top 97 comments

sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] 38 points 7 months ago (7 children)

The invisible shark in the swimming pool. I will say nothing more

  • source
  • hideshow 7 child comments
  • [–] 29 points 7 months ago (4 children)

    Flying insects. I scream. Period.

    Also, I adore them and I am fascinated by them. Period.

  • source
  • hideshow 4 child comments
  • [–] 4 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    I relate very much with the first half. For me, even the non flying ones seem to immobilise me. But I really don't understand how you find them adorable. I mean I totally understand that they're a very important piece of the ecosystem, but holy shit does my body stop working when I see one

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • load more comments (1 reply)
    [–] 28 points 7 months ago (6 children)

    Dropping my phone when I’m in a high place

  • source
  • hideshow 6 child comments
  • [–] 8 points 7 months ago

    Similar, when I'm in a high place and I look down I have the sensation that my glasses will fall from my face into the void.
    My glasses never have fallen from my face even doing jumps or stunts, but for some reason when I'm looking down from a balcony I'm terrified that they'll just drop.

  • source
  • parent
  • load more comments (1 reply)
    [–] 25 points 7 months ago (2 children)

    My spouse was still sleeping earlier so I tried to sneak into the room to grab my phone I left on the nightstand. When I was walking out I stepped on a stuffed mouse on a string (usually hangs from a doorframe so the cat can play with it but he pulled it down apparently). When I stepped on it I thought it was a real animal and soon as my foot felt the pressure of pushing down on such an object I jerked it up roughly to my waist, kicked the door I was trying to walk through and it slammed shut.

    One of those moments where you want to apologize, but really then you are just causing more noise to wake them up further.

    Tldr; I'm an idiot

    🤣 1
  • source
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • [–] 7 points 7 months ago

    My childhood cat used to catch and eat mice. Unfortunately, it would leave their entrails on the kitchen floor. Listening to my mother curse, when she discovered them with her bare feet, was an interesting way to be woken up.

    I think you got off lightly with the stuffed toy. 🤷‍♂️😅

  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 2 points 7 months ago*

    Surprisingly often at the beach near me I'll step on a whiting that wriggles off.
    I have very mixed feelings about this: first I jump 10 feet in the air, then I worry that I hurt the fish, then I regret not catching & eating it.
    Edit: also relief that is wasn't a flathead or baby stingray.

  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 24 points 7 months ago

    Prions. Misfolded proteins that manage to get into your brain and just wreck shit. I don't handle anything that would be contaminated or anything but just the idea of this non-living thing that will just replicate and cause havok - horrifying.

  • source
  • [–] 15 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    Suddenly falling over the railing that separates me from the long fall below.

    I don't generally have balance issues, and I know hundreds of people have successfully leaned on that railing, but I'll be good standing a few steps back.

  • source
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • [–] 13 points 7 months ago

    The least logical thing I know is Donald Trump, and I'm afraid this idiot will set the world on fire...

  • source
  • [–] 12 points 7 months ago

    Floors I can see through (metal mesh, drainage grates, thick glass, etc.)

    I struggle to walk across it, even when it can hold literal cars.

  • source
  • [–] 11 points 7 months ago

    Small birds. Their tiny little dinosaur motions. Jerky and predatory. I have monkey brain issues with them and it takes all I have to override it.

  • source
  • [–] 10 points 7 months ago (2 children)

    Having a slug come into contact with my feet or my socks or my shoes, but only if I am wearing them at the time. Anywhere else on my body is fine. I don't know what harm will come from this occuring. I do know it is fine if a slug is touching my shoe, I pick it off, and then put on the shoe. My fear of snails is likely but unverified.

  • source
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • [–] 3 points 7 months ago

    My wife has an irrational fear of slugs, like completely locked up and shaking if she sees one. We have spent 20 years together trying to figure out where her phobia came from.

    She is in therapy now and was talking through it with her therapist and the therapist asked "what do you fear will happen" my wife told her all the images that flash in her mind when she thinks about slugs. Turns out the therapist is a big horror movie fan and knew of a movie where those exact things happened.

    Well about the time that the movie came out on VHS my wife was being watched by an abusive relative who liked to rent scary movies and force her to watch them.

  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 8 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    Answering a question like this in a place where it could be hoovered up by a hostile foreign power. I'm not interesting enough to be targeted specifically but they can cast a wide net and stash away the info for a rainy day.

    Oh, what the heck, couldn't really hurt. My greatest fear is friendly medium/large dogs (Labrador Retriever to Irish Wolfhound-ish) followed closely by collections of good science fiction books and too much time to read them.

  • source
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • load more comments (1 reply)
    [–] 8 points 7 months ago (5 children)

    Helicopter rotor blades. I'm afraid they will hit my eyes. Even seeing them on a video is very uncomfortable and I have to look away or close my eyes until they're gone.

  • source
  • hideshow 5 child comments
  • [–] 2 points 7 months ago (2 children)

    How are you with kitchen blenders?

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • [–] 3 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    They don't bother me. The blades are not exposed. I also own a ceiling fan and it doesn't bother me either, even though it has exposed blades.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • [–] 2 points 7 months ago*

    Huh. I, on the other hand, have weirdly intrusive thoughts with smaller blades, like a kitchen blender or an uncovered fan, but a helicopter doesn't faze me. Although can't say I've ever been in one, but I've been very close by.

