Existential philosophers talk a lot about two big feelings: fear and anxiety. They see these feelings differently based on where they come from and what they mean for us.

What They Mean

• Fear: This feeling comes from a specific danger or threat. It’s like when you feel scared of spiders or heights. You can usually see what’s causing your fear. Studies show that about half of adults have certain fears, showing how real and common fear is.

• Anxiety: This feeling is more vague and can come from not knowing what’s going to happen in life. It doesn’t point to one clear thing, which makes it trickier to understand.

Main Differences

1. Where the Feeling Comes From:

   • Fear: This is based on things happening around you, like being in danger from animals or speaking in front of people.
   • Anxiety: This feeling comes from bigger worries, like what life means, thinking about death, or feeling unsure about your choices.

2. How We Talk About Them:

   • Fear: It’s something we can measure. You can say, “I avoid that place because I’m scared,” which makes it easier to deal with.
   • Anxiety: This feeling is deeper. It might need more thinking about your feelings or even help from a therapist to understand.

3. How Many People Are Affected:

   • About 31.1% of adults in the U.S. will deal with anxiety at some point, which is much higher than the 12.5% who have specific fears.

What Each Feeling Means for Us

• Fear usually pushes us to take quick actions to stay safe, while anxiety can leave us feeling stuck or unable to decide, sometimes even making us very sad.

Final Thoughts

Knowing these differences is important. Philosophers like Søren Kierkegaard and Martin Heidegger believed that facing our anxiety is key to truly living. Instead of just being a bad feeling, anxiety can help us grow and learn about ourselves. It can push us to understand our lives and our choices better.