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- David Ng is Director of the AMBL at the University of British Columbia - fancy speak for a science teacher. Follow Dave on twitter @dnghub.
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« We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be. | Main | At last, the Showdown returns: Team General Relativity beats Team Boson (we think) »
Serious question: What are you afraid of?
Category: About writing generally
Posted on: April 13, 2007 11:28 AM, by David Ng
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Comments
The things that scare me the most these days, now that I'm a father, are these moments when I see something or read something, and for a fleeting moment think: what if that happened to my daughter? That's when I freeze.
I guess (and this probably sounds kind of dumb) this just means that I'm worried about the future for my child generally.
Posted by: bryant | April 13, 2007 12:41 PM
Ignorance, stubborness, and affluence is a deadly combination. Happens much too often, which is scary to me.
Posted by: cameron | April 13, 2007 12:43 PM
Cancer.
Loss of personal freedom, possibly caused by the ignorance and bigotry of other people who do not value reason, but who prefer superstition and dogma.
Those are the only 2 things that I think of regularly, anyway.
Posted by: writerdd | April 13, 2007 12:46 PM
In all seriousness, I fear fear. I realize that to an extent, fear is necessary, but I still don't like it. I don't like the feeling of being out of control because of fear. I really don't like the knee-jerk reactions of other people when their fear response takes over.
I am afraid of what fear can beget.
Posted by: Jokermage | April 13, 2007 12:55 PM
Right-wing cretins. Honestly. I see them as (collectively) the single most likely danger to the continuing survival of our species, that of many others, and the relative short-term viability of the planet.
Posted by: Warren | April 13, 2007 1:02 PM
I'm afraid of articles like the one you linked to, that encourage people to adopt the Precautionary Principle because they don't have time or knowledge otherwise to think about the issues involved, poke hard at fear reactions without providing alternatives, and appeal to one's visceral prejudices rather than provide education.
What the heck is the "Science Creative Quarterly", anyway?
Posted by: Elf M. Sternberg | April 13, 2007 1:35 PM
Hi Elf, A very astute observation, and partly what the article was about, really. In answer to your query about the SCQ, one suggestion is to peruse through the "textbook" section. There should be plenty of topics that address the concerns you so rightly point out.
All in all, the piece itself is (hopefully) an excuse to dig deeper.
Posted by: David Ng | April 13, 2007 2:11 PM
(anyone else catch the irony in Elf's comment that those speaking about an issue should be informed about it before doing so?)
Posted by: BRC | April 13, 2007 3:30 PM
Thanks for letting me find the Science Creative Quarterly. Some of the humour is especially great. Which is ironic, because if there's anything I'm fearful of, it's our inability to slow down, just relax, and for an instance, just do nothing for a change. Is it me, or is life too full these days.
Posted by: firsttimecommenter | April 13, 2007 6:00 PM
Jellyfish. Please try not to laugh.
Posted by: Baratos | April 13, 2007 8:49 PM
Nobody has mentioned death yet. But I fear death - doesn't everyone?
Posted by: hhjeff | April 14, 2007 6:31 PM
Actually, no, not everyone. Having been through a situation where I was certain I was a dead man (ice-induced spinout on an interstate), I can actually say that for certain. My only real reaction was just a matter-of-fact thought of, "That's it, I'm dead."
Looking another person in the face, tho -- that causes a shiver of fear each time I meet someone's gaze. So, people scare me, but not death.
Posted by: G Barnett | April 16, 2007 12:16 PM
It might be highly rational to fear those who DON'T fear death - depending on their committment to a given cause anyways.
Mostly, I fear running out of fresh water. Consider that there are fountains in Phoenix, pools in the desert. Fresh water is being depleted much faster than it is being replenished. Mark my words: water is going to end up being the single biggest cause of conflict in the 21st century. My current plan is to buy a lawn chair, a few lake-front acres up in the Yukon, and a shotgun, but I have yet to convince my wife to come with me, so I probably won't get the wheels rolling on that one for a while.
Posted by: Timon | April 16, 2007 12:34 PM
Well, there is a rather big difference between folks who don't fear death and those who actively embrace it. Me, I just look at it as a rather annoying inconvenience and would much rather avoid it as long as possible.
And I think I'll differ with you on the next major cause of conflict. I have a feeling it'll be, of all things, women. China's one-child policy is going to have some seriously unbalanced side-effects in the next 10-15 years, and something's gonna have to give.
Posted by: G Barnett | April 16, 2007 12:59 PM
Ouch, BRC! A hit, a palpable hit. But I don't think I need to know what "SCQ" is about to read the article itself and address it directly. Now that David has recommended I go back and look deeper, I might, as I also pointed out is the main issue at hand, invest the time to do so.
Posted by: Elf M. Sternberg | April 16, 2007 6:51 PM