[UA] Phobomancy

[Saliel Figueira Filho]

> 
> I think the word for that kind of humming, grinding, fearful anticipation
> that lurks in the background is "dread".  Or perhaps, "anxiety."  And I
> suspect it's nothing new.  When you're a peasant in the middle ages with no
> idea how or why disease comes (other than "witchcraft and the wrath of
> God"), whose crops may or may not fail, whose animals may or may not
> thrive, whose wife is pregnant (meaning that the survival of wife and child
> are each separately ranked at about a 50% chance) and with no idea of the
> Moors are going to invade -- seriously, you think those guys had no
> slow-burning fear?

(Thanks for the language help)

I agree these feelings were not strangers to our forefathers. But the
'fear/dread' ratio were different, I think.

Today's list of real dangers are smaller, at least in some places, and
one can choose a path of living a safe life and (barred some incurable
diseases), live longer if not prosper. Compare this to the middle ages
where such options were accessible only to a few.


Also -- bringing angst to the picture completed it.  Now it's just a
matter of (sorry mattias ;-) ... writing the school ...

Saliel
--
cat: sig-of-the-day: No such file or directory



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