I have been thinking a lot about how life for humans has changed so quickly in the last few hundred years and how we are ill-equipped for parts of it.
Let’s explore the origins of the fear of public speaking, which most people have an abundance of.
While there are a few causes such as the risk of being embarrassed that you don’t know what you’re talking about, I wanted to give a different viewpoint. For most of human history we needed the direct cooperation of each other to survive. (Today we still do but through the miracle of capitalism and markets we get the cooperation at arm’s length – i.e. we don’t have to know the people who grow our food for example.)
We may have a deep onboard fear that if we speak out and are disagreed with we will be cast out of the tribe and starve. So, literally, our life depended on this not happening. (We may fear we will not have anyone to procreate with (since there were so few choices back then) and this is still a risk depending on the content of your speech.)
The next fact is that for most of human history it was strong man rule. It was a violent time, far far more than today, and if you spoke out in disagreement with the strong man, he’d just kill you, or at least beat your a@#. So again, our life depended on laying low and not speaking out.
Today, in most places, these factors are gone. It’s still never a good idea to go around pissing everyone off, but we have to recognize that our native fears (and desires and preferences) come from a different time when our mothers father’s mother’s father’s mother’s father was just trying to feed themselves and their family and survive.
So next time you get the jitters when you are about to address a group, just remember the fear is for a time gone by, that you will not be killed or beaten up or starve following your speech, and get out there and make your point.
I used to be terrified. I remember the very first speech I had to give in front of my class in middle school…. it was terrible. I made a fool out of myself. Now I see when I speak that people listen, they feel it is impactful and I look back at how scared I was and don’t remember all the small steps it took to get me to where I am now. It’s amazing. Start moving, small steps, you’ll get there. Get comfortable getting uncomfortable.
This is still a risk depending on the content of your speech (referring to risking having someone to procreate with) hahaha
This is so interesting! Thanks for sharing, Larry.
I read some similar information is “Leaders Eat Last”. Taking a look at our primal instincts and brain development