Emotions have long been studied in their effects on energy. In
fact, every animal that bristles and snarls as it faces a foe is,
unconsciously, attempting to paralyze with fear its opponent, to
render it helpless through the inhibition of action. So with the
lurking tiger; it waits in silence for the prey and seeks the
fascination of surprise as a factor in victory. On the other
hand, the emotion of fear may be a releaser of energy for the
prospective victim; it may release the energies of flight and add
to the power of the animal. In this, there is a unique and
neglected phase of emotion, i.e., if you shake your fist at your
enemy and he runs away or knocks you down, then your
manifestation of anger has been unsuccessful for you but his
reaction has been successful for him. If he becomes so paralyzed
with fear that you can work your will with him, then your anger
is successful while his fear is not. Most of the psychologists
have neglected this phase of emotion. Thus it is hard to
understand the use fainting from terror has to the victim. The
answer is it is useful to him who has caused the victim to faint.
6. For the individual, the emotion of fear has as its function a
preparation for a danger that is foreseen to be too powerful to
be met with effective resistance. Fear says, "It's no use to
fight, fly or hide." Therefore, normally there is a heightening
of energy feeling and action in these two directions. There are
plenty of recorded incidents where fear has enabled men to run
distances utterly impossible to them otherwise. In the fear
states of mental disease, the resistance a frail woman will offer
to her attendants is such that the utmost strength of several
people is required to restrain her. Under these circumstances
fear acts as an energizer, causing physical reactions not
ordinarily within the will of the person. "Fear lends wings," is
the time-honored way of expressing this. The trapped animal makes
"frantic" efforts to escape.
Fear is extraordinarily contagious, perhaps because as herd
members the cry of fear sets us all racing for safety. This is
the grimmest danger from fires in public places or the presence
of a coward in a military unit. Panic occurs with its blind
unreasoning flight, and the result is disastrous. I emphasize
again that emotions are poorly adapted to the welfare of the
individual. Business panics are in large measure the result of
the contagiousness of fear; timidity spreads like wildfire,
distrust and suspicion are aroused and stagnation results without
a "real" basis. In President Wilson's phrase, the panic is
"purely psychological."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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