Thanks Allan for drawing my attention to the APA in one of your past contributions. When I was reading through some articles I came acrosss an article described below that caused me to start wondering how hard it is to deal with or even try to assist people that act fearfully in large groups, and as a result of some shared experiences.
In her March 2006 article of American Psychological Association (vol. 37, No. 3, p.22), Sandie F. Dingfelder wrote about how on August 17, 1999, a major earthquake hit Turkey and toppling buildings in the cities of Izmit and Istanbul killing about 18,000 people. Now as a result of this event about 43 percent of the survivors started to fear particular situations that would reminder them of the eartquake experience. Such people were unable to go back into their homes, sleep in the dark with their door closed or even take showers. Dingfelder further asserted that, such people "do not have control over their fear and ultimately they lose control of their lives" (2006, p. 22). Source: http://www.apa.org/monitor/mar06/fear.aspx
Now when large numbers of people have lost both control of their fear and that of their lives I wonder how difficult it will be for them to be taken out of that plateau of fear. Moreover, if fears can be pinned to some haunting traumatic incidents or accidents caused by things unpredictable such as earthquakes, I wonder how hard it can be for the victims to deal with or handle their fears when in large groups.
Questions
Is this the time when we can begin to talk about a cullture of fear or not? How many people does it take to create and develop a culture of fear? After how long can we beging to say, these people have developed a culture of fear?
We will see...........
I think that will be a situated, qualitative assessment (versus a measured, predictable one). BUT.... from looking at a variety of such situations, I'm totally sure one could begin to describe the dimensions that allowed us to use that phrase: "culture of fear". I think it's from getting and grasping some different situations where we think (somewhat abstractly) that "culture of fear" is an applicable grasp of some-thing we then might identify in situations of "leadership". So one could look at instances you've identified in your native land; instances like the one you describe in Turkey; instances (almost classic now) in analyzing things like the Nazi's in WW II in Germany. Throw in a few more.... and you've got a really interesting comparison where through describing and supporting differences you come to find common connections. And then these perhaps can be related to some version or vision of "leadership".
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year....
Allan
Once beaten twice shy, if you have ever been in an hurting or painful situation you try by all means to avoid and take necessary precautions in order not to fall in the same trap again. I really do understand the way this people are reacting after the earthquake because it is normal. From the age of 12 I had a lot of encounters of thieves breaking into the house. It was really painful and scary but it continued to happen time after time. This really haunts me up to today and before I go to bed even if I have visited to some people’s houses I make sure that I check the doors and windows around the house more than twice before I go to bed. A lot of people tried to help me overcome this but well it is so difficult because in as much as I try to forget it keeps bouncing back since those incidents were life threatening.
ReplyDeleteTo me fear is "circumstantial" and naturally comes. Just imagine being the only one in the family or neighbourhood who is working and your friends, family members and colleagues have been retrenched because of economical recession. You are bound to have fear not because you are manufacturing it but its something that comes as a result of what you see happening around you.Your mind will start telling you "Maybe next morning you will be handed a retrenchment letter and be like your friend who is no longer driving to work but using "DzaAdam" to look for work.Fear is cicumstantial but is linked to the "SURVIVAL INSTINCT"-EVERYBODY WANTS TO SEE THE NEXT DAY AND ENJOY IT BUT NOT ON AN EMPTY STOMACH OR POCKET.
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