Fear is “one of the most powerful emotions that govern our behavior…” writes Jose Antonio Marina, a Spanish publicist and popularizer of science. He thoughtfully explores the various aspects of fear — medical, psychological, social, cultural, ethical.
Fear is “one of the most powerful emotions that govern our behavior…” writes Jose Antonio Marina, a Spanish publicist and popularizer of science. He thoughtfully explores the various aspects of fear — medical, psychological, social, cultural, ethical. In addition to universal fears (pain, death or loneliness), the author also considers less studied phobias, such as fear of scandals, boredom, the collapse of culture, the fear of taking a firm stand or fear of fear (the latter, according to the author, Hemingway was subject to). Referring to authoritative psychologists and physiologists, as well as reinforcing her judgments with examples from the works of Franz Kafka, Arthur Rimbaud, Albert Camus, Akira Kurosawa, Miguel Cervantes and others, Marina also gives practical advice on how to distinguish “useful” fears from “bad ones”. The title of the book is not accidental. If fear, according to the author, «subdues us to its will, imposes its logic», then courage, on the contrary, «encourages us to subject the feeling of fear to rational analysis.» And to understand is already almost to win.
Astrel, Corpus, 384 p.