We've evolved to be scared of dangerous stuff.
Our ancestors that heard a rustle in the bushes reacted as though it was a tiger. It was much better to err on the side of caution.
And those who were more relaxed about the rustle often didn’t last long enough to reproduce … and so didn’t become anyone’s ancestors.
The problem is this system is finely tuned for a world that existed 100,000 years ago.
In a modern context, we’re often scared of stuff that isn’t dangerous (eg. expressing ourselves, not fitting in, changing careers).
And not scared of stuff that is dangerous (eg. processed food, a sedentary lifestyle, social media, gambling).
I reckon the key to freedom is doing stuff that feels scary but isn’t dangerous. (The first list.)
And the key to safety is avoiding things that are dangerous but don’t feel scary. (The second list.)
