MovieChat Forums > Defending Your Life (1991) Discussion > Why fear?

Why fear?

posted 17 years ago by petekrug17
23 replies | jump to latest

So, the deciding factor according to this film of wether you can move on or wether you have to return to Earth and live another life is wether or not you have any fear? What about morals and ethics?

I mean, think about it. You could be a serial rapiest murderer and not care if you get caught and/or killed, and you'd be allowed to move on simply because you have no fear. Or be a suicide bomber working for Al-Quida or some similar terrorist faction and be allowed to move on because of lack of fear.

Consiquently, what exactly is wrong with having fear, that basic survival emotion? What's wrong with having common sense, like conserving your money and not blowing it on things like first class plane tickets or gambling casinos? Or being worried about the saftey of your loved ones? And how about people who suffer from chronic anxiety? Seems they'd have no chance of moving on after death.

In short, I find it very hard to believe that we're judged after death on how courageous we are and not on how moral we are.

[–] virgiltx 14 years ago

Here's my guess as to why fear is the theme:
Perhaps the most common regret people end up with later on in life is that they didn't take different forks in the road along the way, didn't try harder to do something more difficult, but taking an easier, safer bet instead.

[–] lummar 13 years ago

You answered your own question by bringing terrorists. What is it that makes terrorists want to kill those who don't share the same beliefs? They don't like us because they FEAR difference or the threat of losing what they consider to be valueable. Fear is at the heart of just about everything, it either motivates us to do good or makes us do bad. And as long as you're bringing up morals, what is the real reason for any religion? Fear of death! We want reassurance that when we die the spirit continues and lives on.

Brooks nailed it by using fear as the mitigating factor for our ultimate judgement.

[–] radiohedge 12 years ago

Though fear is an important aspect to existence, it is most certainly NOT an emotion to aspire to.

Fear breeds hate.
Hate breeds violence.
Violence breeds further fear.

This is a cycle that benefits no one. You could argue that fear might drive someone to do good, but in that sense, to do good, aren't they overcoming that fear?

Fear is an obstacle to inner peace. Albert Brooks was right on with his concept of morality and spiritual maturation.

I haven't seen this film but once over 20 years ago, and it's never left my mind. That's the sign of a MEANINGFUL film.

[–] Technomage001 12 years ago

Many people base their life guided by fear. Fear of not doing what you really want to do because of what others may think. Fear of the unknown. Fear of not being respected by others. Fear of lack. Fear of not being part of the pack. Fear of being larger then life. Fear of not being larger then life.

“Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them.”
― Henry David Thoreau,

[–] mrannah 11 years ago

I have often wondered if it was different for different people, but in Daniel's perspective it was about fear because that was his big hurdle, his obstacle to growth, and he was subject to filters in Judgement City that had him seeing everyone else facing the same type of trial, fear based instead of what their own hurdle was.

Similarly, his subjective point of view has him in a less than stellar hotel, where Julia's was a luxury hotel, where his defender was aloof and belittling to Daniel while Julia's was friendly and cordial, and the judges' interactions int eh two hearings we see are so different.

Daniel was confronting fear and the feelings of inferiority. And the representative, prosecutor and defender are both nudging Daniel to the 'ultimate test' in Judgement City itself since he never really quite beat his 'demon' in the end, but was apparently close enough that they thought he deserved the opportunity.

[–] e827 9 years ago

Fear is at the heart of just about everything, it either motivates us to do good or makes us do bad.

So if it sometimes motivates us to do good, why is it treated as inherently bad?

[–] Citation_Needed 11 years ago

Because fear is a hindrance to life, which is perceived as a gift. It squanders living. That's what the movie's point of life was. To live life to the fullest and not come up with excuses to avoid experiences.

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] HarveyManfredSinJohn 11 years ago

I'm fearful of causing harm to other individuals. I guess I'm squandering life huh? Maybe I should just 'live life to the fullest' and not give a damn about getting in other people's way and possibly hurting them, right?

The OP is 100% spot-on, and his critics remind me of Patrick Swayze's character in 'Donnie Darko' with his absurd and offensive 'feat-love' dichotomy.

[–] gold-dking 11 years ago

Freedom from the cycle of birth and rebirth (aka samsara) is called enlightenment, or reaching nirvana. Enlightenment means attaining freedom from the false egoic self and its entrapments so that the soul can move on.

We cling to the identity-self we are raised to think we are, and to the things, accomplishments, and relationships that define us. Achieving enlightenment might require finding the courage to accept the loss of everything we think we are and to face what lies beyond samsara (represented in the movie by that final bus ride).