The Danger of Replacing Fear with Love

originally posted by: amazing
a reply to: Grambler


Now back to Fear itself. News pundits and politicians peddle fear. Hillary sells fear, Trump sells fear. But is it fear to say, be prepared? Or is that just common sense? I put four new tires on my truck last month. They were getting kinda bald but not quite there yet...so was that Fear or was it common sense?

You may say that's fear but, even if it is, it's not Fear Peddling like out politicians do.

I am glad to see you say both sides peddle fear. That is one of the big pints I was trying to get across. It just aggravates me to see people on the left claim only Trump uses fear.

As far as politicians peddling different fear, I agree with that, but all of them do it, even Bernie. Lets look at specifically what Trump said though. Terrorism, which you have already said you think is over selling fear so I won't touch it. How about racial tensions? Is is spreading fear to point out this seems like a serious problem. Or how about veterans health or the economy. Both of these issues seem like real things. but the Hillary people just shout that talking about them is fear mongering.

Its like the tires on your truck, we can see they are going bald, and so we need to fix them. If looking for bald tires or pointing them out is frowned upon as fear mongering, how would you ever replace them?

Now, lets get back to Love...and it doesn't have to be love, but empathy, compassion and helping people is the key. Doing the right thing. We all know what doing the right thing is. Usually it's action of some sort.

But that still doesn't solve everything. Sometimes action or doing the right thing isn't a form of compassion. Sometimes doing the right thing means going to war against a dictator, or killing terrorists that want to kill us, or jailing law breakers. Just saying love conquers all is a garbage platitude that stops real action. There is no problem with acting with compassion whenever possible, but to assume that solves everything is laughable.

Fear is the escalation of the feeling of helplessness. What gets rid of helplessness? Usually it's some action. Learning a skill, making some connections, putting a new lock on your door, buying a dog, working out, eating healthy, forming a neighborhood watch, going down to the police station to file a complaint, voting your conscience, Putting out a hundred job applications in one day, creating a resume, researching government programs, starting a side business, reading some books, growing your own garden, buying a bug out bag, learning to shoot, learning JiuJitsu, Taking some online classes,

Exactly!! This is my point! We need to first be able to identify problems to be able to take steps to stop him. Yet the Hillary people say the mere act of identifying problems is fear mongering. As I showed in the OP, this basically amounts to any criticism of her or Obama's platform is fear mongering, but when they mention problems like climate change or guns, that is legitimate.


Also note that some of the solutions you provide would not be considered love; putting up a lock and learning self defense for example are based of wanting to protect oneself against attackers. Love won't keep a burglar out of your house.

Honestly I am a little dismayed that after many of the posters on this cite claiming how Trump was the candidate of fear that no one really responded to this thread. It seems it is easier to repeat talking points than address actual arguments.

a reply to: Grambler

Donnie Darko: Go Towards Love



This reminds me of a scene in Donnie Darko where this charismatic new age preacher (later found out to be a child molester) tells the kids in the audience to "go towards love". And Donnie Darko in a very Trump-like fashion talks straight and gives the kids the hard truth. Best scene of the movie and eerily relevant to this discussion

I wish we would go back to the old definition of love during the Hellenistic period. What is the word love today? It's like all kinds of different emotions all squashed into one big ball and once it pops out it appears everyone gets it. But if you could take it out of someone's head and compare it I expect there are a lot of differences between the balls. I wish people would appeal to intellect as the ultimate good instead of love, that would win me in an election - I'm not american though.

I would still choose fear over love because of darwinian reasons. Fear can be tempered with intellect and using empirical methods might be realistic and fair. But the endgame of love appears to be hugging one's killer while one should be shooting.

To the poster bringing in Ghandi, sure he was great but it only appears as if choosing love means you end up getting shot. Same with Lennon. The moment you use it in the masses you open yourself up to all kinds of nuts it appears.