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Why are people inherently petrified of spiders?
    #8566123 -

It astounds me that things that are so inherently scary, repulsive, and disturbing can exist. What I mean when I say that is why are such things a natural part of this world? It's as if they're evil. It seems like some higher power purposely put them here to torment mankind.

Edited by JH05 (06/26/08 10:45 AM)

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Re: Why are people inherently petrified of spiders? [Re: JH05]
    #8566134 -

Most poisonous creature scare humans... It's a survival thing. Humans can overcome the fear, and work with spiders and shit, but the general population will, and should, be a little afraid of poisonous creatures.

And spiders aren't EVIL... they have poison so they can hunt and survive. It just happens to harm humans as well, so we get afraid.

Go swim with sharks and let me know how you feel...

Get in a cage with a lion or tiger...

Walk a tightrope...

Dangerous things scare us, and some like it!!

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Re: Why are people inherently petrified of spiders? [Re: RoosterCogburn]
    #8566141 -

RoosterCogburn said:
Get in a cage with a lion or tiger...


The thing is, the mere sight of one doesn't disturb the fuck out of a person.

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Re: Why are people inherently petrified of spiders? [Re: JH05]
    #8566163 -

I think certain images and things are deeply planted in your brain... spiders just happen to be a really popular fear.

To a good number of people, just the sight of a spider is creepy enough to trip that fear response... Maybe because one could be right near you and you wouldn't know, just seeing one far away triggers the response.

If you see a tiger from far away and it's caged, you wouldn't get jumpy.

If you were in the jungle, and you saw one far away, you would immediately think "are there more near me" and get jumpy... I would assume, unless you are comfortable with big cats!

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Re: Why are people inherently petrified of spiders? [Re: JH05]
    #8566168 -

ugly colors with spikey shapes and jerky unexpected movements

this does not match with what we like to see:
smooth shapes with smooth moves & pretty color combinations.


--------------------
:brainfart: _ :finger:

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Re: Why are people inherently petrified of spiders? [Re: JH05]
    #8566176 -

Most likely it's something that a person is socialized into. Have you ever seen a very young child terrified by a spider? The fear of spiders is fairly universal in our world, so anyone brought up in it is more likely than not to also be scared of them.


--------------------
"What is in us that turns a deaf ear to the cries of human suffering?"

"Belief is a beautiful armor
But makes for the heaviest sword"
- John Mayer

Making the noise "penicillin" is no substitute for actually taking penicillin.

"This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it, or their revolutionary right to dismember or overthrow it." -Abraham Lincoln

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Re: Why are people inherently petrified of spiders? [Re: JH05]
    #8566223 -

Well, how often are we surprised by the sight of a lion or tiger wandering loose in our house or garden?  Spiders, snakes, bees, wasps, hornets & yellow jackets are the "scary" animals we are most likely to interact with on a regular basis.  Some people (perhaps even most people) are unreasonably terrified of these animals.  Does this mean that they are "evil"?  Well, let's define what "evil" might be:

Quote:
  1.  Morally bad or wrong; wicked:  an evil tyrant.
  2. Causing ruin, injury, or pain; harmful: the evil effects of a poor diet.
  3. Characterized by or indicating future misfortune; ominous: evil omens.
  4. Bad or blameworthy by report; infamous: an evil reputation.
  5. Characterized by anger or spite; malicious: an evil temper.



It would be erroneous to claim that the actions of an animal may be considered in moral terms, so definition #1 is inapplicable.  Similarly, these animals cannot be accurately described as "angry" or "spiteful," as they do not possess the requisite brains structures to experience emotions, so #5 doesn't work.

#2 seems accurate, though using this definition to decide what constitutes "evil" would result in a rather long list of "evil" things and events.  "I stubbed my toe!  That coffee table is EVIL!"  :lol:

It seems to me that definition #4 is the real reason we "inherently" fear such animals.  I've rarely seen children with an innate fear of snakes or spiders.  Usually they are curious and interested, and only assume a different attitude if the adults around them exhibit fear or aversion.  We believe the reputation of these animals is accurate, and thus become afraid of them.

BTW, there are quite a few creatures who probably view humans as "scary, repulsive, and disturbing."  It's worth noting that these judgments are in the eye of the beholder, and have little or nothing to do with the qualities of what is being judged.

I have always been interested in insects, though wary of bees after being stung a few times.  I learned which spiders were poisonous, and kept my distance from them.  Snakes freaked me out until my youngest son became fascinated with them, and I learned how incredible they are.  Now I like snakes, and find them even more interesting than insects.  I also like mice, rats, bats, lizards & frogs, which is quite unusual for a female human. 

So, it seems to me that there is nothing "Inherent" about phobias concerning creepy-crawlies.  We learn this reaction from others, and IMO it is unfortunate.  It makes sense to be respectful and wary of poisonous creatures, but there is no reason to loathe them.

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Re: Why are people inherently petrified of spiders? [Re: JH05]
    #8566511 -

It is the WASPS and HORNETS that are evil....!?
The black mud dauber wasp actually puts spiders (including the black widow) in a chemical coma,
stuffs it's still "alive" body in a mud cave that it makes, lays an egg on it, and seals the mud coffin/nursery shut....    :eek:

The wicked way they look, the way they "flick their wings", and the fact that they can fly at you and -
OUTRUN you with it's soul intent on stinging you just because you "got them mad", makes them evil....












