Fear is one of the basic emotions.
It's an evolutionary gift - one we share with other species.
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Fear developed as an early warning signal and reaction to physical threats.
Our species evolved along a tribal/group development path.
Rejection and ouster of the individual by the group meant certain death.
This led to the threat of rejection evoking the same emotional and physiological states as physical threats.
Also, in addition to rejection, there are other social risks, such as status, certainty, autonomy, relatedness, and fairness that evoke similar fears.
We've come a long way from those ages - social threats are no longer necessarily fatal.
However, our bodies and brains haven't evolved to keep pace.
In the modern context, the physical and psychological impact of these fears can seem exaggerated.
However, getting rid of fear, even if it were possible, would be a bad idea.
Given the hard wiring, it is impossible to suppress fear of some variety, without simultaneously losing the ability to respond faster to actual physical danger.
Therefore, life without fear is not what we should aim for.
We should develop the ability to see fear for what it is and act despite it.
And that is a capacity we all have and can cultivate.
Courage.
