Is losing it ever your best bet?

[Harbal]

This is the kind of in-depth discussion that makes this site stand out from all the rest.

Well come on, then. Put your thinking cap on. You must be able to think of a freak situation where panic is called for.

[Lacewing]

Well come on, then. Put your thinking cap on. You must be able to think of a freak situation where panic is called for.

I think the examples set forth by HC and FDP have been very creative.

But, I agree... there must be SOME situation where panic would be the best response. Um... how about if you're in an outdoor stadium and you see a plane about to crash into it. Panicking would more quickly alert others to the imminent danger... better than say, assessing it calmly or pooping your pants.

How's that? Do I win something?

[Harbal]

How's that?

Actually, that has highlighted an aspect of it that I hadn't thought about. I was thinking about panic in terms of the implications for the panicker, whereas you have come up with an example of panic that would benefit others, if not the panicker himself. Well done.

Do I win something?

Only my admiration. You'll have to make do with that.

[thedoc]

Thus panic provides the elegant benefits of voiding heavy bowels while already on the move - shedding vital pounds if one has had a heavy dinner recently. That may come in handy when fleeing a tiger.

That is an interesting idea, but most modern people are wearing some kind of garment that will retain the bowl movement next to the body and make running more uncomfortable, and make it easier for the tiger to track you by scent. Of course if you are in a nudist colony, OK, But I would think there would be very few tigers there. A nudist zoo, might be an interesting concept.

[thedoc]

This is the kind of in-depth discussion that makes this site stand out from all the rest.

Are you referring to someone pooping their pants? Then I agree with you.

[Hobbes' Choice]

Two guys are running away from a tiger. Guy1;" Why are we running? Tigers can run faster than humans.'
Guy 2, "I don't have to run faster than a tiger - I only have to run faster than you", and with that guy 2 trips up guy 1.

This indicates two things. One; tigers run faster than even a panicking human, and two that having a clear thinking head on your shoulders can save your life.

[vegetariantaxidermy]

Interesting question. Because most humans now live such relatively safe lives, most of us aren't very good at using our 'flight or fight' mechanism. 'Elite' soldiers are regularly put deliberately put into high-stress situations to train them to use it to their advantage. Other mammals experience high stress on a regular basis. When you see herd animals running from a lion they are using the same mechanism that causes 'panic', but it works to their advantage. They know exactly what to do for the best chance at survival.

[Arising_uk]

Interesting question. Because most humans now live such relatively safe lives, most of us aren't very good at using our 'flight or fight' mechanism. ...

I think it a 'flight', 'fight' or 'freeze' mechanism.

[vegetariantaxidermy]

Interesting question. Because most humans now live such relatively safe lives, most of us aren't very good at using our 'flight or fight' mechanism. ...

I think it a 'flight', 'fight' or 'freeze' mechanism.

True. 'Freezing' can be beneficial too. Use the wrong mechanism and you get taken out of the gene pool.

[Harbal]

True. 'Freezing' can be beneficial too.

Can you freeze with panic? Can you panic yourself into a standstill? How would it feel if the brain was in a state of frenzied panic but the body wouldn't move? Or, conversely, is it possible for the body to panic while the brain remains in a state of calm serenity? I wonder what that would look like.

[vegetariantaxidermy]

True. 'Freezing' can be beneficial too.

Can you freeze with panic? Can you panic yourself into a standstill? How would it feel if the brain was in a state of frenzied panic but the body wouldn't move? Or, conversely, is it possible for the body to panic while the brain remains in a state of calm serenity? I wonder what that would look like.

'Panic' is just a word we use to describe a poor response to the 'flight or fight..' mechanism. Those herd animals are 'panicking', but they have simply learnt to use the right mechanism for survival. 'Panic' is a survival mechanism, but most of us aren't very good at using it to our advantage. It doesn't mean you are completely incapable of thinking rationally, which is what those soldiers are trained to do under extreme stress. That doesn't mean they don't feel it.

[Harbal]

'Panic' is a survival mechanism, but most of us aren't very good at using it to our advantage.

So do you think it's possible to learn how to harness the power of panic and turn it to our advantage? Is purposeful panic attainable?

[vegetariantaxidermy]

'Panic' is a survival mechanism, but most of us aren't very good at using it to our advantage.

So do you think it's possible to learn how to harness the power of panic and turn it to our advantage? Is purposeful panic attainable?

Some animals freeze under extreme stress. This mechanism must have been found to be beneficial to survival because they lived to pass the 'freezing gene' onto their young. 'Panic' is only a word to describe a state of frenzy under extreme stress. I thought I pointed out that it can be controlled with training (although it couldn't really be classified as 'panic' then, just learning how NOT to panic). Imagine waking up in a coffin to find you had been buried alive. Panicking would only use up your oxygen faster and prevent you from trying to find a way out of your predicament.

[Harbal]

Imagine waking up in a coffin to find you had been buried alive.

You've just described my worst nightmare, the thing that brings me out in a cold sweat. I'm going to have to go to bed with that on my mind now, I'm not going to get a wink of sleep.

[Hobbes' Choice]

'Panic' is a survival mechanism, but most of us aren't very good at using it to our advantage.

So do you think it's possible to learn how to harness the power of panic and turn it to our advantage? Is purposeful panic attainable?

Some animals freeze under extreme stress. This mechanism must have been found to be beneficial to survival because they lived to pass the 'freezing gene' onto their young. 'Panic' is only a word to describe a state of frenzy under extreme stress. I thought I pointed out that it can be controlled with training (although it couldn't really be classified as 'panic' then, just learning how NOT to panic). Imagine waking up in a coffin to find you had been buried alive. Panicking would only use up your oxygen faster and prevent you from trying to find a way out of your predicament.

The existence of a trait is not evidence that it has selective advantage.
I knew a Jack Russell that used to freeze up. It was really shocking and potentially life threatening.
When animals freeze whilst being hunted is actually due to complete nervous shock and exhaustion. It's not nice.
Scientists can tend to see all traits through the lens of natural selection and this has often led to many stupid interpretations, such as the risible idea that giraffe's long necks has something to so with getting food from trees. This has been shown to be wrong from the simple observation that giraffe's get most of their food by grazing from the ground (in a most uncomfortable way.) , and rarely get food from trees being grass eaters.
It turns out that the long necks of giraffe's do in fact have a used - and when you see males compete for females by using their heads as mallets against each other you suddenly understand why short necked giraffe's never pass on their genes.