Outcomes are valued, and all value is personal. Negative outcome, or a positive outcome not occurring, is the source of fear. Positive outcome and the potential of the negative outcome not occurring is the source of hope.
Thus, it is not uncertainty itself which the Individual necessarily fears nor hopes. The Good is hoped for and the uncertainty of it occurring is feared. The Bad is feared and the uncertainty of it occurring is hoped.
If uncertainty itself is not necessarily the source of hope or fear, then neither it its antithesis — knowledge. The error some conclude with regard to uncertainty is that it results in fear necessarily. A similar error is that knowledge necessarily results in hope. More knowledge gained of a negative outcome might lead to more fear of it. More knowledge gained of a positive outcome might lead to more hope in it. Knowledge removes uncertainty. Regardless of how knowledgeable or uncertain an Individual is of an outcome, it is his calculation of how positive/negative it is and how likely/unlikely it is that is the source of fear or hope.
I think, therefore I fear. I think, therefore I hope.
There is no control of the Individual without controlling the Individual’s thinking. It is commonly recognized that the State official rules by the (usually unfounded) fear. The phrase is “fear mongering” and it is true whenever the State official attempts to convince a subject to fear anything other than the State official himself. That is only half of the story however. The State official also must (and does) attempt to convince a subject to hope in the State official’s ability to alleviate those fears. That is, the State official also rules by misplaced hope.
The State official is just as much a benefactor and source of hope mongering as he is of fear mongering.
Another great piece. There's an old saying, "Hope springs eternal." That's true for most people, so does it imply as much validity/soundness for fear springing eternally too?
If it doesn't, I hope(!) the reason is that hope tends to point more toward life and the good, while fear points more toward death and the bad. Either way there can be no question that nonconsensual violence mucks it all up. Even striking against a ne'er-do-well isn't exactly nonconsensual. We say, "He asked for it" because he did.