Fear Mongering Seems To Be Working

Are the people in Britain really being paranoid? I mean, there actually are a bunch of cameras with microphones all over the place.

In the US we have DHS and even local town governments (Plumber Joe) spying on their people, getting caught, then saying "it's for your own good" and continuing to do it.

If anything I'd say this article is a sort of dis-info trying to paint anyone who doesnt want to be watched, listened to or cataloged as a nut.

Oh, you dont like being under constant surveillance and having your lifes history cataloged and stored? You're a crazy paranoid loon!

Its about time someone brought this topic to ATS.

Its a bit of a paradox that the conspiracy-theory that generates fear actually helps the conspirators. But that just happens to be the long-term effect of fear...weakness.

This is why I, on a personal level, have always believed that the conspiracy is best countered with fearless positivity rather than fire-and-brimstone warnings.

As your article shows, we are not the only paranoids. "Average Joe" is too. And so is our government. Another paradox: It is the governments paranoia which makes them conduct covert projects and conspiracies - which again make us paranoid.

S+F from SF.

[edit on 14-11-2008 by Skyfloating]

reply to post by thisguyrighthere

I know I say this all of the time on ATS but information is power. We all understand this and we realize that if we control the information, we control the situation. So we look deeper at who else might be controlling information and that just scares the bejeezus out of us. The mind reels...

The PTB understand this perfectly. That's why they run simulated computer models - Problem, Reaction, Solution. So are we really paranoid?

But yeah, I llike Sky's perspective, you can't let it get you down and you have to counter it with positivity.

reply to post by Skyfloating

About the nature of fear:

There are two fundamental human emotions, from which all feelings spring: Love and Fear.

Fear generally leads to undesirable results, whereas love leads to desirable results; fear destroys, love creates.

This dichotomy is the key to all human behavior. Fear gives rise to anger, depression, greed, intolerance, prejudice, and turns love into hate. Love gives rise to jubilation, happiness, selflessness, compassion, understanding, and can be perverted into hate by fear. Ignorance promotes fear, and wisdom promotes love.

With that in mind, why do we have the fearful world we have? Because most people operate based on fear. Most people lives lives of avoidance of negative things rather than searching for positive things. We all know fear, and we all know love. The universe is neutral. Negatives and positives are relative and artificial. You get what you create. Fear is used to control people, both from within and without. Governments throughout time have used fear to keep people in line. The media uses it as well, in order to keep people watching, and therefore to generate more revenue. Religions have always used fear in order to inspire obedience. Corporations use fear to sell products - an example is the pharmaceutical industry, which uses fear of disease and other health problems to sell their drugs.

Fear is based on ignorance because it is fundamentally concerned with the unknown. If you're afraid of something, you're afraid of what could happen in the future at some point, near or far. Since you don't know what that is, or if it is going to happen or not, you become afraid. If you were not ignorant of this, or simply trusted in your own life, you would not be afraid. Paranoia is based on a lack of trust. You don't trust other people, and when you don't trust other people, it is really because you lack trust in yourself. So self-confidence is one way to combat paranoia.

Another basic fear is the fear of loss. If you fear losing something, this gives rise to all sorts of potentially harmful emotions, such as greed, jealousy, anger, hatred, and so on. It is also based on attachment - if you were not attached to what you feared to lose, you would not fear losing it. You would let it go. So attachment to things, people, situations, etc. leads to fear of losing them.

Fear is concerned with the ego. Fear is selfish, even if you are afraid for someone else's sake, say a loved one. You are attached to them, and that attachment is a form of selfishness. This is where love and fear can intersect. The ego makes us hold onto things, but we do have the option of letting go - both of externals and ourselves. That requires trust and self-confidence, but it erases fear and anxiety.

Fear enslaves, love frees. If you let go, you are free to focus on love. If you are crippled by fear, you are not free. Conspiracies (real or fake) if they are believed, create fear. You have lost before you even started. Whether you are holed up in your bunker armed and ready for the end of days or glued to the computer screen researching demons and psychic vampires, if you believe this stuff, and respond that way, you are afraid, and are therefore a prisoner whether the conspiracy theory is correct or not.

However, if you take a lighthearted stance to most of this stuff, you are good to go. As for the real bits of information, simply approach them with enthusiastic curiosity, and away goes the fear. You can only be afraid if you allow yourself to be afraid.

Thank you for this thread.

I try to stay informed, but I also try to maintain a discerning mind. I'm prone to wild speculative tangents and emotional tidal waves, so believe me - it can be hard. What works for me personally is to turn inward and listen to the quiet voice when I get confused.

Crazy, amazing times we live in. It does seem like the fear-mongers are winning, eh? I went for a long walk last night and enjoyed the moon. Didn't run into a single NWO shape-shifter or reptilian brain-sucker...


[edit on 14-11-2008 by Nox Vulpes]

reply to post by CrowServo


A very good explanation of that famous line: "All we have to fear, is fear itself."

But meeting fear with love and detachment only works on a personal/emotional level. The 60's hippy culture proved that it doesn't do well in the context of real life as a whole. Fear is a survival tool, and it is a part of our nature. Controlling fear is the key, IMO.



reply to post by Nox Vulpes


And not finding those nasties should reinforce your sense of well being. However, a seasoning of fear will keep you alert in the future, should they defy the odds and show up.

