Why do we enjoy getting scared? The popularity of horror movies, roller coasters, and haunted houses can be a mystery to some, while others seemingly can’t get enough of them. Evolutionarily, you’d think that
we as humans are prone to finding safety and comfort, avoiding the threats of the outside world. So why do people seek out fear when a penchant for safety is ingrained in our DNA?
To put it simply, it’s because safety is boring. We get an irreplaceable adrenaline rush when hurtling down a roller coaster ramp or from monsters jumping out at us from the dark corners of a haunted house. The terror we feel in that instant releases a rush of hormones in our brains, giving us a natural high that leaves us wanting more. For the most part, as society progresses and we become safer, the opportunities to experience the same adrenaline rush are few and far between. Where our ancestors were once confronted with lif
e and death scenarios on a regular basis, we now live a relatively sheltered life, especially in Naperville of all places. That is not to say that stress doesn’t exist, and there aren’t challenges we face that can cause great mental anguish, but generally we don’t face the same levels of life threatening situations that we once did. So we go out and seek thrill, searching for a rush that we don’t otherwise experience in our daily lives.
But why stop there? Why don’t we (or at least most of us) hop the fence of the lion habitat at the zoo, or look for shark infested waters to practice our backstrokes in? Well, as much as we like the adrenaline rush that comes with danger, we’re still averse to the danger itself. Part of what makes that adrenaline rush feel so good is that afterwards we are perfectly fine. It gives us a sense of strength and satisfaction, knowing that we are unharmed after a period of heightened senses. If haunted houses came with a disclaimer that the chainsaw-wielding actors might go unhinged on a visitor or two, suddenly people wouldn’t have the same inclination to go. We enjoy being scared, but just as crucial is the knowledge in the back of our minds that ultimately we are not in serious physical danger. Perhaps we temporarily suspend our disbelief to allow ourselves to be scared, but we walk in the door trusting that we’ll be walking out alive. We like the thrill of risk, but what causes hesitation is the actual consequences that follow. Only with lowered stakes, with no real threat of physical harm, do we choose to pursue this rush of adrenaline.
In life it makes sense to have a similar mindset. Constantly judging risks and analyzing potential danger keeps us safe and out of trouble for the most part. For major decisions in life it would be foolish to rush in, chasing the adrenaline rush rather than thinking through the potential rewards and risks that are assigned to every decision. However, while it is important to think critically and make decisions that are logically sound, I think it’s almost as important to not perpetually settle for what’s comfortable.
The satisfaction that comes from an adrenaline rush followed by the knowledge that you ultimately survived is liberating, and it’s possible to experience this outside of just horror shows and amusement parks. We tend to think that every decision we make has the highest of stakes, but the truth is that in many cases the stakes are lower than we realize. Oftentimes the biggest fear we have, preventing us from taking action, is simply the rejection that might come with it.
There’s no better time to start taking risks than now, as the amount of responsibility and external commitments that we have will only increase as we age. The younger we are, the more room we have to fail, presenting a perfect opportunity to take risks. Every risk you take won’t be a success, but that’s part of what makes the process rewarding. When we open ourselves up to failure, we are putting ourselves in a position to learn and to grow as people. Not only is failure not the end of the world, it’s actually a net positive in our lives. If we remain static, taking no risks and not giving ourselves the chance to fail, we are robbing ourselves of experiences and growth. Recognizing that some risks are worth taking, and when to take those risks, puts us in a win-win situation. We can either find success in our actions, or fail and come out stronger because of it. The idea of risk can be scary, but sometimes it might be good to embrace what makes us scared.
