I read a very interesting article on the BBC news website today entitled "The Woman who cannot feel fear". Quite incredible actually even just as a proposition. Is living without fear a good thing? You may have read some time ago for example about the Kakapo who lived without fear because they lived in a place that was devoid of any natural predators so evolved with a fearless state. Makes you realise why in today's age fear is on the increase along with stress, worry and a general rush and pressure to get things done. I wonder if you lived on a remove island if over generations a human would also evolve to be fearless? Anyway, it may not be a good thing. Sure no panic or anxiety would suit me but it can also be a dangerous thing if circumstances change. Like the Kakapo who were quite willing to sit placid, be picked up and placed in a cooking pot when man first set foot on their island because they did not have the fear response to protect them.
I'll leave you to read the article if you would like but I found it fascinating. A similar story to the Kakapo in fact in that during tests this woman was actually ready to pick up a Tarantula devoid of fear but filled with curiosity which could have had a most sticky end. I wonder if anyone would trade with her. Being fearless may not actually be it is all it is cracked up to be and like all things maybe for ourselves it balance we should be striving for.
One other interesting thing is the mention of the amygdala and how this woman, according to the study, has "focal bilateral amygdala lesions" which is basically a structural fault and from this the study group, oh I hate these groups too, have decided that the amygdala is in fact the fear centre. Its just a pity this theory has been tarnished previously because of pathetic methods attaching their stupidity to the science with claims that you can control the amygdala through distracting yourself. This group have surmised though that the amygdala could be key to treating PTSD- though why PTSD alone I don't know as surely all anxiety disorders are interrelated and based on the one emotion of fear.
Thought it might be worth a look.
