On fear....

Why is it that people are so easily scared?
Everyone knows that the concept of instilling fear is central to the effectiveness of terrorism. This has held true over many centuries and is not unique to our present circumstance. Terrorists count on the fear generated by their actions to cause much more chaos than the actions themselves. People run and they hide, taking their gold with them into their tiny holes in the ground (usual tract homes built during the last consumption frenzy aka. market bubble) and cause all sort of chaos in both the stock markets and society at large.
We have been likewise warned about the power of fear since birth. Cartoons and childrens' books tell us that our fears can't hurt us if we cease to be afraid. It is one of the central wisdoms drawn from many folk tales, religious tracts, and the cliche' quotes of politicians long dead. Examples are too numerous to count. The Bible: "Though i walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil", Pop culture : "The shadow knows what fear lurks in the hears of men", and the ever popular FDR: "We have nothing to fear but fear itself -- nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance."

SO ARE WE STILL AFRAID EVERY FIVE MINUTES???
Has the message not sunk in? It is odd that with both scary movies and terrorism at all time highs, accurate and developed psychological models to describe function and action of fear on our bodies are still not available. We do not fully know why we are afraid because fear is an irrational construct. Yet time and time again people approach this irrational beast with methodical planning and diligence, looking at and assessing their fears when they plan their vacations, build their relationships, and make critical life choices.
My initial reaction when i heard of the Mumbai attacks was selfish. I naturally assumed that we would no longer we traveling India due to the inevitable whining and complaining (desiptie these things being verboten on the sylabus) of students and their parents.
I am glad i was wrong.
We are no longer in High school people... your parents cannot and will not be able to help you in the board room should you ever get there so why oh why are they making your decisions now? I must say that I am quite pleased and even pleasantly shocked at the way the Administration has handled this difficult situation. It is difficult to address the irrational (yet somewhat legitimate) concerns of an angry group of parents when they hear their precious offspring are going to be carted into the war zone for a field trip. However to cancel the trip after having us read Fareeds Zakaria's admonitions on the dangers of giving into fear would be ....perhaps hypocritical?
I am very sorry for those of you who have fear. Think of this as the perfect opportunity to get a handle on it. We will in our lives constantly be faced with task of making the right decisions. To make good, ethical, and honorable choices is not easy... it is very very difficult. It takes courage, which is of course the ability to manage fear. If we cannot conquer our fear on these little issues? how will we face the really tough one that are sure to present themselves in the future.