Good morning geeks, nerds and gamers,
Recently I did a little soul searching and found that a few of my fears were somehow manifesting themselves in some manner or another. In order to introduce a new mini series, I'll share my own fear (phobias) and some of my infatuations (philias). However, before we move on to that, what exactly does fear mean? According to Merriam-Webster fear is an unpleasant emotion caused by being aware of danger, or it can also be defined as a feeling of respect and wonder for something very powerful. The full definition is an unpleasant and often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger. So with that in mind, I'll name my top ten fears (1 being the thing I avoid the most, and 10 being feared but tolerable) and why I possess that particular fear.
10. Phronemophobia (Fear of Thinking): Now, I'm not afraid of thinking, in fact I quite enjoy it. However, it's what I think about that concerns me. My generally darker thoughts and frightening visions only seen by my inner eyes, from which only a potent source of light can extricate me, sometimes scare me and sometimes inspire me. This is why phronemophobia is number ten.
9. Atychiphobia (Fear of Failure): I seriously doubt that there are many people who aren't afraid of failure. Based on the standards that both school and society have thrust upon us, it's easy to see that many people including myself fear failure because it leads to loss. Loss of social connections and eventually loss of self. Personally, failure doesn't bother me, as we learn from failure, until said failures start costing me dearly.
8. Nyctophobia (Fear of the Dark): You know that old saying goes, "There's nothing to fear except fear itself." but what happens when the very embodiment of fear surrounds us? Hilariously, I'm no longer afraid of the dark itself. In fact, I find solace being cuddled up in the dark. I do, however, fear what may lie in the dark. Endless possibilities of many shadow creatures that lie and wait for the perfect opportunity to strike. I fear being alone in the darkness.
7. Automotonophobia (Fear of Ventriloquist's Dummies, Animatronic Creatures and Wax Statues): I found myself questioning why I feared this. I quite enjoy popular stand-up ventriloquist Jeff Dunham, and I am completely obsessed with the Five Nights at Freddy's franchise. So why do I have automotonophobia? Because I watch too much television, I suppose. From the Weeping Angels from Doctor Who, to famed horror film House of Wax and everything in between. But even before I could speculate this, I remember my family frequenting Chuck E. Cheese throughout my childhood, but that dreaded mascot always made me uneasy.
6. Coulrophobia (Fear of Clowns): I hate clowns. I want to kill clowns. It doesn't ease my fear that clowns are no longer the embodiment joy that reside underneath the big top of a circus. Psychopaths masquerade as clowns in the dead of night and roam free, stalking the shadows as Killer Clowns. Well, you know what they say...when life gives you lemons, kill a clown.
5. Acrophobia (Fear of Heights): Simply put, I've watched too many movies where a majority of deaths occurred by falling from massive heights. Earthquakes, tornados, being with super powers, and et cetera, or just sheer dumb luck in movies generally just off many people. And you know what? It messes with your head eventually.
4. Atelophobia (Fear of Never Being Enough): This is a relationship based fear. You fall in love with someone, and they with you, everything is perfect. Right? Until all they can see is your flaws. That's where this phobia comes in.
3. Arachnophobia (Fear of Spiders): Now this one makes my skin crawl just thinking about it. I loathe spiders. In fact, the most terrifying creature I have ever seen is the Goliath Bird-Eater Spider. That thing with ruin someone's day...especially if you're a bird...or an arachnophobe like me. What is it about spiders though? I love Spider-Man, so why am I so deathly afraid of spiders? Is it the venom? The way that some spiders are so small they're almost imperceptible with venom that can literally eat away at your skin? You know what... let's not. Moving on!
2. Autophobia (Fear of Being Abandoned): I have no issues with solitude. Its getting attached to someone and having them either drop me, or just fall off the map. Its something I've been dealing with for a while. My cure? Enjoy my antisocial nature. However it's that antisocial nature of mine that kind of fuels my number one phobia.
1. Athazagoraphobia (Fear of Being Forgotten or Ignored): Being ignored is fun as long as you're not attached to the person, in my personal opinion. But being forgotten is something that has been bugging me since childhood. I never want to be forgotten, whether its for being seeming like a detached intellectual, or a kind hearted goofball, or just "that kind I went to high school with that had a bright purple Mohawk." Yes...I had a purple Mohawk, and was damn proud of it. But I have this immortal need to make my mark in almost anyway I can.