Hey Adi,
Thanks for sharing your take on our society’s relationship with fear and risk! I think many of us have realized bits and pieces of the concepts you brought up, but reading it all laid out in a coherent manner makes everything so much more linear. I especially liked your comparison between how people in present society seek out fear and danger, while our predecessors experienced it on a daily basis, and I think this is very accurate. Akin to the fact that people nowadays actively seek out danger, I think that our present relationship with fear and adrenaline seeking is rather unhealthy. Getting the opportunity to selectively seek out opportunities for fear and stress means that any real sense of danger is mostly out of the question. I think that in the long run, this might cloud our judgment towards actual dangerous situations in the long run. This is an example bordering on the satirical, but maybe an excess of touristic bungee jumping as a human race will manifest in a clouding of judgement in the long run, so that when humans are faced with a similar real-life situation, say jumping off a 1 or 2-story building for whatever reason, they won’t sense the real danger because the sensation of fear has been dulled. I don’t know, I’m just speculating, I don’t know that much about psychology to be honest.
Regardless, thanks for your take!
Ella
Adi,
This was a really good take on embracing fear. I think fear is supposed to be subjective as the specific things that one is afraid of could be what someone else is seeking. The thrill-seekers that love to jump off cliffs and swim openly with the sharks have always mystified me.
Personally, I hate rollercoasters and horror movies, yet I can’t wait to go skydiving when I turn 18- even though I’m also afraid of heights.
I definitely resonate with the idea that most people fear the outcomes rather than the fear itself. Fear can apply to haunted houses and horror movies or something as simple as in your academics or sports. Taking the leap and putting your energy into something that has the potential to backfire is horrifying. Unfortunately, it’s the only way to improve and, like you mentioned, transition from being static. Safety is boring, but it’s also comfortable, and once you get out of your comfort zone it makes taking risks easier the next time around. Overall, this was a really well-written piece that developed interesting ideas about fear!
Hi Adi! I really enjoyed reading your blog post! Before reading this I also pondered the same question, why do I like being scared and why would I continue to do the things that scare me? I am one who LOVES scary movies, haunted houses, roller coasters, etc. I consider myself an adventurous person but I never want to put myself in danger. When doing activities that scare me, I’m always nervous about the outcome but in the moment I love the adrenaline rush and the way it makes me feel. Putting myself in those situations helped me embrace the fact that safety and not going out of my comfort zone is boring. I think living with this mindset will make life more interesting. As cliche as it sounds, you only live once so might as well start taking risks now. Your blog post helped answer some questions I didn’t even know I had. You did a great job at explaining fear and adrenaline and where the desire for these feelings comes from. Thanks Adi, I really liked this post!
Adi,
This was fascinating to read. I personally don’t seek horror movies because I’ve always thought they’re dumb. However, after reading your piece, I realize it is because horror movies aren’t all that scary to me, and thus don’t give me that adrenaline rush. However, I do seek roller coasters as you talked about, because they give me the thrill you say humans seek. I love going to places like Six Flags for this reason. There are also many things I want to do to give me an adrenaline rush. For instance, I really want to skydive and open swim with sharks. With the physical danger aspect of what you discussed, I think that idea is super subjective. What one person is afraid of getting hurt while doing another may not feel like they are in danger. I totally agree with your point about not settling. For example, related to the college applications all of us seniors are freaking out about, we should try to apply to reach schools and take risks applying to them, and the same goes for scholarships and Honors Colleges. I also like your point about the stakes of our decisions. I think that a lot of people overhype the stakes that everyday decisions have, like what to wear, eat, go, and do. Not every choice is life-changing.
I found your perspective on risk-taking very interesting to read about. The way you organized this post from rhetorical questions to some historical background and analysis to your opinion made your argument very clear cut. Were you inspired to write this based on your own life experience? For me, there are many risks in life that I regret not taking but also many risks that I do regret taking. Especially in reflection, for me, it is a fine line between irresponsible decisions and being carefree. I liked your point in how we do things for adrenaline but we always ultimately know that we will be fine in the end. It made me question whether I can label myself as an actual “risk-taker”. I also agree with your point that sometimes we overthink the stakes involved in decisions. As I have gone through high school and grown-up, I have begun to understand that and apply it to my life more and more.
Excellent post, Adi! I love your perspective on risk and fear and growth 🙂