Has society become too fearful?

[Gwazi Magnum]

Similliar to the sensitive thread, but instead of a culture paranoid over being offensive this is more about people paranoid of outside dangers.

You know the whole "Don't go out too late cause of Kidnappers" and stuff like that.

But also for modern events that has me making this thread, like ISIS.

Basically yesterday was "Draw Mohammed Day" and I took part on facebook.
Today, my Mom came into the room basically already crying because she seemed convinced that me doing this had me painted as a target for ISIS (to which I told her I wasn't there was nothing to fear).

But it did get me thinking, how many people do feel that society is starting to become to fearful/afraid of dangers and threats around them? Regardless of how common or rare said threats and dangers may be?

 

[Azarthes]

I find the dont show images of Mohammed thing to be fascinating in origin.

I think American Society is a little too fearful ever since 9/11, especially towards our continental neighbors. Good source of controlling the wer ern dregs
I don't think it has increased per say, but I do think that this fear isn't going to go away anytime soon. We're kinda just at the peak. Doesn't help that we had a short bout of fear mongering with ISIS: Mexico. (Never mind that the cartels are almost just as scary)

 

[Peter Feels]

Yes.

 

[Dervish]

It probably is, but nothing new, really. The news always focuses on terrible things, like ISIS, the North Korean nuclear program, and not that long ago, if Gorbachev's birthmark was a new Soviet doomsday device. The problem is the population in general is really shitty at thinking critically and takes everything at face value.

Also, you have more risk of dying driving to work than you do for some terrorist to kill you, so why worry?

 

[Space Cowboy]

I took a shit in a Koran and posted it on FB, with my picture next to my new poop book. Then I printed out a picture of the Bomb-Mohammed, cut out a hole where the mouth is, and put my penis through it.

Terror and fear can suck my dick.

As far as domestic terror and fear is concerned: we're safer now than ever before. The idea that you could let your kids do what they want back in the 50's, do the whole Sandlot thing and Leave It To Beaver thing, and it was safer and you had nothing to worry? Preposterous. It was just as dangerous then, if not more so. What gives the impression of danger is the constant bombardment through the media; a constant stream of awful, horrific things happening. We hear the sheer volume of child murders, abductions, and so on and we freak. The numbers were always scary, we just didn't know them.

We also coddle kids too much. Let your toddler fall down, or grab the orange-hot range. It teaches them not to be retarded.

 

[Brovo]

Yes.

 

[Gwazi Magnum]

Alright, so far it seems like we're all on the same consensus in regards to level of fear VS actual danger to be afraid of.

Damn it Internet and Media, I love you but you really do have a knack for scaring people. :P

 

[Windsong]

Yes.

If nothing the internet has wafted away the fog of ignorance while allowing people to build FUCKING CASTLES OF IT in regards to some things. Terrorists they sorta fear because occasionally they do stuff that they see on the news. Black people they're afraid of because.. Well statistical reasons.

Ya' wanna hear about something to fear?

Rich left liberals. Seriously, fuck this asshole for all that he's done.

 

[Brovo]

But I thought the liberals were the good guys. Aren't they the guys who care about the people? Last I heard, Conservative Christians were the Devil.

Never let labels or titles decide the merit of an idea. Use your mind, think critically from one issue to another, question others and more importantly yourself. Liberals, Conservatives, Socialists, Capitalists--no one group has all the answers. If you dismiss an idea because it comes from the mouth of an ideological opponent, think twice to be sure you haven't become the fanatic you despise.

In essence: There are good Conservative Christians and bad Conservative Christians. There are good Liberals, and bad Liberals. There are multiple strands of Christianity, Conservatism, Liberalism, and damn near any ideology which has a following of millions of people. The label someone has doesn't make them good or bad, it's the merit of their ideas and actions, and how rooted they are in reality.

 

[Salsacookies]

I'm going to go ahead and take down what I said. I really don't know much about how politics and those issues really work, and I'd rather not get into those issues without building up a solid foundation for myself with research and life experience. I apologize, I thought through what I posted, and I'm really not sure what I think so far about the whole "sensitivity and fear" issue.

 

[Brovo]

I'm going to go ahead and take down what I said. I really don't know much about how politics and those issues really work, and I'd rather not get into those issues without building up a solid foundation for myself with research and life experience. I apologize, I thought through what I posted, and I'm really not sure what I think so far about the whole "sensitivity and fear" issue.

