Why do we fear certain things?

Some fears are easily explained... a fear of dogs might be because of bad experiences with them, but what about fears we have no explanation for?
Fear of heights, spiders, water, etc... even though we've never been given a reason to fear those things.

Some fears make a lot more sense than others. Fear of heights; heights can be very hazardous. Fear of water: makes sense if you can't swim. Fear of spiders; makes sense if poisonous spiders are common in your area.

Fear of birds doesn't make much sense except from personal experience; a friend of mine had been attacked by chickens and other birds as a child, yet this doesn't quite explain fear of ALL birds, except possibly by association. I was robbed by four black men while delivering pizza, and for a time was leary of any situation where there were several black men gathered. But if I had permanently become fearful of all black people in any situation, this would not be rational.

The best explantion I've heard for our fear of insects
came from the designers of the aliens for "War Of The Worlds"
(current edition)
They said that insects are "other" to humans in appearance and behavior.
Four-legged animals have recognizable features. Bugs and such don't.

As for the fear of water, fire, heights, etc...
People fear the things that can kill without remorse or even thought.
"Forces of nature" so to speak are real and can be very dangerous.
They have no regard for whom they mam and kill.
I am also afraid of sociopaths for the same reasons. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

As a child, there was never a time I didn't fear heights... even way before I was old enough to know why I should or would fear them. Anything off the ground at all, you couldn't get me near. I couldn't and wouldn't walk down the stairs, cross a little decorative bridge.. nothing. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I fear people who shout "There is no witness protection program!" while running around stabbing people with a butcher knife in a department store.

Tater Salad wrote:I fear people who shout "There is no witness protection program!" while running around stabbing people with a butcher knife in a department store.

About that.... she is probably one of the nuts they put in the program... known criminals are in the witness protection program. Hell... you could have one as a neighbor and not even know it. They weigh the pros and cons of giving criminals that kind of protection and your safety may be outweighed by the information that criminal can give.
Just saying....

Tater Salad wrote:I fear people who shout "There is no witness protection program!" while running around stabbing people with a butcher knife in a department store.

Yeah. Me too. See "sociopath". [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]