Fear of the Unknown

My grandfather, who was a proud veteran of World War II, had always told me of his various war stories throughout my childhood. Every time he began his stories, I was mesmerized in a state of awe and fascination. I looked up to my grandfather as a true idol and a man who evoked honor and courage. Right before he passed away, he gave me a coveted pair of binoculars that he had used during the war. Every time I go to visit my family back home, I go and examine the binocular case and think about my grandfather's story and his legacy, but never dare to open the case. Perhaps I feel as if I will destroy the only thing I have left to remind me of him.

I digress. Focusing on the particular time in which he served his military service, I cannot begin to fathom the fear that people must have had during World War II. Germany appeared as a cancerous nation as it kept growing and becoming more powerful as time passed. America, for the majority of the war, remained neutral, however, I would think that this specific time of neutrality was perhaps the most stressful for Americans, as Germany was seemingly unstoppable, and America was doing nothing about it. Once we did enter the war, however, I tend to think that people felt less frightened as their country was now fighting back against a country that, as trite as it may sound, was trying to take over the world. Still, I believe that fear results from the unknown. Essentially, people are frightened when they are faced with the unknown. Thus, this uncertainty about America's future was perhaps the driving force of our fear during the war.

Once I begin to analyze this concept of fearing the unknown in America's history, I can't help but feel that this feeling of fear is stagnant in our country. After World War II, for example, Vietnam was soon to follow. The Cold War was also a major fear inducer in our nation's past. Obviously, the fight against terrorism is the current supplier of fear to our nation. We simply do not know what the results of the war will be and as a result, we are very afraid.

Fear and uncertainty are perhaps the worst emotions that one can evoke. They are precursors submission. Machiavelli once said that the one way to have and maintain complete control over someone is to have him or her fear you. But perhaps this fear is a natural human emotion. Regardless, I firmly feel that all would live better lives if they seize the day and learn to live lives fearing nothing, however, as society stands today, I believe that this will not happen anytime soon.