It's fine. Just a friendly reminder from one person to another. Just be wary of becoming too cemented one way or another.

 

[☆Luna☆]

It's fine. Just a friendly reminder from one person to another. Just be wary of becoming too cemented one way or another.

For whatever reason, I just pictured the local primaries where they do the vote where you stand on the side of the room you support, except the far left and right have freshly poured cement. It was an amusing image.

 

[☆Luna☆]

I took a shit in a Koran and posted it on FB, with my picture next to my new poop book.

Real talk. This is not ok.

While it is true that the Koran has inspired acts of terrorism, I'd like you to step back and think about what it is like for the Muslims who are not insane, hungry, and hateful. How would you like it if your religion made people associate you with terrorists despite you never having done anything of the sort? While you likely met your goal of infuriating the almost 0 radical Muslims who would never read your Facebook, think about the number of innocents you've offended. Hope you don't have any Muslim friends who saw that.

I understand you are frustrated, but that behavior is nothing short of spiteful and thoughtless. Please rethink how you wish to express your frustration. I'm hoping that you didn't actually do this, and were just trying to make a "terrorists suck" comment more interesting.

 

[Windsong]

Real talk. This is not ok.

While it is true that the Koran has inspired acts of terrorism, I'd like you to step back and think about what it is like for the Muslims who are not insane, hungry, and hateful. How would you like it if your religion made people associate you with terrorists despite you never having done anything of the sort? While you likely met your goal of infuriating the almost 0 radical Muslims who would never read your Facebook, think about the number of innocents you've offended. Hope you don't have any Muslim friends who saw that.

I understand you are frustrated, but that behavior is nothing short of spiteful and thoughtless. Please rethink how you wish to express your frustration. I'm hoping that you didn't actually do this, and were just trying to make a "terrorists suck" comment more interesting.

Reminds me of this.

 

[Hellis]

I don't think Seiji actually did that...

 

[Salsacookies]

Reminds me of this.

Now I want to find the Christian version of this.

 

[☆Luna☆]

I don't think Seiji actually did that...

I don't either. But I still felt like I had to say something about it. The sentiment of the comment is still troublesome, and if someone reads that and thinks it a good idea, I'd rather take the tone of, "this is not ok".

 

[Azarthes]

No no

He totally did that. No Question about it. As a matter of fact, more people should live up to his example. What a trail blazer in the anti-terror department.

 

[☆Luna☆]

No no

He totally did that. No Question about it. As a matter of fact, more people should live up to his example. What a trail blazer in the anti-terror department.

Well aware. You are just diamonds Az.

Also use your sarcasm tags.

 

[Hellis]

On the subject of being to fearfull;
Maybe.

Most likely not. We used to be scared of the forests, afraid of trolls, fey and the man in the woods. Fear is a primal instinct, it is always with us, and it is really easy to exploit. Kings and Priests did it, "progressive" thinkers do it o vilify others not fitting into their mold, conservative politics bank on the fear of change. Fear, as palpable and around us as it is, is far less today then it used to be. Becouse we are a evolving society, we fear the unknown but we are learning all the time. We have our boogymen, yes, but we are not as afraid of our world as we used to be.

Is the concept of ISIS terrifying? Yes, but so was the KKK, The Contra geurilla and so on. The question is WHAT we do with our fear. I live in a country full of muslims. A country the internet love to bash for being "A failed mulicultural experiment", a example to scare others with. I look on the facts around me, I do not judge based on some contrived notion that someones heritage is gonna make them prone to crime. Becouse it is not the case, even the police profiling say so.

I have no fear of my muslim brethren, be they Pakistanian, Iranian or Iraqi. Most are hard working, honest citizens. When I sit next to them, I won't be afraid of violence or theft, more then I would be sitting next to a random white guy. I do not let fear of fellow man based on their ethnicity, religion or political leaning steer my actions. Nor, as a openly Bisexual, somewhat metrosexual guy, do I let the fear of bigotry and rejection control my actions. Am I afraid? Yes, I got beaten to hospitalization as a teen for liking another man. Have I let it cripple me? No.


If anything, I fear were my country is heading with nationalists hiding behind a polished surface, where the core is rotten still. But I do not let that fear hinder me, or enrage me to the point of mouth frothing "counter-idealism". Communication and Education is how we defeat fear mongering. Openness and dialogue is how you beat fear. Knowledge is how you fight fear.