Then you got those crazy jungle wasps....
They all flick their wings at once, as a warning....




Then there is the largest hornet, from Japan....
Must sound like a freakin helicopter....!?
A group of 10-20 can annihilate a whole honey bee hive....   






They are all 100% pure evil, created by satan himself.....    :hellfire:


>^;;^<


--------------------
I'll be your midnight French Fry....  :naughty:

"The most important things in life that are often ignored, are the things that one cannot see...."
>^;;^<

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Re: Why are people inherently petrified of spiders? [Re: PhanTomCat]
    #8566577 -

I have a major phobia of bees... That last image actually gave me chills and I can't look at it for more than a few moments... :smile:

The brain is cool.

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Re: Why are people inherently petrified of spiders? [Re: JH05]
    #8566635 -

weird (another synchronicity). just about 2hrs ago I was freaked out by an EVIL spider. he was just chillin' near the couch in our garage (that i sometimes nap on). He's still sitting there now...near his skin that he shed.

i was trying to trap him in a jar...and just as i was about to make my move...he flicked two of his legs at me, letting me know..."get the fuck away from me" lol.

so I'm just letting him be.

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Re: Why are people inherently petrified of spiders? [Re: JH05]
    #8566706 -

JH05 said:
It astounds me that things that are so inherently scary, repulsive, and disturbing can exist. What I mean when I say that is why are such things a natural part of this world? It's as if they're evil. It seems like some higher power purposely put them here to torment mankind.


Are you referring to humans or spiders?


--------------------
"Don't believe everything you think". -Anom.

" All that lives was born to die"-Anom.

With much wisdom comes much sorrow,
The more knowledge, the more grief.
Ecclesiastes circa 350 BC

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Re: Why are people inherently petrified of spiders? [Re: TameMe]
    #8566734 -

TameMe said:
weird (another synchronicity).


:lol:

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Re: Why are people inherently petrified of spiders? [Re: redgreenvines]
    #8567204 -

Quote:
ugly colors with spikey shapes




YIKES! :whoa:


--------------------

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Re: Why are people inherently petrified of spiders? [Re: OrgoneConclusion]
    #8567242 -

Spiders scare the living crap out of me. I hate it when I'm just sitting around inside and suddenly see a big, gnarly, leggy one just chilling out on something a foot or two away. A total rush of revulsion.

Wasps scare me a bit less, even though I pissed off a whole nest of them and got swarmed when I was like 7...


--------------------
Enlil said:
You really are the worst kind of person.


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Re: Why are people inherently petrified of spiders? [Re: OrgoneConclusion]
    #8567243 -

Spiders are basically mutant insects with extra limbs and eyes that eat other insects. Imagine a mutant human that has extra limbs and eyes that eats other humans. With that comparison, it's understandable why people hate spiders.


--------------------
Inspiration is a wheel for action. Motivation is its motion.

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Re: Why are people inherently petrified of spiders? [Re: Highly Bodacious]
    #8567271 -

But how could anyone hate something this cool?



--------------------
Inspiration is a wheel for action. Motivation is its motion.

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Re: Why are people inherently petrified of spiders? *DELETED* [Re: PhanTomCat]
    #8567319 -

Post deleted by LunarEclipse

Reason for deletion: va



--------------------
Anxiety is what you make it.

Edited by LunarEclipse (06/26/08 03:32 PM)

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Re: Why are people inherently petrified of spiders? [Re: Highly Bodacious]
    #8567394 -

Highly Bodacious said:
Spiders are basically mutant insects with extra limbs and eyes that eat other insects. Imagine a mutant human that has extra limbs and eyes that eats other humans. With that comparison, it's understandable why people hate spiders.


Spiders are not "mutant insects."  Both insects and arachnids belong to the phylum Arthropoda, but are entirely different subphylums. 

Just to clarify what an extreme differentiation this is:

Human
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum:  Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata

Sea Tulip
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Urochordata




Are humans "mutant Sea Tulips"?  :lol:

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Re: Why are people inherently petrified of spiders? [Re: LunarEclipse]
    #8567395 -

The Velvet Ant (wasp) - which I had previously never heard of....    :smile:



""For interested parties, velvet ants are actually wasps that resemble ants.
The females have stingers but no wings, and the males have wings but no stingers.
Ergo, do not touch these ground-dwelling females, or you will be very sorry.
.
If you gently hold one down with a small stick, you can hear them scream.
Also, you'll get to see how loooong that nasty stinger is!
.
Some sting so painfully that they are referred to as "cow killers.""""



Screaming bugs....  Creepy....


>^;;^<


--------------------
I'll be your midnight French Fry....  :naughty:

"The most important things in life that are often ignored, are the things that one cannot see...."
>^;;^<

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Re: Why are people inherently petrified of spiders? [Re: PhanTomCat]
    #8567416 -

Jeepers, how loud do they scream? :eek:


--------------------
Enlil said:
You really are the worst kind of person.


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