Psychology NOT religion

[President_Elect_Shang]

Good point Kamog. Very good point and shame on me. Kamog (for anyone that is just reading this) is correct. From a pschology point of view fear of large crowds is around number 8 on the most reported scale (can't remember the precise position now. Shame on me, shame on me. I should have been more clear to ask:

Do you think that humans are xenophibic toward the concept of extraterrstrials?

Let me retract my first question and replace it with the correct one above. Shame on me I should have known better.

[ December 05, 2002, 15:32: Message edited by: President Elect Shang ]

[President_Elect_Shang]

I never read it that way mlmbd. I never even thought along those lines. Most likely since I lack an ego (that was Freud's little pearl of ignorance) I view everyone as equals till they prove themselves different. Did I mention Freud was a quack? Well that’s a whole debate in itself and I don’t want to go there right now.

[capnq]

Speaking of weird things under rocks, where did the phrase "open a can of worms" originate?

[Phoenix-D]

"Speaking of weird things under rocks, where did the phrase "open a can of worms" originate?"

Probably those joke things where you open a can and a bunch of fake worms fly out in your face.

Phoenix-D

[mlmbd]

President Elect Shang,

I never read it that way mlmbd. I never even thought along those lines. Most likely since I lack an ego (that was Freud's little pearl of ignorance) I view everyone as equals till they prove themselves different.

Fair enough!

Did I mention Freud was a quack? Well that’s a whole debate in itself and I don’t want to go there right now.

Yes, that an entirely different "can of worms".

Do you think that humans are xenophibic toward the concept of extraterrstrials?

This President Elect Shang is an interesting question. You did mean "xenophobic" and "extraterrestrials", correct? May I inquire as the particular "concept" we are talking about? OK, OK, I will assume (I am going to pay for this. Assuming, that is) that you are talking about "concept" in it's generally accepted terminology.

Since a concept is something we "CONCEIVE". In the abstract I would have to say humans in general are very xenophobic about extraterrestrials.

capnq,

Speaking of weird things under rocks, where did the phrase "open a can of worms" originate?

I can see that smerk on your face, capnq. I really don't have any idea!

mlmbd

[Kamog]

Yes, I agree that humans are xenophobic toward the concept of extraterrestrials. In general, humans tend to fear the unknown. In fact, the fear of the unknown can be a stronger emotion than the fear towards a known danger. Since we know nothing about extraterrestrials, not even if they exist or not, it is natural that people feel fear about the idea.

[DirectorTsaarx]

Originally posted by capnq:
Speaking of weird things under rocks, where did the phrase "open a can of worms" originate?

Ever go fishing with live bait (aka "a can of worms")? Once you open that can & take out the first victim (er, worm) to put on your hook, the rest of the worms crawl all over & it's merry heck trying to get the lid back on without squishing some of them. Hence "open a can of worms" generally means starting any topic that could be difficult to control. At least that's how it was explained to me as a young boy learning how to fish at Grandpa's summer cottage on good old Waneta Lake in western New York state... oh wait, I'm not old enough to get lost in reminiscing...