A Virus Called Fear
Rational fear can be a valuable brain response. It protects us from harm and positively influences some of our most important decisions. But it can also be used as a weapon, stifling our ability to interpret the world around us with clarity. However, by understanding fear, we can equip ourselves to use it to our advantage and avoid falling under its potentially destructive spell.
The documentary “A Virus Called Fear,” in its short twenty-minute run, attempts to achieve this understanding, with mixed results.
A huge subject crammed into such a short amount of time, yet the film benefits from many insightful insights from several leading psychologists, as well as renowned evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins. These interview subjects explore the fundamental questions behind the existence of fear and our responses to it.
Are we born with fear? Or is it a mechanism we develop over time based on our experiences? There is no doubt that a healthy level of fear is crucial to enhancing our survival instincts, but it can also lead to unfounded paranoia, irrational superstitions, and a destructive we-against-them mentality.
The film races through Ph.D.’s early and influential behavioral research. John Watson and Dr. BF Skinner. Her observations about the nature of fear still resonate today and have shaped our understanding of everything from parenting techniques to the balance between risk and reward. Throughout history, we have also had fleeting examples where the fear of the many was manipulated to advance the interests of the few. These include the twisted and sensationalized attacks of the 24-hour media, the deceitful comfort of religion, the scourge of school bullying, and the shockingly effective power of leaders like Adolf Hitler, Charles Manson, and Jim Jones.
How do we work to overcome our fears and relearn behaviors that conspire to limit our potential? These are the film’s most regrettably lacking investigative leads. A Virus Called Fear’s presentation is beautiful and precise, but lacks the breadth that its compelling and intricate subject matter clearly needs.
Directed by: Ben Fama Jr.
