Poll: Arachnophobia/phillia

[Captain Booyah]

I voted 'slightly'. I like spiders: overall, we're cool with each other. They're incredibly beneficial and sweet little things really, except I don't want them *on* me. I also have to remove them from my room in case they ever come to be making themselves at home on my shoulder. I never harm them, though.

Tarantulas in particular are adorable. All fwuffy. Jumping spiders can be bitches, though.

 

[Thespian]

Wikipedia: A phobia (from the Greek: φόβος,phóbos, meaning "fear" or "morbid fear") is an irrational, intense and persistent fear of certain situations, activities, things, animals, or people.

Being "irrational", it is expected that relatively few people suffer from the affliction, however, fear of spiders is very common.

This technically means its the "Norm", and not so irrational.

If this is the case, Arachnophobia itself is an oxymoron, and Arachnophillia is the obviously irrational form.

To test this theory, I ask you, Are you Arachnophobic?

... You clearly need to look up the word Irrational. Something can be the Norm and Irrational... Irrational does not mean unusual. It is irrational because spiders that are encountered on a day to day basis are generally not dangerous, and certainly less dangerous than stepping into a car, which very few people fear. Thus, there is no logical reasoning to it and it is irrational.

If every person in the world was arachnophobic, it would still be irrational.

 

[ultimateownage]

Something being irrational and something being uncommon are entirely different things y'know.

 

[Russian_Assassin]

Spiders are gross, but I wouldn't say that I fear them irrationally. I just want to avoid having to touch one, as I do with all insects. Still, I don't really mind being in the presence of a spider.

 

[similar.squirrel]

I love spiders. Don't think I'd hesitate to handle a venomous one, provided it had no reason to be ticked off. With the possible exception of the Sydney funnel-web. Snakes, on the other hand.. I frequently have nightmares about them, and even seeing one on television makes me shiver. Good thing, then, that I live in a country where the absence of snakes is part of the cultural mythos. Beautiful, efficient creatures, but unrelentingly terrifying.

 

[DoctorObviously]

I seem to have "Synthaxophilia" or something, I dunno the exact name, but what I do know is that it makes me terribly afraid of little flying insects like bees, wasps or even musquito's.

 

[MrLumber]

You assume norm = rational. This is quite false. I could list examples, but unfortunately as these things are the norm they would be subject to feud.

A simple example would naturally be the majority of people's tastes regarding any form of art. A specific example would be the fact that very few people read books, and even then only a small portion of those people read good books.

Additionally, I am not afraid of spiders, but two of my friends are. Just realized that helped support my earlier argument, yay!

 

[Stoic raptor]

I am not afraid of spiders. In fact, I really like spiders. As long as they are not dangerous.

I am more of an Arachnophile than an Arachnophobic.

 

[silasbufu]

They are pretty cool to look at..but I get batshit crazy if I see one near me.

 

[Pyro Paul]

Wikipedia: A phobia (from the Greek: φόβος,phóbos, meaning "fear" or "morbid fear") is an irrational, intense and persistent fear of certain situations, activities, things, animals, or people.

Being "irrational", it is expected that relatively few people suffer from the affliction, however, fear of spiders is very common.

This technically means its the "Norm", and not so irrational.

If this is the case, Arachnophobia itself is an oxymoron, and Arachnophillia is the obviously irrational form.

To test this theory, I ask you, Are you Arachnophobic?

you're theory is completely wrong because of the misusage of the word 'Irrational'

Irrational does not mean outside normal standards...
Irrational means to Lack mental clarity or judgement.

Phobias are not just examples of Fear of something, it is the gross overwhelming terror that grips an individual making them shut down, pass out, or flee helplessly away from something regardless of weither or not the proposed item is acctually a crediable threat to their well being or continued existance.

Example-
a spider is on you... you scream in fear and swat it off... that doesn't make you Arachnophobic...

a Spider is on you... You scream in terror, swat it off, then proceed to cry for several hours inconsolable. for the next several days you are unable to sleep, eat, or be a normal productive member of society because there is an off chance that you may again encounter a spider... That is Arachnophobia.

 

[Prof. Monkeypox]

I hate spiders. I hate everything about them. Especially their round hairy bodies, and the way they rear up to bear their fangs.

Hate. Hate! HATE!

They're cool from a purely biological perspective, but just knowing there could be one in the same county as me (let alone my bed) keeps me creeped out if I think about it too much. So I try not to...

...damn it! See what you did?

 

[Prof. Monkeypox]

Speaking of failed phobia labels, "Homophobia" technically means "Irrational fear of things remaining the same".

Ironically, homophobes are afraid of things becoming different.
Oh, language!

 

[Aurgelmir]

Wikipedia: A phobia (from the Greek: φόβος,phóbos, meaning "fear" or "morbid fear") is an irrational, intense and persistent fear of certain situations, activities, things, animals, or people.

Being "irrational", it is expected that relatively few people suffer from the affliction, however, fear of spiders is very common.

This technically means its the "Norm", and not so irrational.

If this is the case, Arachnophobia itself is an oxymoron, and Arachnophillia is the obviously irrational form.

To test this theory, I ask you, Are you Arachnophobic?

Even if it't the norm it can still be irrational.
A lot of people, at least kids, have an irrational fear of the dark.
The only thing not irrational about arachnophobia is the fact tat spiders CAN be dangerous...

But yeah, "norm" is not the opposite of irrational

 

[Optional Opinion]

There's a big difference between disliking spiders and having a phobia.

A phobia is an irrational fear that causes psychological and physiological distress.

If you feel looking down a barrel of a gun being wielded by a pissed off black bear is the same as looking at a spider then you have arachnophobia, that is why it's so irrational.

To truly have a phobia you would be terrified not scared or just experience feeling of disgust, absolutely terrified.

It's irrational because we have no real reason to feel this way towards spiders.

Also a poll is methodologically floored, just because people say they suffer from arachnophobia doesn't mean they are. As you said there are plenty of people, maybe even the majority who dislike spiders or have small fear but do they have a phobia?

 

[PayneTrayne]

They may go oshitaspider but they don't break down and cry when they see one.

speak for yourself...

That's what I'm saying, they're different. Not liking spiders does NOT equal phobia. If you break down and cry you have a phobia, if you go OFUCK it's just a fear.

 

[Tsaba]

I feel this instructive video shares my feelings on this subject, even if it's not a spider but an arachnid closely related to termites rather than spiders.

And since no one has done it yet:

 

[oooooooooooooooooooooooooo]

Being "irrational", it is expected that relatively few people suffer from the affliction, however, fear of spiders is very common.

Not really.

ir·ra·tion·al   
[ih-rash-uh-nl]

?adjective

1. without the faculty of reason; deprived of reason.
2. without or deprived of normal mental clarity or sound judgment.

Lots of people fearing something doesn't mean there has to be a reason to fear it.

And no, I do not have Arachnophobia. I have had to get used to spiders seeing as there is a fairly large population of them in the cottage in which I live.

 

[NicoDK]

I honestly jump outta my chair and call my mum everytime i see a spider, and i'm 18.

 

[duktapeman90]

FUCK SPIDERS!

 

[rokkolpo]

When they touch me I RAGE!

Otherwise I'm fine.