When one of my little sisters was younger, she absolutely abhorred getting shots at the doctor’s office. I’m sure that that hatred is not an uncommon one: we all hate pain. She hated pain to such an extent, she feared displeasure so much, that she once spent 20 minutes running and screaming around a doctor’s office, with a small army of nurses chasing her, trying to avoid getting an injection. She kicked and clawed and wailed with fat tears rolling down her cheeks, with true pain and fear in her eyes, but it was cute, albeit slightly annoying. She was little and harmless.
Now, she’s a lot more discreet when she’s afraid. For example, in horror movies, I’ll glance over to see her using her thumbs to cover both ears, and the rest of her hand to cover her eyes. Hear no evil, see no evil, I guess. Again, it’s sort of endearing.
Fear is a weakness and it’s adorable on my little sister.
Fear is not a weapon. It shouldn’t be, at least. Because, when it is, it becomes powerful. Don’t believe me? Look around. Get off my article and read The Times or The Economist. Trump is officially the Republican Party candidate, Brexit actually occurred, the European markets are plunging, gun control hardly exists, and the 115th black person was killed by a law enforcement officer this year.
Hate is one of the simplest means of carrying out a personal agenda, while saving face. Hatred creates a common ground among people; it creates a community of bigots, racists, extremists, and nationalists all falling under the descriptions of uneducated and afraid.
When one hates, when one supports violence, one hides behind big words, cruel actions. In reality, when the smoke screen clears, all that is left is fear. Real human fear is a valid emotion, when communicated correctly.
Some people hate immigrants. Those accustomed to a certain way of life, or those that are disconnected to the globalized world as we (through technology) have come to know it, (as in, generally the elderly and the uneducated), voted to leave the European Union in an effort to keep immigrants out. In this move of fear, (fear of change, fear of progress, fear of competition) younger generations, of which 75% voted to remain, have been burdened with financial and social difficulties for a long time to come. Hatred was mainstreamed, fear was hidden, and now, consequences are even more problematic.
A similar phenomena is occurring in the United States: “Mexico is not sending their best. They’re not sending you... They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists.” Trump is a reality. Trump is successful because he’s become a political vehicle that manipulates fear, and re-presents it as power. From my personal experience, working as an intern in the International Business Association of my city’s Chamber of Commerce and in an international investment advisers group, I know that is anything but the truth. In reality, immigrants bring prosperity. They bring innovation, creation, and color. Immigrants bring an increase of demand for empathy and compassion, and most times, our country prospers because of it. Immigrants are feared because they bring diversity and competition. I am an immigrant, and I am hated. I am feared.
#BlackLivesMatter because, like the fear that has lead to their unjustified killings, they are human. They are feared because of a lack of understanding, a lack of education, and predisposed biased. Fear translates to hate which translates to violence. Then, these learned actions and emotions are reciprocated. Parents, children, scholars, and friends are killed, because someone was afraid. Fear should not be the cause of lost opportunities or lives, because it doesn’t belong in the category of a weapon.
Fear is human. In religion, in death, and in love, many of us are heavily influenced by it. That is normal. The challenge is dealing, and learning from, that fear. However, when that occurs, so does progress.
Fear is a weakness, and quite frankly, it doesn’t look cute on you.
