RickSpace

I will start this rant by citing Reuters:

Scientists may have found a gene for fear — a gene that controls production of a protein in the region of the brain linked with fearful responses.

Science News Article | Reuters.com

So, by reading through the article we find that this discovery CERTAINLY has positive aspects and may lead to many wonderful treatments for serious ailments. What is causing MY amygdala (see article for reference) to go crazy is that this is lauded as a completely positive discovery. We are a society, nay a WORLD, driven by the few feelings and emotions we still allow ourselves to have, and are in the process of trying to eliminate those pesky ones that are still around.

Fifty years ago if your mom and dad died in a trainwreck and you were raised by nuns, only to end up rebelling and starting up a pornographic video production firm at age 22; later to be come wealthy but clutched by the vices of alcohol and drugs… You cried about it. You sobbed. You dealt with it and you moved on. Maybe you found Jesus and became a Christian and started anew. Maybe you sold your business, poured yourself into a more positive venture and lived a fulfilling life. Or maybe you killed yourself; tough crap. Now, if mom and dad swerve on the road and accidentally kill a possum (MAYBE HE’S PLAYING DEAD, YOU DON’T KNOW!!!), the child is instantly put on anti-anxiety pills, anti-depression pills and just for good measure, another experimental drug guaranteed to chemically lobotomize the child so he won’t act out. The parents take no responsibility to merely teach the kid about death, explain to him/her that sometimes things happen but you’ve gotta keep going, and treat this as a chance to help the child grow up.

Fifty years ago, people had mood swings. Now people have bipolar disorder.

Fifty years ago, kids were happy, playful, hyper and sometimes couldn’t pay attention in school because they wanted to be playing! Now they have ADD/HD and need to be medicated.

And now, since we can already slow thoughts, calm nerves, relieve anxiety, dull pain and remove ambition with pills… all we lacked was a God-like fearlessness. Is this a good thing? I mean, aside from killing YET ANOTHER natural human emotion, is there nothing else wrong with this?

The article states that mice naturally are afraid of open spaces and tended to stay near walls and under things when they can. You want to know why? THAT’S CALLED SURVIVAL. A mouse under a cabinet cannot be stepped upon. A mouse up against a wall may not be seen. The doped up mice wander out into the middle of the room without fear of anything. What things are we as humans afraid of? Falling off tall objects (like buildings), being hit by cars while crossing the street, very hot or very sharp objects in close proximity to our skin, etc. If I were not afraid of falling off of a building, I probably would be more inclined to walk dangerously close to the edge of the building, and even try to see what it feels like to walk on the air surrounding the building.

If we continue to embrace the “make it go away” culture that has come into existence and eventual proliferation, empowered by pharmaceutical research and distribution companies but openly embraced by the common people, we will soon be able to feel nothing. Maybe I’m too old-fashioned and ‘burly’ (I quote that because no one who knows me would call me burly) but I think some pain, some fear, some anxiety, and some of just about every feeling is OK; in fact I would argue that it is necessary in order for us to become the people we are. This nation of prescription-induced Zombies is not for me.