Fear can be quite compelling.

Depending on the situation it can make us do things we know we shouldn't or it can cause us to perform incredible tasks.  It can drive us to incredible heights or sink us to the deepest depths of depravity.  It can make you stand up and say "Hey!!  Knock that shit off!!!" or hide under a table and cry for your mommy.  Fear is funny that way.  It can bring out the best or the worst in folks. 

Sometimes the fear has a basis.  Sometimes you can look back and see what causes someone to be afraid.  Other times the fear is so unfounded, so hard to comprehend it borders on phobia.  Fear of snakes, spiders, clowns...these are (for the most part) tangible fears.  I get it.  (Still a bit unsure about the whole clown thing.  But, hey.)  Fear of the dark, aliens...I personally don't understand these fears.

Another thing I don't understand is why some folks are afraid to tell other people what they need to hear.  Sometimes people need to hear they're being rude, unreasonable or just plain stupid.  They need to be told that just because they are some sort of high-ranking professional, i.e. doctor, lawyer, we're not going to drop everything just because you think we should. 

I used to work with this guy whom you would swear used cat shit as mouthwash.  I told him.  Almost every other employee told him.  We pitched in and got him a Costco pack of breath mints.  He did not get it.  Just to point out that telling people what they need to hear doesn't always work.

Every once in a while people are afraid to hear what they need to.  Tell someone they've done something wrong and suddenly they're in denial.  They absolutely refuse to hear that they have done anything wrong.  They are infallible.  Afraid to admit that they are human.

Suck it up folks.  Suck it up.

Okay.  Now I think I understand that clown thing.