Fear indirectly plays a strong role in how our own perspectives culminate into action- but also directly “arises with the threat of harm, either physical, emotional, or psychological, real or imagined” (Ekman). You have likely read up on at least a few philosophies if you are diving into mine, but what is really key here is that everything I have mentioned stems from our own unique perspectives. Most of us experience fear of heights (Ekman). So does fear of heights make you a scaredy cat?
Let’s put my perspective-based philosophy to the test, with a journal’s overall conclusion on ‘Fear as a Positive Emotion’: “… the positive correlation between the experience of negative affect and the enjoyment of horror suggests an integrationist answer to this question” (Bantinaki, p. 384). This shows us that experiencing fear can be positive in some contexts and isn’t inherently a true marker of something potentially bad forthcoming. This is something we can largely agree on, though- fear in a controlled environment, and even at times in a bad situation, can feel good to some people. So why is this important to adopting on a broader perspective?
It’s to demonstrate that perception of others, aside from our own, does matter- even in the context of a natural safety mechanism. This is why context is important too, which also influences our own unique views. This all connects to how understanding others’ conclusions and opinions ultimately empowers our own, as we learn over time where our personal logic may not always be true. However, this is way more than just a straightforward swap of thought. Whether a positive or negative feeling we have, or simply a concept, this rationale still applies. I encourage you to look at my perspective of how this aligns with other philosophical tenets, so you can build your own understanding.