The fear reaction is virtually auto

The fear reaction is virtually automatic, and very difficult to control. In the early period of human development, it was a useful survival trait: As a soft-bodied species surrounded by predators, we needed an instant response that would get us out of trouble, something that would not allow our inquisitive brains to let us linger, looking for the cause. However, humans learn quickly and we can train ourselves to respond positively to threats, and not to react with terror to things which prove, with experience, to be harmless. Lion tamers, tight-rope walkers, scaffolders (脚手架工) and fire-fighters have all learnt to handle potentially dangerous situations safely. If this were not true, we would still be cowering in the backs of caves.