angos Posted October 31, 2013 Author Share Posted October 31, 2013 People seeking help for a phobia know it's irrational. Many people see their phobias as rational fears, realising it's an irrational phobia is the first step towards being cured. Is that just your opinion or do you have any evidence to support it, my other half knows knows that her fear of spiders is irrational, she hasn't sought any help, just just avoids spiders. Anyway, it's a horrible poll question, I don't know how you expected to get any meaningful results. You should try to word poll questions in a more neutral way. If you just removed 'an irrational' from the question I think you'd get better results. You could be right, but I doubt the results would be different, more to the point if someone doesn't know themselves that they are xenophobic then its highly unlikely that someone that doesn't know them would know they are xenophobic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronthenekred Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 Is that just your opinion or do you have any evidence to support it, my other half knows knows that her fear of spiders is irrational, she hasn't sought any help, just just avoids spiders. Avoiding spiders doesn't remove the irrationality,the irrationality is a constant. All it removes is the fear when a spider isn't present. Unless you're suggesting irrationality is a choice. That being the case she would choose to be rational in order to avoid fear. Or, she is comfortable with her fear which in turn feeds her irrationality and the cycle continues. You could be right, but I doubt the results would be different, more to the point if someone doesn't know themselves that they are xenophobic then its highly unlikely that someone that doesn't know them would know they are xenophobic. Not sure I read this right but, if you don't know someone how do you know they fear, or are irrational, or even xenophobic? ---------- Post added 01-11-2013 at 01:50 ---------- How would that manifest its self and does anyone actually have an intense or irrational dislike or fear of people from other countries? I can't think of anyone that would fit this description. Ask your partner how her irrationality manifested itself with spiders then substitute spiders with xenophobia. It's more difficult to answer if you think xenophobia is more complex to answer than arachnophobia...from an irrational viewpoint that is. There are many I could think of but it wouldn't make any difference to the debate...on the contrary it would detract from it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SevenRivers Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 Fear of spiders is not irrational. I saw a psychologist talking about it on telly this week, arachnophobia is an evolutionary mechanism to help us avoid potentially venomous creatures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angos Posted November 1, 2013 Author Share Posted November 1, 2013 Avoiding spiders doesn't remove the irrationality,the irrationality is a constant. All it removes is the fear when a spider isn't present. Unless you're suggesting irrationality is a choice. That being the case she would choose to be rational in order to avoid fear. Or, she is comfortable with her fear which in turn feeds her irrationality and the cycle continues. I know, and no I'm not suggesting irrationality is a choice. Not sure I read this right but, if you don't know someone how do you know they fear, or are irrational, or even xenophobic? Thats the point I have made, you don't, yet some people choose to call others xenophobic despite not knowing them. There are many I could think of but it wouldn't make any difference to the debate...on the contrary it would detract from it. I take it you know them all personalty. ---------- Post added 01-11-2013 at 07:12 ---------- Fear of spiders is not irrational. I saw a psychologist talking about it on telly this week, arachnophobia is an evolutionary mechanism to help us avoid potentially venomous creatures. Its only rational to fear some spiders, but fearing them all just because some are venomous must be irrational. Following on from that its rational to fear a foreigner that wants to harm you, but not rational to fear all foreigners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mecky Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 Thats the point I have made, you don't, yet some people choose to call others xenophobic despite not knowing them. What makes you think people don't know others? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfish1936 Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 What makes you think people don't know others? Well, there are lots of people I don't know. I don't know any Saudi Arab Washabi Moslems, for instance. Are there any types of people that you don't know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mecky Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 Well, there are lots of people I don't know. I don't know any Saudi Arab Washabi Moslems, for instance. Are there any types of people that you don't know? Not really, but perhaps people I have never seen, heard from before or confirm to certain ideals. Why? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peer Gynt Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 like I said its not about culture, race they are, its about what they've done I thought culture and race are related to what they've done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SevenRivers Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 Its only rational to fear some spiders, but fearing them all just because some are venomous must be irrational. Following on from that its rational to fear a foreigner that wants to harm you, but not rational to fear all foreigners. It's evolutionary, it's about as irrational as being born with ginger hair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angos Posted November 1, 2013 Author Share Posted November 1, 2013 It's evolutionary, it's about as irrational as being born with ginger hair. Yes, for an some evolutionary reason some humans are more predisposed to being irrational, which is probably why some humans suffer from phobias. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.