Stay Human

I make few important life decisions without reflecting on some pithy quote from Master Yoda. Today I have been mulling over this little gem:

“Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”

It seems like almost overnight sober, even-keeled folks are reduced to panicky, wild-eyed ... well, animals. Fear is primal. It is a base emotion, like anger, that strips the mind of all capacity to work in a rational manner. Without rational thought we are incapable of sussing out effective action. We become confused and simply react to stimuli. While we all experience fear now and again - it is inhuman to live in fear. And as one moves from fear to anger and then hate, one become less and less human.

When under the spell of fear, I find it useful to recite the Bene Gesserit litany against fear from Frank Herbert's Dune. I really only remember the first four lines, but the litany in its entirety is a zippy little recipe to work through the fear and come out the other side in tact: human.

I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.

Stay human people!