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Shifting to the even deeper level of analysis of biology, we note that fear is an important survival device. Our species, which has spent 99% of its time as hunter-gatherers, would not have survived for long on our planet containing many creatures which were bigger and stronger, faster and fiercer than us, without the emotion of fear to trigger the flight-or-fight response when confronted by danger. However, the climate of fear causes this valuable mechanism to malfunction. We are attacking tigers and fleeing from rabbits. Irrational fears are distracting us from rational fears. Our energies are spent on solving false problems rather than dealing with our real problems.
The survival value of hope is rarely discussed. However, without hope, we would not even get out of bed in the morning. Norman Cousins [COUSINS] and Lionel Tiger [TIGER] have both published books on "the biology of hope". The influence of the mind on the body is well established. Alas, the emphasis tends to be on the negative influence, as in psychosomatic diseases. Cousins and Tiger explore the possible positive influence.
Another set of twin survival mechanisms - pain and pleasure - receive more attention. Indeed, whole philosophical systems are built around the pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of pain. The survival value of pain is obvious. Just imagine how impossible life would be if we did not experience the pain which informs us that our tanks are full. The survival value of pleasure is less obvious. However, unless mother nature had loaded us with the pleasure of making love, our species would soon peter out. Shifting from the present (pain and pleasure) to the future (fear as anticipation of pain and hope as anticipation of pleasure) allows imagination to enter into the analysis, and takes us beyond mere hedonism. |
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