety and fear of the unknown makes us cling to what we do know, its why some people resist change. Whereas there are other people who view the unknown as adventure and embrace the experience. Which person will grow, evolve, make new skills, meet new people, or possibly have a life changing experience? I’m the person who would be kinda in between, I go to face the unknown, sometimes I’ll dip a toe in the waters, sometimes I’ll jump blind and other times I cling to what I know, but what I’ve learnt is when I play it safe, I’ve missed some great opportunities but when I’ve jumped, I learn, whether it’s been or bad. I’ve learnt!
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”There be monsters” entering a dark space is a loss of control, to the unknown –
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Not all darkness hides demons thomas.. so lets illuminate for darkness itself is the call for light.🌘
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Pass from darkness into light, from unknown to the illuminated ?
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And it seems that control equals safety.
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People fear the lack of certainty and inability to prepare. When we know that something is about to happen, whether it be good or bad, we can at least prepare for how we will handle it.
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Well, I guess that always something is about to happen. It’s strange that we, as humans, are the ultimate adaptive “machine”, but fear stops us from using this at it’s fullest potential.
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Due to uncertainty.
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Yes… and our desire to control it.
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Trying knowing the unknown is the key. As we can reflect. We learn when we reflect.👥
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I think that the better we know ourselves, the better we can behave and react to the unknown.
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true.
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I think some fear the unknown because of what they have hidden there. It’s unknown because people are afraid to know.
“Silence like a cancer grows.”
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It might be. I think that it’s also related to the fact that some people have little trust in themselves so they don’t know how they’ll react in such unknown situations…
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Because is unknown and they don’t know what to expect 🤔
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Why should they expect something?
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Reblogging this to my readers at sister site Timeless Wisdoms
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❤
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😊
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Comfort zone. We are scared of change and leaving it.
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And we still do it when what’s in the unknown it’s important enough for us.
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Because we like to be in contorl
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Yeah, we do like that… it’s easier to go through things.
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Because the unknown, the void, can be filled with all sorts of things in our imagination and we have a tendency to fill it with both wonder and fear. The two often go together. We are curious, but still afraid we might have to give something of ourselves to whatever or whoever we come across in the unknown. We might lose a part of what we thought we were. Some people are excited by this thought, others are scared. Also, it’s natural instinct to be cautious 😉
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I think you’re right. Furthermore, as long as we don’t let that stop us from moving forward, we’re ok 🙂
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I think it’s because we don’t know the consequences of the unknown, since we have never been there before. We don’t know how it will affect us – whether it will be good or bad. It’s easier to focus on how it might not work out and I guess that’s why we fear it.
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So fear comes from the potential negative outcomes, right?
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Yes I think it does! Even though majority of the time it never turns out how we imagine
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I think it’s because the nature of uncertainty and differences that may come with the unknown. People normally are afraid or dislike of the things they don’t know or understand, may associate them with danger. And people commonly value self-preservation in high regard
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That’s true! If we think about our history, whenever someone came up with something new, they were immediately rejected. It took a while to process the information…
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For me it’s a control thing. I can’t control the unknown.
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We don’t, but we need to?
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Maybe they have gnosophobia…🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔
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Maybe some… how about you? are you afraid of the unknown?
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Nooooooo!!!!I love that…🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩😉😉😉😉😉😉😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊🙂🙂🙂🙂☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️🤩🤩🤩🤩😄😄😃😃😃😄😄😄😄😄😊😉😉😉😉😉😊
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I think people have a need to explain everything and the unknown can’t be explained.
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Interesting perspective! I guess that not being able to explain something can create fear. Better to reject it than trying to understand.
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Some people are just risk adverse and others are not. No risk, no reward though.
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Yes, that’s right! No risk, no reward.
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Because it’s the “unknown”
People want to touch, see and feel things. We look for tangiable things. People like to believe their in control. So when we can see, hear,feel or touch something it keeps us comfy. However, something that isnt always felt or seen, well that’s scary to lots of people. Take God for instance; though He can be felt, and heard, He cant be seen.
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I guess it will always be this way. It’s helpful for our survival. I’m glad there are people that step into the unknown with courage. They’re helpful for our evolution.
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the unknown is associated with suffering but with curiosity either; it’s a conflict, therefore, the thirst of information to continue, it’s triggered; it’s no other choice; the unknown becomes known; what’s your aim?
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I guess the unknown becomes known if the curiosity is bigger than the fear. My aim is to dive deep into the unknown so I can make a sense out of it.
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The unknown could be ANYTHING! The variety of outcomes our mind predicts intimidates me heavily. And thus, this is the main reason why I fear the unknown, and probably why others do, too!
It was a great question! Thanks for sharing!
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Thank you for reading and for taking your time to reply! I guess that the unknown is the perfect place where humans can project their fears. And it makes sense to fear your fears, doesn’t it?
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Because they are uncertain. They don’t know what will happen.
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Yeah… and that’s a huge blocker for our evolution.
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True.
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People fear it because they can’t control it. We thrive on knowledge and use it like a superpower. And if we know nothing of the unknown, how are we supposed to use our superpower.
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Well, we can try to know the unknown and it will become part of our superpower…
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Because it is unknown and that complete lack of information is fear inducing as your unable to prepare yourself.
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So the inability to prepare ourselves due to lack of information is what causes us to fear the unknown? Would you say this is related to the level of self-knowledge? I mean, do people that know and trust themselves fear less the unknown?
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Yes I think this is related to self knowledge because if you know yourself then your less likely to be unprepared. You are able to face anything as you can gauge how you are going to react and deal with the unknown.
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Well i always assume the worst of the unknown, instead of the best. And also innocent till proven guilty applies for animals in my views
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How often does the worst happen when you expect it?
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3 out of 10 (so far)
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They fear the unknown because there is a element of world’s society creating that fear… there is a percentage of world’s ideologies that are based on fear… 🙂
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Yes… and fear keeps us in place.
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Only if you want to… I assume you are happy being in place?… 🙂
“Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or it is nothing.” Helen Keller
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Well, my fear diminishes once I try new things, so no, I’m not happy being in place.
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Because they think they cannot control or prevent it. Which is kind of true!
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It is true, but I think people need to consider this once they face something. “Facing” the unknown as a concept creates only fear because everything is possible. Once we step into it, we see what’s possible or not so we can “adjust” our fear accordingly.
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People fear the unknown out of ignorance. The more people learn about something, the less frightening it can be.
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I guess that’s why they say knowledge is power (or potential power).
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