Only the fear of death is true fear. In "Harry Potter," Remus Lupin's line, "You fear fear itself," and H.P. Lovecraft's assertion that "All fear originates from the unknown" are literary expressions that lead readers to believe they have grasped the essence of fear, which is fundamentally erroneous.
Fear of fear itself is an aspect of personal development aimed at mitigating the negative impacts of fear. Frank Herbert describes this in "Dune" with great detail: "I must not fear, hear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little death that bringstotal obliteration, I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain." On the other had, Rowling's nested structure and abstract conciseness may lead readers to think this is a higher realm of fear. In truth, humans are merely clever animals; what animals genuinely fear is death.
Fear, as a fundamental emotion, is etched into human genes through evolution. We fear the unknown jungle not because we fear the dark, but because we fear the hidden venomous creatures, snakes, and ferocious beasts; ultimately, we fear death. It is the ability of ghosts and monsters to cause death that incites both fear and reverence toward them.
Uncertain outcomes, such as exam results, evoke negative emotions akin to fear—anxiety. The result of fear is known, while anxiety culminates in the unknown. The known aspect of death signifies a singular, uncontrollable outcome. Although being caught cheating on an exam may yield the certain result of a score of zero, the subsequent effects of that zero remain unknown. The distinction between fear and anxiety lies in the fact that death is the endpoint.
The unknown leads to anxiety, while only death induces fear. The classic assertions by Rowling and Lovecraft merely express anxiety. All fear that does not stem from death is, in fact, anxiety.
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