"What is it we really fear?"

When we cluster in groups or "tribes" why do we exclude? What is it about others that we fear? Philosophically, we typically hold our fears of the unexplainable, the unknown and the differences that we just don't understand. We assume answers to quell our fears to keep ourselves safe but safe from what? What do we fear about others and their differences?

I can understand that prehistoric man would fear as he could not communicate with other tribes, thus fearing the loss of precious possessions. As they observed animal behavior, one may think that they assumed that other tribes would act like the 'tribes' within the animal kingdom and fight to take food. But, we can communicate today and still have fear of differences. We wage war out of fear, we discriminate out of fear and we create our own truths out of fear.

Take, for example, death and what we think might happen after our physical body expires. What happens to that energy or sole? People fear death - they consider we have after-lives, a kingdom in heaven, a rebirth into another living being whether that is human, animal or vegetation or maybe we are just in another dimension? Fear of the unknown, untested, intangible. This is a common fear.

Now, fear of another people, culture or difference, this is a unnatural fear. Why do we fear others? Is it a fear of a change from our already designed comfort zone? Let's make it simple, you are in your high school click, you are all jocks and talk of nothing but sports. A math wiz joins your discussion, how do you react? Typically, jocks would tease and harass the poor math wiz and/or say that they are not a fit in their click. Why is that? What is it the jocks fear from the math wiz? Why can't they accept the difference in their group?

How many times have we witnessed a mentally challenge person that loves everyone and is happy all the time? What were your first thoughts? Perhaps your thoughts are that they are simplistic, they just don't know, they don't understand what they should fear? Why do we think this way, and not, hey they accept everyone for who and what they are, why can't we be like that? I think we are all challenged in the way we perceive the world and the people on the planet - again, I say embrace the difference, accept and celebrate who we all are without assimilating or making everyone the same as you. We are challenged by our society and the way that we were raised, live, work and play.

What do you think?