Unknown (True Terror)

[Ungatt Trunn]

In my opinion, the true meaning to fear is, pretty much, the unknown. In my whole study of Bigfoot, I felt a weird feeling crawl up my spine every time that I read, heard or watched about. The main reason for that is that Bigfoot is something that is...unknown. Nobody is sure if it exists or not. I just feel this type of terror whenever I think about stuff like that. And its not just about Bigfoot-related stuff that brings this type of terror; all over the place the term "Unknown" comes into play. I do not think that there is anything on this earth that is scarier than the unknown.

EDIT: Upon reflection, I'm not sure if this topic belongs here or in The Cellers.

[WoodlandWarrior]

I love cryptozoology.  The possibility of "hidden" creatures is quite fascinating. 

The fear of the unknown will always scare mankind.  You are right in your assessment that the unknown is the true meaning of fear.  Any type of frightful or horrific situation can be broken down to factors unknown.  And the biggest unknown, the fear that will most likely scare man for eternity is death. 

I think that is why some unfortunate people who develop certain phobias have such a hard time.  Look at the anxiety disorder of agoraphobia.  A fear of open or public spaces and the anxiety that comes with the what ifs.  People become so frightened of the unknown they stay inside what they perceive to be their only "known" safe place.

The unknown is truly frightening.  I know even though my faith is strong in God, and that my religious beliefs are well grounded, I still get scared of the unknown...simply because..."we just don't know"...

[Rusvul]

This is partially why the dark scares us, I think. And there's nobody on this planet who doesn't fear the dark. I mean, sure, most people older than nine are mostly fine with it, but we all still fear it at least slightly. I think that's partially because it's instinctive, back at the dawn of mankind, there actually were monsters in the dark that would eat us unless we had fire/light. But now, prehistoric beasts aren't really around. Yet so strong was that primal, instinctive, fear of the dark,  that we carry it with us, even today. The other reason, in my opinion, that we fear the dark is because, as it blocks out our main sense, we don't know what's there. Even if our rational mind knows 'It's my house, stupid. There's nothing there', our subconcious mind is all like 'DANGER! It's dark, we don't know what could be there!'
Since we don't see in the dark, it's an unknown.
We fear it.

[HeadInAnotherGalaxy]

Ve av zeem tae 'ave fearz aboot everyzin', but it iz only in different amountz zat ztuff zcarez uz. For example, ve av are afraid o' ze dark. Na' zome o' uz are more afraid o' ze dark zen ozerz, but ve av ztill 'ave zome amount o' fear aboot it, even if it iz only around 1%. Zome 'ave 67%, vhile ozerz 'ave 29%. Yet ztill it iz zere. BOO!

[Ungatt Trunn]

I love cryptozoology.  The possibility of "hidden" creatures is quite fascinating. 

I love it too. I'm considering getting a carrier in it when I get older.

The fear of the unknown will always scare mankind.  You are right in your assessment that the unknown is the true meaning of fear.  Any type of frightful or horrific situation can be broken down to factors unknown.

I know. Even though I like to study the unknown, I always feel, as I have said, a sort of cold terror go up my spine.

This is partially why the dark scares us, I think. And there's nobody on this planet who doesn't fear the dark. I mean, sure, most people older than nine are mostly fine with it, but we all still fear it at least slightly. I think that's partially because it's instinctive, back at the dawn of mankind, there actually were monsters in the dark that would eat us unless we had fire/light. But now, prehistoric beasts aren't really around. Yet so strong was that primal, instinctive, fear of the dark,  that we carry it with us, even today. The other reason, in my opinion, that we fear the dark is because, as it blocks out our main sense, we don't know what's there. Even if our rational mind knows 'It's my house, stupid. There's nothing there', our subconscious mind is all like 'DANGER! It's dark, we don't know what could be there!'
Since we don't see in the dark, it's an unknown.
We fear it.

I don't really have a fear of the dark, but I'm not too safe with it. The dark really makes you feel venerable...

[HeadInAnotherGalaxy]

I don't really have a fear of the dark, but I'm not too safe with it. The dark really makes you feel venerable...

Ah zink ye mean vulnerable, but aye, yer right. Az it zaid in a Calvin And Hobbes cartoon, ze dark makez ye feel zae zmav an' 'elplezz in yer pajamaz an' ze darknezz zeemz zae great an' av conzumin'. BOO! Again.

[WoodlandWarrior]

I think the dark, even though we may not necessarily fear it like a small child would, preys on our logical fears.  For example, crimes and other horrors can often be committed at night so we are almost programmed to be apprehensive in the dark.

[phoenixfoden]

In the dark with other people im fine,but i think darkness only becomes scary when your by yourself and cant see whats around you

[rachel25]

I'm not scared of the dark unless I've just watched a scary film but when I was little I was terrified of the dark even if my brother was in the room with me and he was scared too we were both little and we had watched the film Basil the amazing mouse Detective the bat in that is scary and in my house when you go down the stairs there's this big black curtain in front of the door we were scared that he was that and  behind our bedroom door. Also my older sister and brother when they were little were scared were scared of the same thing in the same places but our littlest brothers aren't scare maybe it's because they didn't see the film until they were about 5 or 6 

[Ungatt Trunn]

I think the dark, even though we may not necessarily fear it like a small child would, preys on our logical fears.  For example, crimes and other horrors can often be committed at night so we are almost programmed to be apprehensive in the dark.

I think the same.

[HeadInAnotherGalaxy]

I'm not scared of the dark unless I've just watched a scary film but when I was little I was terrified of the dark even if my brother was in the room with me and he was scared too we were both little and we had watched the film Basil the amazing mouse Detective the bat in that is scary and in my house when you go down the stairs there's this big black curtain in front of the door we were scared that he was that and  behind our bedroom door. Also my older sister and brother when they were little were scared were scared of the same thing in the same places but our littlest brothers aren't scare maybe it's because they didn't see the film until they were about 5 or 6 

Or becauze people zeze dayz zeem tae be becomin' dezenzitized tae eveyzin'...

[rachel25]

I'm not scared of the dark unless I've just watched a scary film but when I was little I was terrified of the dark even if my brother was in the room with me and he was scared too we were both little and we had watched the film Basil the amazing mouse Detective the bat in that is scary and in my house when you go down the stairs there's this big black curtain in front of the door we were scared that he was that and  behind our bedroom door. Also my older sister and brother when they were little were scared were scared of the same thing in the same places but our littlest brothers aren't scare maybe it's because they didn't see the film until they were about 5 or 6 

Or becauze people zeze dayz zeem tae be becomin' dezenzitized tae eveyzin'...

properly 

[Maudie]

I'm afraid of snakes. Maybe it's because I don't know whether they can kill me with a bite or not.

[UNKN0WN]

Wait? I am true terror?!

[Ungatt Trunn]

Wait? I am true terror?!

Eh, no, we all know you as the most well-known unknown.