Living in Fear in a World Full of Conspiracies
By: Alex Melnik
Tags: Fear, Conspiracy Theories, Love, Pandemic, Religion

One of my favorite hobbies, if you could call it a hobby, is people watching. I like to think that it is the history teacher in me. I am just an onlooker observing the passing of time. If I were to claim one reason to live, following the outcome of events would be one out of many.

The universe is a never-ending motion picture and we are all actors. We all have a role. We all have a part to play. It is the most intriguing movie.

Personally, I cannot get into movies. I find most of them dull and I just skip to the ending. But with life, you cannot just skip to the end. Instead, you can only watch time as it is unfolding. There is intrigue and suspense unlike any other, as nothing is guaranteed. We can only watch and play our part.

It is the fact that we are mortal, which makes people watching so compelling. We are a complex organism full of emotion, zeal, and passion placed here for a short period of time. We are predictable and unpredictable. While we are similar, and we are different. This convolution is what makes humans so intriguing.

For me, it is thought-provoking to watch people as they process and react to different circumstances. Currently, we are living in an unprecedented time. In an instant, the world transformed, and most of us were caught off guard, especially in the Western Hemisphere.

We became accustomed to a period of peace and stability, it felt natural, and we thought it would last forever. Then suddenly, as though a rug was pulled out under us, we were introduced to a new reality. For some of us, for the first time, we became cognitive of the fragility of life. That nothing is guaranteed, and in a moment, everything could change.

While the pandemic has changed our society, we all have come to grips to this new reality differently. For some people, it was a quick adjustment. They had to change some of their routines, but the experience has not been traumatizing. They might even enjoy the period of social separation. They can work from home, finish projects around their house, and can use this time to recharge.

For other people, this period has been stressful. They may have lost their job and are concerned about finances. They may find themselves alone, isolated, and scared. I remember one story from a social media post. It was about an older woman who was sitting in her car in front of the grocery store. She was looking for someone who would shop for her. She was afraid to enter the grocery store but had no one to help her. After some time, she called for a young female who she thought looked trustworthy and implored her to shop for her.

Fear is a common emotion in humans. It is a dominant force that moves us. Fear in itself is not evil. Fear is a mechanism embedded in us for our survival. We fear snakes because they can bite us. We fear heights, for we can fall and hurt ourselves.

The issue is when we allow fear to overtake us. While I am afraid of snakes, I do not allow the existence of snakes to dictate my life. When hiking, I’ll take precautions to avoid snakes, I might even avoid certain trails during certain periods of the year, but I don’t allow my fear of snakes to stop me from hiking. Also, while I am afraid of falling from a tall structure, it does not stop me from hanging up the Christmas lights. I just take proper precautions and hope that I don’t fall.

It is one thing to experience moments of fear and caution. It is another thing to allow fear to reign over our existence. For continuous fear paralyzes us. It takes the joy out of life and makes us miserable. I would argue that many of our negative emotions and actions are a product of fear. Fear begets anxiety, grief, insecurity, jealousy, anger, and hatred.

One thing that escalates fear is uncertainty. People are conservative creatures that dislike change. Even when things are not great. We fear them changing and becoming worse. We are scared of the unfamiliar. It makes us feel insecure. And our fear of uncertainty causes us to engage in antisocial behavior.

I would argue that many people are racist or bigoted because they are unfamiliar with different people and are suspicious of them. They may have heard stories about particular groups that reconfirm their fears. So, according to their reasoning, before they get overtaken, they lash out verbally or physically, or they isolate themselves.

There is an article that I read about a black man who visited various white supremacist groups. If I remember correctly, the black gentleman befriended a white supremacist who, in turn, ended up forsaking his previous ideology. The man realized that beyond the color of their skin, they were quite similar.

Other times, we create a sense of obscurity. We create a false reality that, in turn, makes us feel afraid and insecure. We may feel inadequate physically, cognitively, or materially. This self-perception is not to be confused with humility. It is more related to jealousy. It is an instance where fear combined with pride. Often, fear and pride are interconnected, but that is a story for a different time.

An insecure person, living according to their invention, desires to be prettier, or more capable, or more wealthy than others. However, they have realized that it is not possible. Now, due to their self-perception, they are always afraid of rejection and disapproval. They may even try to boast about their inadequacies. They may engage in particular antisocial behavior to reaffirm those self-perceived ideas or to create a barrier so they wouldn’t get hurt. When involved in a romantic relationship, an insecure person will live in a constant state of fear that their significant other will leave them for someone more capable than them.

Often when faced with uncertainty, whether real or self-inflicted, people may become angry and try to blame others for their problems. It is easier to accept that there is someone or something that is actively trying to subdue you than to accept the notion that stressful events are random and uncoordinated. The idea of causation often influences humans. That there is an underlying reason for everything.

I remember as a child misbehaving and getting hurt, and my grandparents would tell me that God punished me for being disobedient. Or, if I got seriously injured, it was because God was punishing me for some type of iniquity. This idea has been with humans for centuries. If there was a storm at sea or a bad harvest, people thought it was because the gods were angry with them.

To make matters worse, we live in an age of mass information. We are bombarded with information from sources that seem to recognize our fears better than we do. Those sources then trigger our suspicions causing us to become frightened and anxious. If the source did not mention anything, we might have never considered that idea.

