The Biggest and Worst Motivator
by There is one thing that motivates better than others, but sadly it is often used it the wrong way.
Fear is the biggest, and worst motivator. People use it more than any other system as a way to control, manipulate, and motivate people. At its worst fear is used as blackmail, a way of intimidation. Fear is mostly delivered through threats, either spoken, or suggested.
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In the Workplace
Some employers, mostly older ones, have learned that fear is a huge motivator. Employees who are afraid of getting fired, or demoted, often work harder than those who don’t. The problem is that the employees will not be happy, will not be honestly enthused about their job, and may even put on a show, working twice as hard when the employer or supervisor is there. When fear is used in the work place employees comments to the employer are seldom sincere. Very few people have genuinely learned how to motivate people by making them feel important and happy.
The Government
It has long been speculated that the government uses the media to keep people in fear. People in fear turn to a leader as a guide. People in fear are easier to manipulate and control. To this end many people even believe that the 9/11 attacks on the American Trade Towers were perpetuated by the government to keep its people in fear, an enemy was pointed out, and a course set in motion to attack. Whether you believe this or not, there is enough support that various governments do use fear to motivate their people into supporting them.
In a Marriage
People threaten to leave their partner as a fear based motivator to get their own way. They have learned that their partner will react in a favorable way even if it is not sincere. Fear is a terrible thing to experience a marriage, but it is commonly used by people to gain power. Certainly we can all have small fights where one person momentarily considers leaving the other, but in a fear based situation, threats are made regularly as a control tactic.
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Post Commentken bultman
On August 12, 2009 at 4:13 am
Really great piece, B. Never actually considered it before. I was threatened with a dose of castor oil if I misbehaved as a child–soapy enema if I was real bad. That’s fearful.
deep blue
On August 12, 2009 at 5:07 am
Fear indeed rules. Imagine life without hell and one could luxuriate whatever he feels doing. The word terrorism had been coined out of it, and now it seems not only terrorists are capable of terrorising but the people citizens voted to office. I suppose it is part of nature and we are only copying the natural ways. Many animals kill their young when threatened, imagine a government who could do the same when it speaks of the common good to end the lives of a few caught in the middle.
Darla Cooke
On August 12, 2009 at 8:39 am
I know what fear in a marriage feels like. I deal with that almost on a daily basis.
Ramalingam
On August 12, 2009 at 10:50 am
Your article is written about the day today life of the society from a different perspective.But to maintain law and order in a society a fear psychosis is necessary.If you steal, if you cheat, if you dishonor women, you will be punished.Otherwise, there will be no law and order.Therefore, fear psychosis is the basis of a lawful society.Every law abiding citizen should live with a fear psychosis in the general interest and welfare of the society.Therefore, fear psychosis sometimes do good to the society, especially, in maintaining law and order in a society.Thanks for sharing a thought provoking article.
PR Mace
On August 12, 2009 at 2:32 pm
I have never liked to use fear as a motivator, or have it used on me. I think people that do are the ones that live in fear. They fear they will lose control over a situation. Well written piece.
Rick Lannoye
On August 12, 2009 at 3:03 pm
You’ve hit the nail right on the head. Fear is so often used to control and manipulate, and so many people are robbed of life’s potential, their dreams and their joys as a result.
And yes, religion excels at this when its God is portrayed as the Ultimate Fearmonger.
I’ve actually written an entire book on this topic–”Hell? No! Why You Can Be Certain There’s No Such Place As Hell,” (for anyone interested, you can get a free Ecopy of my book at my website: http://www.ricklannoye.com), but let me share just two points of the many I make in my book.
Let’s say God were so cruel as to put everyone in Hell who doesn’t submit to his rule. What kind of people would be in Heaven? Just a bunch of spineless lackies! God could hardly consider them his faithful beloved. Why would he do that to himself?
Secondly, those who make it to Heaven could never enjoy it, which basically makes it Heaven No More. Why? Because they’d have to wonder for every second they are there when they would be next! Afterall, how could they possibly trust that a God capable of torturing billions of people, so harshly, with no end in sight. Such a being is hardly the kind that is likely to keep any promises he made to any other people. He could easily grow weary of them, and toss them in Hell too, just because he can.
Of course, these are absurdities, but they are only absurd because they are extentions of what we ought to expect from the kind of God Evangelicals and others like them would have us believe in.
postpunkpixie
On August 12, 2009 at 7:01 pm
Interesting and thought-provoking as always. It seems like all things are motivated by fear at some level.
Daisy Peasblossom
On August 14, 2009 at 8:33 pm
Positive motivators–such as enjoyment of beauty, pleasure in a job well done–last longer and get better results. Good article.
Nikita K
On August 23, 2009 at 2:01 pm
This is so scarily true (do you get it? Fear…scary…yeah? – Never mind) but back on track, this is so true! Fear is such a motivator it is unreal because one of my biggest fears is the fear of failure and it actually cripples me so I’ve got to perform well (especially at school, because I’m terrified of not doing well in exams) no matter what I do. This is such a brilliant and thought provoking article picking up on something that we don’t normally acknowledge! Super job.