I, for one, put it down to the simple fact that most people are bloody morons. Perhaps there is just a huge percentage of people suffering from phobias of the same general “creepy-crawly” category, but where did they learn that? Most of the “ick bugs!” people I’ve encountered have never touched one, let alone been viciously attacked by ravaging hordes of them. No rational reason to fear them, no rational reason to squish them at every opportunity – thus, people are just stupid. I can give people a fear or two (I for one have an irrational fear of that bunny man Frank from the movie Donnie Darko… when a few friends chased me into a dark corner with pictures of him, I started crying.) but fearing entire categories of the animal kingdom is just absurd.

::rant rant rant:: =)

and, for the record, I’ve always recognized my phobias and gradually exposed myself to them until I didn’t fear them any more (I used to be afraid of needles, so made a point of donating blood. Frank still gives me the shivers, but I can watch the movie without hiding under the sheets.)

Maybe we should just have mandatory CBT for every little girl and most little boys before their bug-hating parents can get to them.

My sister is afraid of my pet rat(s). I don’t understand it. It really is irrational. In fact, it deeply offends me. My pets are my children!

It’s funny – all the time she’ll say “you know, phobias are one of the easiest things to cure through therapy” (I believe mainly with “CBT” or “Cognitive Behavioral Therapy”). It’s a simple conditioned response that is pretty easy to break with professional help, though most people don’t care enough to break it.

I’ll of course just laugh as she jumps and squeals when a moth lands on her. Hypocrite.

BTW – congrats on your new Nature Network blog.

… although, me around a moth – pretty funny stuff if you’re not me.