Obviously fear is a good thing, because it has kept us (human beings) alive for so long. But in today’s very safe world (relatively speaking), what is the new role of fear?
1. Avoid traumatic death
The first thing — avoid traumatic death. This means things like:
- Dying in a texting-while-walking accident
- Dying in a car accident
- Dying in a scuba diving accident
‘Traumatic death’ as a death which is NOT related to disease or illness. For example, anything which is NOT cancer and NOT heart-disease/heart attacks, etc.
2. How I plan on avoiding traumatic death
New rules I have set for myself:
- Never own another sports car: I know I will be tempted to drive recklessly, and I might kill myself, kill someone else, or kill both myself and someone else. Also, I don’t want the chance to kill Cindy if she’s in the car with me. My promise: I am not allowed to die before Cindy.
- Doing nothing which can actually give me a likely chance of traumatic death: For example, no texting while driving, no texting while walking, no listening to music while walking, no listening to music or podcasts when driving. In the past, changing the podcast station or changing the music while driving almost lead me to dying in a car accident. Also, if I will ever buy another car it will probably be a Tesla Cybertruck or anything that is literally a tank– to protect me from all the other metal missiles on the road (other drivers).
3. Fear losing money, followers, influence, power?
Another fear we got is losing resources, manpower, social status, etc. But if we take a stoic approach and know that we got nothing to fear, then why fear these things?
- Let us say you lose money. All you need to survive is meat, coffee, and to pay your rent. Everything else is fine.
- Let us say you lose followers and influence. No biggie– as long as you have 1 true fan, that is all you need.
- Losing stuff. Let us say you lose your home, car, possessions, whatever. What do you really need? Your digital camera (RICOH) and a laptop. You don’t need anything else.
4. The fear of losing your life, death.
What does it feel like to die or be dead? The same feeling as never being born.
I think most of us fear the pain associated with death, or the pain pre-ceding death. But not the death itself.
Or do you fear eternal pain and suffering in damnation? Or do you fear that you’re not gonna go to heaven?
Do you fear the afterlife? But what if you don’t believe in an afterlife?
My motto from Lucretius:
Death is nothing to us.
5. Fear of losing your strength or vigor?
I think many of us fear old age. Why? Senescence is the biological term for ‘aging’. But this is the interesting point:
You can be 80 years old and still hyper-healthy, and still stronger and more vigorous compared to a 40-year-old.
We don’t fear old age. What we fear is loss of mobility (not able to walk by yourself), losing our mental strength, our physical strength, etc.
But what if we could live to 120 years old in hyper-health– full of physical and mental vigor? Then why fear old age?
Conclusion: Fear is for suckers
My conclusion:
From a logical perspective, we got nothing to fear.
ERIC
PHILOSOPHY by KIM
Dictate your meaning and purpose in your life with ZEN OF ERIC:
Philosophical Essays
- EMBODIED REALITY
- BLACK SWAN
- THINGS WILL NEVER GO BACK TO THE WAY THEY USED TO BE
- What are you *really* afraid of?
- HAPPINESS ISN’T THE GOAL
- Philosophy is King
- Why is Selfish Evil?
- YOU’RE CONSTANTLY IN A STATE OF BECOMING
- ENTITLEMENT A SIN?
- NARCISSISM
- BE BRUTALLY HONEST WITH YOURSELF
- WHY FREE WILL?
- OBEY YOUR OPINION
- EGO IS GOOD.
- WHY IT IS GOOD TO BE INTO YOURSELF
- Seek the Good Pain
- Anti-Perfection in Photography, Art, and Life
- Can You Become an End into Yourself?
- WHY I LIVE
- Why I Hate Decline
- Why I Eat
- Why am I So Positive and Optimistic?
- EFFORT IS ENJOYMENT
- Never Stop Gaining
- TRUST YOURSELF
- A Life of Maximal Personal Independence
- What Do You Desire to Become?
- What Do I Want from Technology?
- Stratified Society
- Do You Love or Hate Reality?
- On the Brian, Body and Mind
- I’m Maximally Happy, Now What?
