Toying with Fear

Thanks to all those who had left a comment in my last entry. I hope that it did make you appreciate little little things in life and see things from my perspective.

Anyway, the episode on that 'stranger' was not over. Apparently, on friday, she hinted to my friend that a mutual 'stranger' of theirs wanted to write a letter to the Dean and to ask my friend to make a public apology or she will sue my friend for defamation. What an IDIOT. The primary intention of the statement was not to tell my friend that she is going to be sued but to strike fear in her and to intimidate her. This type of people is a menace to the society and one big word for her.. DUMB.. A very prominent public figure sued an opposition party leader for defamation for $300,000.. And that was because of a statement made publicly and spread all over the news and considering the reputation of the public figure, all he got was $300,000. I'm not saying that it is a small amount but looking at the situation, if that mutual 'stranger' were to sue my friend, she may not even succeed and if she does succeed, perhaps all she will get is peanuts. Literally.. Firstly, the remark was not made publicly and the damages on that mutual 'stranger' is not even great. Secondly, the mutual 'stranger' is not very reputable anyway so if the damages got through perhaps the damages awarded will be $1000 or $2000. And thirdly, with those amount of damages, will a rational person hire a lawyer to do so? I doubt so but perhaps that mutual 'stranger' will do so since she is already irrationale to even think of suing my friend. Some people just don't use their brains.. Perhaps they don't even have one..

So friend.. Don't worry about it.. This ordeal will only rally people around you to help you. If that dumb*&%$ is really going to sue you, then we will think about it when the action is taken.. Now no action yet so don't need to be so bother by those words.. Moreover, that 'stranger' may not even be credible in what she says so why bother?? =D

And because of this, it struck me with this topic about toying with fear. A lot of people will try to use fear to inflict damages on someone who may seem to be more harmless. I have experienced it twice over a month. One involving me and another friend and the other is the case above. The very question we'll need to ask is 'why are people doing it?' The very fact is that it works a lot of time. Words are often used to inflict fear and not action because when someone uses action to intimidate you, he can be criminally liable. However, there are also cases where words are also criminally liable. The usage of words aggressively on someone can try to sway one's decision and causes someone to be unable to live without thinking about what has been said. I hope that this entry will allow those who read to be able to try to control fear or at least to be able to recognise fear because the action of recognising something as fear can help you to better cope with your life.

Quoted from www.dictionary.com, the word fear has this meaning which is 'a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid.' Most of the time, fear is not real but imagined. The following short story will show you what I meant.

According to legend, one day a man was wandering in the desert when he met Fear and Plague. They said they were on their way to a large city where they were going to kill 10,000 people. The man asked Plague if he was going to do all the work. Plague smiled and said, "No, I'll only take care of a few hundred. I'll let my friend Fear do the rest.

What was drawn by this legend?? how is the combination of fear and plague going to kill 10,000 when plague kills only a few hundred. It is all because of the fact that even for those who are not infected with the plague, the city dwellers will still eliminate those who were in contact with the ones infected with plague for the FEAR of the plague. it kills.. Doesn't it??

So what are we suppose to do when fear approaches us? Most of the time I can say that we will still be fearful of it. Even for me, when I am faced with fear, I recognise it and yet there will still be residual 'fearfulness' for the thing that causes the fear. It is natural but it is possible to reduce it by facing it. Most of the time you will discover that by recognising fear, it was not really such a big threat after all and fear does not have any special power unless you empower it by submitting to it.

"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." - Franklin D. Roosevelt

The next time you are faced with fear, remember what I have written. Face your fear and to recognise that the only thing to fear about it fear itself. =D