Just Sayin'

Monday, January 9, 2012

Strange Fears In The New Age

I have always been fascinated with the concept of phobias. It's quite interesting how we acquire this irrational fear of certain things. Whether it is a function of a childhood trauma, an early on experience that predisposes an individual to this type of behaviour, as an outcome of aberrant upbringing, damaging experiences or environment. Simply put, it is just a little something that isn't so right.

I suffer from acrophobia - yes, fear of heights.

Don't let me get started on this one, talking about it makes me totally nauseous. I was told by my therapist, when under hypnosis as he facilitated my regression; that back when I was barely a year old, I hung from the banister with one hand, when I tried crawling down the flight of stairs in the house where we used to live. For a brief moment of my daredevil stunt, I looked down. Perhaps like all babies in the crawling age, there was no fear then, but the visual of the distance between where I was suspended and down the stairs, must have gotten stuck in my neurons somewhere. Yeah, curses! To-date, I still dread having to look down from any elevated place. I imagine myself falling and breaking my frickin' neck. 
I yet have to zip-line, to once and for all, deal and confront this fear. A full bottle of Jack chased down with half a bottle of Tequila, would not be a bad idea to encourage me from pushing myself to be up for the challenge. (Damn it, now my fingers are sweaty with the thought!)

But what I have found most curious above all, is the proliferation of fears that have been uncovered and explored fairly recent in our centuries-old world. I am talking about extremely unique fears and phobias, I find it rather disturbing that my own phobia of heights is considered commonplace, an all-time classic, compared to the the "new age" phobias.


Nipponophobia - fear/dislike of the Japanese or anything Japanese
Sinophobia - fear/dislike of Chinese (I would not be surprised if they come up with a Mongolophobia or fear of anything that descended from the Mongol race)
Xenophobia - fear/dislike of foreigners and extra-terrestrials


Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia - yup, fear of long words (such irony!)


Decidophobia - fear of making decisions; (fairly common in corporations and government)


Nihilophobia - fear of nothingness (I don't really have much to say about this)

Hexakosioihexekontahexaohobia - fear of the number 666 (must have been triggered by the movie series, THE OMEN, as the film highlighted the number of the beast, the anti-Christ)


Disposophobia - the fear of losing or getting rid of things; (more popularly known as "compulsive hoarding"; I recklessly declare this is pretty much an acquired fear and more common among adults who have experienced or are experiencing recession)


Workplace phobia - quite self-explanatory; I can attempt to elucidate, but what's the point?; can be referred to as the anti-thesis of workaholics


Technophobia - the fear/dislike of technology, especially computers and other complex devices (remember the Luddites?); you'll be surprised, but this phobia is quite prevalent across the globe. You can spot technophobes easily, chances are, they don't Blog.






9 comments:

  1. You should try out the skywalk in Grand Canyon. They even give out a certificate which reads "I survived the Skywalk"...provided you survive the ordeal!!

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  2. Over the years, I have come to realise that my fear of heights is not due to height itself but rather, the complusion that I feel to throw myself off any thing of great height...notice how the word height seems wrong when you use it more than 3 times in a sentence?

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  3. Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia: Has been my favorite word since discovering it. :D

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  4. What about fear of big, government-sponsored controls. I have this fear, but I'm actually quite certain that it may not be all that irrational.
    ?medicarophobia?

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  5. Ummm, admitted recovering Neo-Luddite V- At your service!
    I may be the only person NOT on Facebook... is that an indicator?
    EEkkkkk

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  6. Rationalophobia - The fear embedded in all cimate change deniers.

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  7. I have a fear of commenting on blogs. AGHHH! Dammit.

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  8. When I went skydiving I was asked if I had a fear of falling. I said, "No, it's not the falling that I'm afraid of; it's that sudden stop at the end..."
    I know, I know - it's an old joke. ;)

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  9. Ramakant: you just spooked me big time; the thought gave me an acid reflux. lol!
    Lily: ahhh ... yes. hahahaha
    Jamie: I love saying the word too. All the time.
    Tim: I have more, want to swap lists?
    V: nope, you have progressed my dear, haha, more than you think!
    Addman: there's more than the climate they try to rationalize y'know.
    Flip: yay! you have conquered your fear!
    Kevin: just lame, but lol!

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