View Full Version : Fear and morality


sargentlard
01-07-04, 11:26 PM
I was just wondering wouldn't it be a great experiment to pick people at random from the streets put them in a controlled enviroment, through some method purge them of any and all fear of everything and set them loose.

I wonder how much of our morality is dictated by fear? Fear of consequences, fear of pain, physcial and emotional. If there was no cause of fear of any reprecutions from actions undertaken then how would our morality be effected by such knowledge? Would the very definition of what is moral and ethical in the new enviroment change to better suit the new, potentially more dangerous enviroment where your actions have no negative consequences?

What if only one man was allowed free will upon his fellow civilians where he suffered no harm at all but could inflict any amount of pain and torture on others? Is he, by definition, still a "man" or "Human" if he chooses to be the judge, jury, and the executioner or is he just victim to the taste of something
unparallel to any thing known before to mankind, or is he the true "man"?

Can we really blame him for his "evil" he induces upon others or is morality just a way of keeping one's primitive tendencies aside, a way to tell ourselves that we are civilized and that even if we wanted to we couldn't due to the consequences we will suffer - the wrath of society.

Is morality for the most part dictated by fear or are we really that humane and considerate of others existence and presence in society?

BigBlueHead
01-08-04, 03:41 PM
Can fear even be removed in this way? If it were, would they have any incentive to take any action at all? What if fear is a component of memory? This might render them unable to recall anything after the experiment.

sargentlard
01-08-04, 05:54 PM
Can fear even be removed in this way?

Very close to it...basically whatever it takes to strip them of all thought of what their actions may bring....

If it were, would they have any incentive to take any action at all?

I certainly think they would. Think about it, no fear of pain, no fear of abuse whatsoever. I believe many would rise to the occasion.

What if fear is a component of memory? This might render them unable to recall anything after the experiment.

I have found fear to be a good way to engrave something into memory. I doubt they will forget any of this.

Arietta
01-13-04, 08:16 PM
there are two ways to look at it. morality may be a law we write for ourselves in the assumption that abiding it will get us what we want; if I smile at that person, they will smile back at me. If i send a flower to that person, they will want to sleep with me. Of course, the degree of the desire and the common sense which the person commands would in totality control the moral law. meaning, knowing what we want and following steps to attain it doesnt necessarily commit one to fear, except perhaps fear of failure.
secondly, fear isnt necessarily the only brick wall blocking our inner yin and yang. evil is controlled by fear of consequence, as well as desire to do good, as well as general good. just because one person's condition exemplifies evil incarnate, doesnt mean any single person given this aforementioned freedom would abuse it. Personally, without fear I doubt I would do more than maybe act on my automatic and shock reactions, I wouldn't ever hesitate. but maybe i would wail out and destroy someone if they stepped on my shoe; no consequence right? so i guess it comes down to what kind of a mood you are in that day.

one_raven
01-13-04, 08:39 PM
I think that all (or at least most) people have a place deep inside them (some deeper than others), that inner "monster", that wants to know what it feels like to kill someone, drink blood, howl at the moon, rape, pillage, destroy...

Some people bury it so deep that they can't even see it anymore.
Some people are scared of it, because they see their potential to indulge in these primeval desires.

Is it because they genuinely think it is wrong?
Is it because it has been beaten into their heads for so long, that they just accept it as fact now?
Is it out of fear of repercussions from the moralists?

Why do so many people feel a draw to the "dark side" of themselves?
Is it simple curiosity that makes people want to experience what has been forbidden their whole lives?
Or is it that deep seated urge that has been repressed for so long by having to follow common rules in a society?