Yesterday I got my copy of Karen Evenson's Redefining F.E.A.R: Maximizing Limited Resources with Unlimited Ideas (Hilton Head Island: Cameo Publications, 2004. After going through its introductory section as well as browsing through it, I felt that in our context of interdisciplinary studies, hers is a necessary viewpoint and pillar from the perspective of Business and Economics.
From the outset, soon after rhetorically asking: What is fear? Karen Evenson gave a fascinating explanation of what she called 'the traditional definition of fear'. Thereafter she said, "fear is the ever-increasing emotional reaction that elicits a response and becomes the basis for decision-making....We perceive a threat of danger and assume it must be true. That perception then becomes our reality, and we make our decisions based on that reality (the fear)" (p.13).
I think there is a lot of sense in this contention for, whether in business or any other transactions when people are fearful, that becomes their point of departure in decision making. They may have to negotiate through that fear first and may sometimes chose to ignore it and take risks, but the fact it is from that standpoint that they are fearful that they may begin. After all under normal circumstances there is a lot of negotiation that has to go on in one's mind before he/she may take that chance, so if the fear is in the mind for the most part, then it would make sense to think that their decisions may have to take cognizance of their fears as well.
Nonetheless, it is also interesting to note that Evenson also postulated that each time when people make decisions as based on fear, they will actually be allowing it (fear) to control them(p.13). So I would think, in other words she is alluding to the view that, to those that act out of fear, they are in its grip as a remote controller does to any electrical gadget such as a toy or TV Set.
We will see...
"fear is the ever-increasing emotional reaction that elicits a response and becomes the basis for decision-making....We perceive a threat of danger and assume it must be true. That perception then becomes our reality, and we make our decisions based on that reality (the fear)" (p.13).
ReplyDeleteGranted that all things fearful are perceived. And can be called perceptions.
The connection to decision making and the further focus on the validity of perceived threats is pretty speculative when generalized....or perhaps this is more the norm to be addressed in business and economic situations? "Real threats" that cause "real fear"? Where do these fit in?
The threat may not be of physical violence but of signs of an economic collapse. Then one, I think, might feel fearful at this threat and that might cause one to take an appropriate action.
To 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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