Hey NG!
and KosmicJack, your signature made me almost spit out my coffee. lmao

I have dealt with two maybe three people on here who I deemed a bit paranoid. Over the edge so to speak. Is there a fine line?
To be afraid is one thing, but to be paranoid means you are changing your life because of it, or dwelling, or it is making the functioning of life difficult. I know a few "paranoids" but I wouldn't call them nuts. I call them worriers. I think they stress themselves out with the "possibilities". I have seen them get angry, sad and depressed, resentful and accusatory. I guess the mental illness would depend on how far the person takes it and if it starts to get in the way of relationships, legal matters, and functionality. I would not call myself a paranoid person. In fact maybe the other way towards naive... but I prefer it that way I guess. There are a lot of threads on here that I don't care to read... and then there are some I get caught up in for a spell.
I am also the type of person who doesn't get scared in movies and can walk around at night in the city fairly carefree. There were several times where that wasn't such a good idea, and had no business being where I was. So you learn.

Originally posted by NGC2736
reply to post by CrowServo

 

A very good explanation of that famous line: "All we have to fear, is fear itself."

But meeting fear with love and detachment only works on a personal/emotional level. The 60's hippy culture proved that it doesn't do well in the context of real life as a whole. Fear is a survival tool, and it is a part of our nature. Controlling fear is the key, IMO.

 

reply to post by Nox Vulpes

 

And not finding those nasties should reinforce your sense of well being. However, a seasoning of fear will keep you alert in the future, should they defy the odds and show up.

Absolutely - great point. The older I get, the more grateful I am for obstacles, difficulties, good "seasoning". Essential for growth, of course. That's why the more insane the world seems to get, the more hope I feel in a weird way.

reply to post by NGC2736


here's a thread that I'm sorry didn't get more attention - because I think the idea ties into more subjects than it intended:

www.abovetopsecret.com...

pattern finding - connecting the dots

maybe we are all paranoid to a certain degree - can't help it - it's wired into us

some people have a great deal of skill in both recognizing pattern in a sea of information - and also seeing the anomalies

it's useful to recognize patterns - connect the dots - figure things out as they're happening, or before they happen

and it's also useful to be able to recognize that one thing that stands out - that just doesn't fit

but, the abilities exist and are working - regardless of whether there's really anything to see or know

you can connect dots that don't need to be connected

maybe people who are overly paranoid are people who have an over developed ability in this area - or don't have the ability to be selective

then there's always the idea that just because you're paranoid doesn't mean no one is out to get you

makes it harder to stop looking for clues and evidence - it's about survival

[edit on 11/14/2008 by Spiramirabilis]

reply to post by Spiramirabilis


Good link. Yes, that was an interesting thread. insightful is the word that comes to mind.

I'm more the "spot the odd factor" type as opposed to being a "dot connector". I attribute this to having spent the greater portion of my youth alone in the woods. You learn to ignore the "background" noises, sights, and smells, and focus on movement or noise that is out of place. (The twitching of a deer's ear, even though it hasn't bolted yet, can be picked out just by knowing all the leaves are moving in the other direction.)

I attribute this to having spent the greater portion of my youth alone in the woods. You learn to ignore the "background" noises, sights, and smells, and focus on movement or noise that is out of place.

so funny you should say that - I grew up in the sticks - and the first half of my life was spent roaming around the hills and woods with my dogs

and I'm also better at spotting anomalies - and I see what you mean - you learn to see what doesn't belong - everything else is background

some people - for whatever reason - can see a pattern emerge from what would look like just a random amount of "noise" to most people

as far as conspiracy theory goes - it's amazing to me the dots some people are capable of connecting - for real

things no one else would've ever seen

it's not always accurate - but those times when it is - it looks like magic

works in other areas too - like science

but then it isn't called paranoia

I grew up in the woods too, and I still live here. I have no sense of direction, so I am right to be a little paranoid there. Also a cougar was killed within 200 yards of my house last week. I have a small child... so let me ask you this... how paranoid should I be?

Well...pattern-finding or not...

...is it a surprise Im paranoid, considering that one day I just showed up in some hospital out of a womb with no recollection of how I had gotten there and who I am?

:-)

I totally get that - that's not paranoia - that's common sense

keep your kids and smaller animals in sight

off subject - I know - but it get's harder and harder for wildlife to make it's living in the wild

we're sharing the same territory these days - friend of mine - smack in the middle of the city - almost lost a cat to a coyote

maybe that says a lot about paranoia at that - just a combination of common sense and hyper-alertness :-)

[edit on 11/14/2008 by Spiramirabilis]

reply to post by Skyfloating


...and we're constantly looking for the reason for everything from that moment on....

yup

reply to post by seagrass


I think each person has to decide the level of fear they subject themselves to, and the value factor they place on it. And that is always subjective and personal, as well as contextual. I'm more fearful in the city than the country, simply because I better understand the rules of the latter.

Knowledge is the key, IMO. The more you know, the better you can adjust your fear factor to correct levels. In your case, knowing that cougars seldom, though sometimes, attack humans, would be one factor. Another is the knowledge that animals seldom seek prey that is larger than themselves has to be assessed on the basis of whether your child is often alone outside where a hungry critter might see them as a viable snack. Another is the hunting habits of this animal, such as dusk being more "dangerous" than mid day.

Fear, when correctly used, along with information, is a valuable tool.

So maybe when one doesn't have information and knowledge, but see connectable dots, they are more likely to be paranoid as opposed to just fearing an unknown. Fear can be lowered with knowledge, paranoia can too if we find out if what we fear is real. You wont call me paranoid, if I have a cougar known to be roaming our land... correct? You would say I was justly so, barring a few known factors about them.