- Care over Fame
- ACTIVE NIHILISM
- Never Stop Subtracting
- How to Live a Happier and More Epic Life
- A Risker Life is a Better Life
- Only Work on Things You Can Imagine Doing for Eternity
- How to Maximize Your Happiness
- Influence
- The Gladiator Makes His Plans once He Enters the Ring
- Meditations on Meaning in Life
- There is Nothing More Interesting than Human Beings
- Is Hope a Vice?
- EGO
- Why Be Unique?
- Happiness is Metabolism Health and Strength
- You’re the Hero
- Is Productivity a Virtue or Vice?
- Why Do We Prize the Rare?
- The Joy of Uncertainty
- How Should I Best Use My Time and Life?
- A Life Without Pain or Suffering Isn’t a Life Worth Living
- Free or Unfree?
- What Do You Really Care For in Life?
- Anti-Satisfaction in Life
- Why Think?
- The Eternal Return
- Only Do What is Best for You!
- Truthiness
- Why Be Happy?
- Permissionless Living
- In Praise of Unconventional Wisdom
- Become the Change Which You Wish to See in the World
- Happiness
- Beyond Freedom
- Idolize People, Not Stuff
- What Makes You Stronger? What Makes You Weaker?
- Why Hate?
- The Secret of Happiness
- You’re Constantly in a State of Becoming
- Life is about Choices, Not Obligations
- Anti-Nihilism
- First, Do What is Best for You.
- Live Dynamic
- How to Prosper
- Is the Point of Life to Be Satisfied?
- SUPREME EFFORT OF WILL.
- How to Become more Idealistic
- Thrivival 101
- Create Yourself
- Non-Small
- Inspiration
- How to Live a Heroic Life: Dare the Heights!
- Human Augmentation
- Prune
- Happiness: Do What You Want to Do (And Don’t Do What You Don’t Want to Do)
- Avoid Vain (Empty) Pursuits in Life
- Modern Slavery
- Kill the Leeches
- Wisdom Augmentation
- Why We Need Friction in Life
- Straight Line Philosophy
- What’s Your End-Game in Life?
- Create Your Own Happiness Today
- Desire Both Pain and Pleasure in Life
- Try the Impossible
- SELF-RESPECT
- Anti-Social Extrovert
- Never Blame Anybody But Yourself
- Human Flourishing
- Simpler, Not Better.
- How to be Free
- Embrace the Extremes
- Cultivate Your Own Culture
- COURAGE.
- Thrivival
- Inner Power
- How to Live a Purposeful Life
- My Definition of Happiness
- Why Change is Good
- Why Work?
- How to Live the Happiest Possible Life
- The Two-Pronged Approach to Maximize Joy in Your Life
- You Always Have Another Option!
- INFINITISM
- Never Stop!
- What is Your Self-Directed Purpose in Life?
- Live Today Like it Were Your Last
- Do You Photograph to Live, or Live to Photograph?
- ARTIST-PHILOSOPHER
- Live Life to the Fullest!
- In Praise of Selfishness
- Why You Must Be a YAY-SAYER to Succeed in Entrepreneurship and Life
- Why I Love Walking
- Live Life Like a Video Game!
- Simple Luxuries in Life
- Treat Your Life Like a Fun Experiment!
- Only Prove it to Yourself
- You Don’t Always Need to Feel Joyful to Live a Fulfilling and Meaningful Life
- Life is Too Short to Be Bored!
- Money Cannot Destroy Boredom
- How to Find Inspiration in Life
- Why You Must Ignore Haters to Succeed and Win in Life
- An Active Life is a Happy Life
- My Simple Joys in Life
- Never Stop Striving
- How to Motivate Yourself in Life
- How to Be Optimistic in Life
- How to Dictate Your Purpose in Life
- In Praise of a Dynamic Life
- PURPOSE.
- How to Enjoy Life
- Photography Therapy
- How to Conquer Regret
- Take Your Play Very Seriously.
- How to Prosper
- Memento Vivere
- Destroy in Order to CREATE
- Trust Your Body More Than Your Mind
- Make Photos to Make Meaning in Your Life
- Seek Knowledge, Not Information
- The Purpose of Human Life
- How to Overcome Impedence
- Why I Love Death
- How to Be Centered in the Eternal Now
- How to Be Happy
- Why Do You Care What Others Think of You?
- Why I’m Happy
- Why?
- Why I’m So Prolific
- How to Reduce LAG in Life
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