TEXAS FAITH: Why does fear sell on the campaign trail?

I’m sure we’d all like to think elections play to our better angels. But they often don’t. Help us understand why.

Read on for some very interesting replies, including ideas about how the brain works.

Our journey began fighting for life with millions of fellow sperms who competed with us, every one of them withered. You and I have survived and made it to the end, to the egg and to the point of reading this note. Thus our DNA is stamped with fear. We must have been the fittest of all the millions of sperms to have survived to share our story.

The fear of elimination continues and we will be competing for just about everything in life; attention from loved ones to converting others to our point of view to gaining a majority in the Senate or House.

Fear is tapped by both the right and left among politicians to attain a sense of security and to preserve the values they espouse to work for the society. If moderates were to reign, co-existence rather than fear would play a key role in the elections.

The right wingers fear erosion of their values or at worst an end to their ‘normal’ life. They have become adept in cranking up imaginary fears and then assuring with ‘fake’ confidence that “we will fix it,” thereby giving hope to the ‘frightened ones”. The net result is often no real change.

The left perceives the same threat to their freedom and liberties. They seek change and venture into the unknown territory of experimentation, often giving doubtful confidence. They frighten the right, netting in a zero result.

Religion uplifts one from sheer animal instincts to figure out co-existence. Most people get the religion right and a few don’t. Those who get it right find deprogramming of their fears in achieving Nirvana, Moksha, Nijaat,Mukti, Salbation or freedom.