Imagine if I told you that there was a dangerous neighbor who lived on your block. That I saw him, and he looks like a murderer and a pedophile. While you have no proof for such a notion and in actuality, the person is an honest and moral citizen. You would be very cautious concerning that neighbor. You might even meet him and realize that everything I said was false and that he is an upstanding person.

Still, in the back of your head, the question will continue to linger whether the person is a pedophile or a murderer. If I never said anything, it may have never come to your head, but since I said it, there must be some logic in my statement. When, in reality, it was a figment of my imagination.

Because of the internet and mass media, alarming information and disinformation are quickly spread. Before, if a person had a strange theory, they would have a difficult time advancing their opinions. The majority around them would think of them as unhinged, and that person’s ideas would not spread. Today, with the internet, people with particular theories can find each other and encourage one another.

Now people with all sorts of suspicions have an audience. Their voice has become louder and more assertive. When they make a post, there is a group of supporters who comment on their posts and encourage them. Those who are inattentive are lured, and their fears are intensified. Fear, especially when it becomes paranoia, is irrational and self-confirming.

Many people accept ideas because of the frequency of a message and not because of critical analysis. Especially if the communication makes us feel fearful, at that moment, it takes more energy to discredit that notion than it is to accept it.

That is why conspiracy theories are so prevalent today. It is because we are afraid. The world of information has become big and scary. Mass information has made the world large again. It takes energy and time to decipher all the messages surrounding us. So, instead, we create virtual and physical communities that are built upon our worries and fears. Within those groups, we feel safe because their concerns coincide with ours.

The world outside of our fears is our antagonist. We come to believe that there is a group of people who are trying to subjugate and subdue us. In a sense, it gives us comfort because it makes sense of the world around us. For it is scarier to believe that events around us are random and uncoordinated than it is to believe in an enemy. We can fight and revolt against an enemy, but we are helpless against randomness.

As we allow fear to dictate our lives, we become anxious and grievous. Our worries are always upon us. It is easy for depression and paranoia to take hold of us. At the same time, we become cold and vile. We allow anger and hatred to move us. It is in these moments that humans are prone to fits of violence and injury.

Untamed fear is like cancer. It slowly eats away at our existence. And it leaves us without hope, peace, and joy.

The opposite of fear is love. Love is what drives away fear and gives us life. It rejuvenates us and makes us accepting. It gives us hope, and it gives us peace. It leaves us with joy and a desire to help those around us.

I would need to write a separate article to explain love. In a nutshell, love is to propagate the welfare of others. While love is kind, it is not purely kindness. For kindness can be misgiven. If a child desires ice cream, and I give in each time, my kindness can hurt the child. The child will become malnourished from overeating ice cream. Instead, love causes me to portion the child’s ice cream intake and provide the child with a more balanced and healthy diet.

There is a phrase in the bible that states, “…perfect love casts out fear.” (1 John 4:18) The verse itself is deep and full of meaning but I just want to focus on this phrase.

Now, as a Christian, I believe that mankind is incapable of perfect love. We are capable of displaying intense moments of love, but it is impossible for us to be in a state of continuous and never-ceasing love. At any moment, we can falter and make a mistake. We can allow for pride or fear to momentarily overtake use.

Perfect love is unconditional. It is never ceasing and eternal. It is sacrificial. It is about promoting and exalting others. It is always considering the needs of others.

It does not mean that it is a state of self-neglect. We cannot love others if we don’t love ourselves. Not in a delusional self-absorbed manner. Instead, it is about taking care of our well-being so we can serve others. For love is sacrificial, as a mother who loves her children is willing to give her life for her children.

I do not know any person who continually adheres to those characteristics, which is why I believe that love is divine. Therefore, I believe that God is love. For only God can continually uphold those attributes.He is terrific and majestic. At the same time, his love is sacrificial, willing to atone humanity, even though it would dearly cost him.

I believe that to attain perfect love, we must submit to and allow God to continually fill us with love. Humans are a broken vessel, to have love, we must be continually filled with love.

Also, through our submission, we do not allow ourselves to become self-centered and overcome with pride. For pride produces arrogance and fear. Therefore, through our reliance on God, we can remain humble.

With love, the various issues in the world do not frighten us. We can remain objective and diligent. We are rooted in our faith, for we have experienced love and know the source of all love. We can look at a variety of information and cross-examine it. When information is presented to us, we are not afraid to confront it. If it does not match our worldview, we can critically analyze it.

At the same time, if we don’t accept a particular idea or ideal. We are not agitated with it or let it trouble our hearts. There is no room for hatred. We continue moving forward, continually loving, and serving those around us, even if we disagree with their worldview.

Also, we do not allow fear of the unknown to paralyze us. We are assured that in the end, everything will be justly determined. Even if we die, at that moment, everything will come to an end on earth, and the only thing that will be left is the impact we had on people.

All we can do is steady on. We can only control so much. I would argue that the only thing that we can control is our reaction to events. We can choose whether to love and to influence people with our love or to live in fear and to influence those around us with fear.

Today, I see too many proclaiming Christians living in fear. It is their virtual and physical profile that gives them away. Their communications are full of panic and distress. Their souls seem miserable. It must be difficult to live every day in a state of unease. What is worse, is they spread their nervousness to others, causing others to lose their peace. They encourage those who agree with them and tear down those who disagree with them. For misery enjoys company.

In place of fear, I call us to love. To find the source of love, accept it, and continually submit to it. Then instead of fear and anxiety, we can spread joy. Instead of distress, we will find peace. For peace is the ultimate state of being. Only in the bounds of love can we find peace.