Phobophilia

[Kyriakos]

With all the talk about phobias and philias, why not of Phobophilia too?

Phobophilia is the love or interest of fear itself, as an emotion and a subject of study.

I guess by and large one could claim that most people who like watching a lot of horror movies and sometimes actually feel frightened by them, are to some degree phobophilic.

Others might be Phobophiliaphobic (dislike those who love fear) or Phobophiliaphilic (like those who love fear). Personally i am Phobophilic, but mostly in a theoretical, detached sense, and then again i am quite Phobophiliaphobophobic, since i dislike those who dislike those who love fear

I meant this thread as one where possibly there can be some discussion of fear, and if it is of interest as an emotion in art. Just don't be a nematophobophiliaphobe and hate on a thread (nema) just because it has such a topic

 

[NovaKart]

I have a fear of snakes but I still love watching them in the zoo. It's kind of like watching a horror movie for me, a bit of excitement. I love watching the crocodiles too and I was really excited when in Mexico to come across a crocodile in the lake.

 

[warpus]

I throw myself out of my comfort zone every once in a while in order to experience new things, overcome fears, and grow as a person. For example.. Jumping off a cliff (secured to a bungy line), public speaking, dancing, chatting up strangers on the bus, and so on.

I wouldn't say I'm attracted to fear, but every once in a while I try to face some of my fears and then try to deal with the fallout. It's a good thing!

 

[Kyriakos]

^ I agree

I guess that is not technically "Phobophilic" though, since i understand that term refers to enjoying fear itself, not having to enjoy it as part of a process that leads to some other end (and in your example it could even be argued that the supposed extrapolation would be to limit fear in the future by negating particular symbols of it in your personal appreciation of the world around you)

 

[Borachio]

Since laughter is a fear reaction, and people love to laugh, watching a comedy show is phobophilia too?

 

[Darkflight]

Since laughter is a fear reaction, and people love to laugh, watching a comedy show is phobophilia too?

Do you have a good source for laughter beeing a fear reaction? I have never heard of that before.

 

[Kyriakos]

Since laughter is a fear reaction, and people love to laugh, watching a comedy show is phobophilia too?

Laughter is not always a fear reaction though. Sometimes it is. But others it has little to do with fear, for example one can laugh at a clever pun. Probably he does not feel fear that he will not be able to top the wittiness of the pun and as a result be decapitated

@Darkflight: a good example would be someone laughing uncontrollably due to being met with the horror of being attacked by some external force. Seems to be another defence mechanism, given than laughter is mostly associated consciously with happy states, so laughing at possible death somehow can be liberating in part from the fearful anticipation of it. Some people also whistle while passing graveyards, or even sing songs, so as to negate their fear.

 

[Borachio]

Ah yes. But the laughter at the pun is a reaction of surprise at the very least (if it's a pun you've heard before there's no surprise and no laughter either). And not so far from startled shock.

 

[Kyriakos]

Ah yes. But the laughter at the pun is a reaction of surprise at the very least (if it's a pun you've heard before there's no surprise and no laughter either). And not so far from startled shock.

This is another major issue though. Indeed shock and alarm, being startled, or even surprised (which obviously can have positive connotation too, at least in its development) do seem to belong in a pool of heavily linked emotions. But "fear" most of the time is used as a term to signify a predominantly negative feeling- at least in its actual core moment of being felt- one focused on some sense of dread due to a known or unknown object (ie located somewhere, or not named or located). So i still think that being startled, although having some link to being shocked, is not that close to actual fear by itself

 

[Borachio]

You may be right.

But why do people enjoy being frightened? Isn't it because they like the heightened sense of awareness it brings?

Laughter, I suppose, may be a bit different, because there's an oscillation of the diaphragm involved in it. Which I don't think is characteristic of just fear.

Doesn't laughter also have a tension-relieving function in social situations?

 

[Kyriakos]

I think you have some insight there (thought so from your previous post too) on fear I too am of the view that fear indeed can bring a "heightened sense of awareness". But it does so at a cost, the cost being that it is a negative emotion and thus by itself something like a hit the person sensing it is at that moment suffering.

In the past (some part of my university years) i actually was very interested in examining the emotion of fear. I gave up in the end due to that examination being way too unhealthy... Some subjects can be quite damaging, and even very dangerous. Not that the average person who enjoys some horror thrill is sensing something that has to be actually a danger.

Laughter can have tension-relieving aspects, for example students during the period of tests of importance (eg a national test) are known to sometimes break to laughter after hearing some simple joke. Seems to be so due to their need to find something funny, so as to release their axiety

 

[warpus]

You may be right.

But why do people enjoy being frightened? Isn't it because they like the heightened sense of awareness it brings?

Some people just enjoy the physical sensations that happen when you get scared, such as the adrenaline rush you get on a roller coaster or when you're bungy jumping.

I hated being scared when I was jumping down into a cliff though.. That was the only time I ever tried anything like that. 100m above the ground. I hated being scared, but I loved the feeling I got right after I jumped - it was probably one of the most amazing things I have ever felt.

I'm not sure how that relates to things like horror movies or whatever though.

 

[Camikaze]

Moderator Action: Red Diamonds are only for Chamber threads, so I removed the RD here.

@OP - if you'd prefer the thread be in the Chamber, please report this post.

 

[Kyriakos]

No, it can stay here

 

[Danielion]

Does Philophobia also exist? The aversion for love.

 

[Borachio]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philophobia_(fear)

I'd say it's remarkably common. Especially amongst people who've had some less than happy experience in a previous relationship.

 

[Dachs]

I used to be deathly afraid of sharks. Then about a decade or so ago, I got over it, mostly because I was more scared of looking like a wuss in front of people than of sharks themselves.

 

[AlpsStranger]

I'm terrified of jellyfish, but I love them for that. I wouldn't find them interesting if I didn't find them so abhorrent.

 

[Kyriakos]

I'm terrified of jellyfish, but I love them for that. I wouldn't find them interesting if I didn't find them so abhorrent.

I am sure you know some of the species are quite dangerous (or even deadly) to humans. I remember getting away from them while in the sea. Once i even saw a rather vast one too, which i would not have wanted to go near at all...

By the way, the name Jellyfish have in greek is fun. They are called Medusas. Singular is Medusa of course Like the mythical beast.

 

[Borachio]

I thought the Medusa was a kind of woman with snakes instead of hair.

(I've met a few women like that.)