“In The Beginning Was Fear” – By Daniele Bolelli

In the beginning was fear—the fear that everything that has a body experiences once it realizes we live in a predatory universe; a universe in which absolutely everything gets to be eaten… if not by the sharp fangs of a predator, then by time itself. And Fear became our God. And it began to rule over our lives, shrink our willingness to dare, and rob us of the beauty of it all.

Fear is written in the deepest layer of our DNA. You can’t run away from it. You can’t escape it. It’s so pervasive that plenty of people try to exorcise the demon. Religions, philosophies, advertisements, motivational speakers… They all tell you if you make the jump and follow their cure, you’ll no longer have anything to fear. They tell you that there are no monsters hiding under your bed. They promise you safety from everything you fear. They promise you a sense of empowerment. They promise you victory against all odds.

The reality is that they are trying to sell you something.

The monster is indeed under your bed, after all. The reality is that you have every good reason to be afraid, because everything you fear is on your tracks right now, and will eventually catch up to you and destroy everything you loved and everything you are.

Welcome to the world, motherfuckers.

So, why “not afraid?” Wouldn’t it be more appropriate “Scared shitless and rightfully so?”

Because being scared doesn’t help you. Reality is uglier and harsher than anything we like to admit to ourselves, and yet it’s pointless to be scared since your fear will not protect you. Fear is only useful if it alerts you of a danger you can avoid, but if there’s no possible way to avoid it, if it’s inevitable that it’ll crush you no matter how hard you fight, then what’s the point of being afraid? If you have no hope of survival, what’s left to be afraid of?

The only thing you’ll succeed in doing is in spoiling this very second when the forces that will destroy you haven’t stepped onto the stage yet.

Yes, you will not get out of here alive. But so what? All the more reason to celebrate right here and right now. Let’s pop the champagne before all hell breaks loose. Squeeze every last ounce of orgasmic ecstasy from the present moment. And when the monster finally climbs out from under your bed, at least you’ll have a good reason to smile before he devours you. You are already dead. Let’s have a party in the meantime.

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About Jeff

Jeffrey D. Hendricks is a two-time graduate from California State University at Long Beach with a Master of Arts in United States History. His main areas of historical interest are the cultural and intellectual aspects of Environmental history, Native American history, and the history of social and environmental justice movements in the United States. His Masters Thesis, "Constructing the Panopticon: Perceptions of Wilderness, Methods of Domination and the Colonization of Native America," was published in December, 2006, and it deals with how perceptions of wilderness influenced the colonization of North America. Other topics he has researched include the effects of colonization on the Tohono O'odham Nation of Southern Arizona, witchcraft persecutions in the Colonial US, and the Weather Underground - an anti-war organization active during the Vietnam War period. Jeffrey has worked with many organizations including the Save Ward Valley Coalition, Los Angeles and Long Beach Food Not Bombs, the O'odham Solidarity Project, and many others. He currently maintains this website - www.danielebolelli.com

8 thoughts on ““In The Beginning Was Fear” – By Daniele Bolelli

  1. yelpaperson

    First of, Dan you are THE MAN. Secondly as one very wise man once said. ” LOVE is stronger then Fear ” from that day on my life has Not been the same.
    Keep them coming!

    Reply
  2. Andy

    Yea man and the moment you are able to destroy your copy of “The Secret” and accept the thing you fear is usually the moment your fear disappears. But like it says this works for unfounded fears true danger is different. If you encounter a bear don’t try to accept it just play dead or beat the shit out of it or something. If you encounter a large social group of strangers don’t beat the shit ot of them they are not threatening your physical body just your ego. Your ego has no hope of getting out of it unscathed so accept it.

    Reply
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  4. James Konwiczka

    Amen! I’m a new father and worry everyday how to explain things to my son. Thank you Mr. Bolelli. Keeping doing what you do!

    Reply
  5. Jason Mandala

    So happy you included this in the episode and the notes. Inspiring to say the least. If it was a bit shorter I would tattoo it on my forearm so I could read it each day!
    Thanks again man.

    Reply
  6. Phillip Rogers

    Thank you so much for sharing this. I printed this off and put it on my mirror!! Just want you to know that one more person is affected positively!! : o )

    Reply
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