Fear that Divided Us

The fear that divided us 🌍

The fear of death ☠️

This fear became evident on a global scale a few years ago, deeply influencing our behaviors and decisions. The extent of its impact depended on our beliefs about what happens after we die. If you believe death is the end, with nothingness to follow, your fear may be stronger than for someone who believes in an eternal soul continuing its journey to a loving place.

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🧠 Fear’s Grip on Our Lives

Our autonomic nervous system (ANS) is hardwired to respond automatically and unconsciously to threats. When danger is perceived, the ANS overrides our logical brain (the prefrontal cortex) and activates the amygdala, which controls our fight, flight, or freeze reactions.

This response is deeply rooted in our evolution. When faced with danger, like a predator, our ancestors didn’t have time to think—they had to react instantly through instinct to survive or risk death.

This explains why some people became aggressive and confrontational, others tried to emotionally detach and escape, and some froze and fell into a depression.

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💡 Cost of Fear

During intense fear, our brain shuts down logical thinking to conserve energy. Although the brain makes up only 2% of our body weight, it uses up to 25% of our energy during cognitive activities. When in perceived danger, the brain prioritizes swift, instinctive responses over logical reasoning, which can lead to irrational and harmful decisions.

This was evident when some feared dying from a vírus, while others feared the consequences of policy decisions. Our fears turned into tribalism, and the subject became highly divisive.

When fear runs high, logical reasoning runs low. We lose the ability to listen and understand differing viewpoints, which further diminishes empathy and compassion.

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🦁 Courageous Path Forward

One of the most Courageous Decisions we can make is to recognize how these unconscious mechanisms influence our lives, decisions, and mental health.

It’s possible to learn how to regulate this function, retrain our responses, and gain greater control over our emotional state, well-being, and decision-making.

Stay Courageous

Dean Arcan