F is for Fear

[I wish for EVERYONE to read this, preferably more than once for clearer understanding, for it is partly also a personal letter to all.]

“…the only thing we have to fear is fear itself – nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.”

-Franklin Delano Roosevelt-

One cannot deny the strong chord hit by one of Americas greatest presidents on the day of his first inauguration, immortalized even more by the legend of this great leader who not only was the only American president to ever have served more than two presidential terms but also during his twelve years in presidency emerged victorious after tackling the first global economic crisis (the Great Depression) and the horrendous 2nd World War.

Nearly over half a century after FDR’s presidential era the same scenarios have emerged now though this time fortunately without a third global-scale war even with the presence of minor wars, but the thought has been looming for some time now and with the help of arrogant and irrational leaders this could become a reality soon enough.

Fear is regarded as a seemingly short four-lettered noun but which is arguably the only intense and strong word of its kind that best describes and motivates everything and everyone that lives and breathes; their philosophies and purposes, nature, moral and deeds –and however one looks at it, of both the good and the bad sides of everything.

And possibly by the end of reading this some of you will maybe start to grow a certain fear for me; quite a bold statement (given the fact that I am and always have been an honestly nice guy) but one which I quite believe more likely to result.

Once you’re open to this possibility you’ll be able to continue with less anxiety and vulnerability for surprises. I wish you well and luck here on.

Other nouns apart from Fear such as Joy, Sadness and Anger come to mind as motivators (triggers) and are considered enough to get a person by and go along mindlessly living his or her life. At first account I myself had thought it were so, until I pondered more on it and came across that the common denominator, the root, what drives us all is simply fear.

Recall at least one major thought or action you’ve done the past week or so and think back on why you thought or did that, you could also apply this theory to the even simpler and maybe innocent thoughts or actions. There is a wide range of options, of course, but I’ll give some examples from small simple ones to bigger ones with the line of thoughts or motives – either presently conscious or automatically subconscious, that follow whenever we think of doing something, and with that I hope you’ll get the picture.

[LOFT = line of fear thoughts]

a) “I should go buy some bread/rice etc, because the household is running out of it.”

LOFT: No more bread/rice > risk of starvation > possibility of death from starvation

b) “I studied/worked hard but maybe I should study/work harder.”

LOFT: To pass school and get a good/better job later on > to at least have a roof over the head and food on the table > to make my family proud and not be disappointed by me and abandon me > to have a secure future > to not risk living a life with difficulties for both myself and my future family > to give my future offspring a good head-start.

c) “I hope I some day get to meet some one who’s right for me.”

LOFT: So I have some one to love and who’ll love me in return > eventually start a family with > so I won’t be alone for the rest of my life > so I can feel somewhat complete.

d) “I’m so glad I got the chores done!”

LOFT: If not then the chores would just keep piling up and give me more things to do later > I would run the risk of being lazy > maybe I keep procrastinating up to the point where I get visitors and see that I had towers of dishes and a very dusty home, they’d think I’m such a slob and spread rumors around> I’d die of the embarrassment.

e) “I’ve been keeping shush about my real questions and opinions about mine and other peoples’ favorite sports team/ political stance/religious beliefs* for such a long time that it’s actually suffocating me!”

LOFT: For I don’t want to risk being in heated discussions > run the risk of being alienated by friends and family who are deep and big fans of *apply subject here* > myself (and perhaps people close to me and any miscellaneous collateral) being targeted by radicals, extremists, irrationalists and fundamentalists > being a tragic casualty due to this > losing hope and faith for mankind’s future.

The last point, e), has become more and more the focal point of my thoughts and conversations lately; not for it but against it. And because of this I have started to recognize myself becoming a boring person to be with once the subject arises, and also exploiting myself as being more forceful and bold with my opinions and knowledge of the subjects I speak of. But in all fairness I do keep my virtues fairly close to my chest whenever I open my mouth and mind to this, and if anyone ever encounters me in this mode should be thankful that I keep myself at a humble level where I actually DO have YOUR best interests and well being in mind; had I kept my virtues slightly or farther from my chest then I would’ve been classified as radical or fundamental of an extreme kind; which I most of all things would be disheartened to be classified as.

Indeed it has gone quite some time, for around a decade I shall say, since I began to search for the Truth. Truth that cannot be answered so easily for our civilization has grown a thirst and hunger for control, a case tragically has become easier to obtain with the use of the dirtiest trick in the book; fear.

The beginning of FDR’s inauguration speech, which led to the quote I had put up in the beginning of this post, starts off:

“This is preeminently the time to speak out the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly.”

I feel an obligation to utter, to spread the knowledge and ideas that I, among countless others out there who have been keeping themselves muted voluntarily or involuntarily because of fear, have and hope to set a new type of standard or goal, per se; not because of absurd accusations that I “seek attention” or “want to see how quickly I can alienate myself by stepping on peoples’ toes” but to help as many people as possible take off the blindfold that has been shrouded on them for such a long time; to make them see clearer what’s rightfully beautiful with this flame of a world and life we have inherited and have an obligation to keep burning and optioned to pass on. And also because I, among the same countless others, find it still ludicrous we keep allowing ourselves to be herded as flocks of sheep without being able to sit down and have a rational discussion with the herder(s) as to why we’re going their way without being flogged, pushed and/or forced with an ultimatum to either stay with the flock or be left out alienated by the flock and die on their own (notice the input of fear here).

It is most certainly a more fitting time to speak out the truth in all its entirety frankly and boldly, and will I run the risk of being left out resented and alienated by the same flocks I’ve been running around with ever since I could remember then I am willing to suffer from it… for I find it to be for the greater good, not for just me and you but, for everyone everywhere.

I will right after this write an honest letter which I will then post up, beginning to explain more on what I really meant with point e). Whoever’s willing to ask questions or know more, in confidentially or not, may do so… I’m not that difficult to get in touch with. I surely hope nobody gets threatened in any way possible, to be frank I see myself being threatened for not wanting to speak out because of the potential repercussions of it.

This is just the first of many more enlightening pieces to come, and I hope whoever will follow this development be a part of it as well… it will be most delightful to have more minds to join and collaborate with; the more minds collected the better and safer bridges that can be built.

“Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live."

-Dorothy Thompson-

Yours truthfully, honestly and sincerely,

Angelo