    Anyway when blending shit I sometimes have intrusive thoughts. I don't think I'd have a garbage disposal like I see in the movies. They're probably not even allowed here in Finland, and my laziness would want one, but my accident-prone-ass knows I probably shouldn't get one even if I could.

    I once bought a mandolin for my kitchen. Here's Jeremy Clarkson demonstrating what happens to everyone who buys their first mandolin without having read the stories.

  • source
  • parent
  • Pilot here. I'm afraid of running rotors and propellers because they can fucking mince you. I worked on Rotax 912-powered aircraft for awhile, they have twin carburetors that have to be balanced, ie the throttle valves have to open the same amount or one side of the engine is trying to run harder than the other. This has to be done with the engine running. If I had to get from one side of the engine compartment to the other, I'd walk around the tail.

  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 7 points 7 months ago (5 children)
  • [–] 2 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    Not illogical. I was talking with a friend one night under a tree and had one fall on my face. Super gross.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • [–] 4 points 7 months ago

    I just mean I know logically they aren't harmful but my mind cannot. I'm not scared of spiders or lizards or snakes but those overgrown roaches strike absolute terror into my heart since I was little. I am so sorry you experienced that. I've had them fly at me.

    So few of them around now, and my logical & rational fear is that is a bad sign for the world. But it has been amazing to be able to work in the yard without the constant fear of picking up a brick or stone, they used to come out from under every single upturned stone.

  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 22 points 7 months ago (7 children)

    Being murdered for being trans while living in Oregon. It shouldn’t happen, but it’s not impossible.

  • source
  • hideshow 7 child comments
  • [+] [S] 5 points 7 months ago (6 children)
  • [–] 15 points 7 months ago (5 children)

    Two people hit it with a downvote.

    I have no idea what the downvotes are trying to communicate.

    • ”that’s right, tranny, we’re coming for you”
    • ”this content doesn’t improve Lemmy“
    • ”trans people aren’t discriminated against”

    Or something else entirely that I can’t articulate.

    Whatever the reasons for the downvotes people have left, my feelings are true and I feel them.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 5 child comments
  • [–] 11 points 7 months ago

    I wasn't one of them but I can only guess:
    "This, unfortunately is a logical fear and therefore doesnt answer the question."

    My down votes usually mean "I don't like what you said and therefore don't like you"

  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 3 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    The users who downvoted you were iconoclast@feddit.uk and FudgyMcTubbs@lemmy.world. I'm sure it would make their respective day(s) if you asked them.

    I've given up trying to make heads or tails of downvoters' behavior. I am convinced that some people here either think there is some "algorithm" that will magically stop showing them some type of content if they downvote it (I can't imagine I've pissed in that many people's cornflakes, so that's my theory anyhow) and others who don't quite understand that there's no such thing here as reddit style karma.

    I dunno. It is what it is. I think fewer people realize than they should that votes are publicly accessible on Lemmy, though.

    (Don't look at me. I haven't downvoted anyone in four months.)

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • [–] 6 points 7 months ago (3 children)

    Getting stabbed on the bus. Everytime a crazy guy gets on the bus and starts yelling im like fuck today is the day.

    Its not logical because the chance of it happening is extremely low due to low crime + he cant stab everyone on the bus so ive got a 1/30 chance. Also i probably only have the worry because very often i read news about people getting attacked on public transport in my city.

  • source
  • hideshow 3 child comments
  • [–] 3 points 7 months ago (2 children)

    Be first to stab anyone who yells to get out in front of the issue?

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • [–] 6 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    Blood tests. I guess it is understandable from an emotional viewpoint but it is certainly not logical. I also can't watch scenes in movies where they inject drugs. Eeeeh!!!!

  • source
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • load more comments (1 reply)
    [–] 5 points 7 months ago (1 child)
    load more comments (1 reply)
    [–] 5 points 7 months ago (2 children)

    Meeting myself in any variation.

    I have no idea why, but I've always had this idea that if I met another me in the world it has to end in one of us dead. Doesn't matter on the origin, clone, copy, alternate timeline, time travel, doppelganger, replicant, don't care. There's absolutely no way around, it's on sight and to the death.

    This is one of my most consist feelings in life and I often wonder if it's because I consumed my twin in the womb. As a child I came up with an arrangement that if I accidentally time travelled I'd be able to use to contact myself indirectly so that we can't cross paths.

    Of course, the chance of any of these things happening is insanely low so it's kind of dumb to have a plan in place for its eventual occurrence.

  • source
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • [–] 1 point 7 months ago (1 child)

    So if you walk past yourself in Walmart, do you just go ham instantly and beat the shit out of you?

    Is it possible it's actually pent-up sexual frustration and you'd actually bone you?

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • [–] 2 points 7 months ago

    Pretty sure it's not the boning part, my sexuality is anything but repressed.

    As for walking past each other, out of the question. We're both anxiety riddled human flamingo nerds, we'd be able to spot each other miles away. Ambush tactics are the only safe bet so it comes down to which of us was less distracted by the lighting and managed to impromptu a weapon first.

  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 4 points 7 months ago (5 children)

    The current US federal government.

  • source
  • hideshow 5 child comments
  • [–] 8 points 7 months ago (3 children)

    Question is ambiguous. US government is not logical. But it is logical to be afraid of it.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 3 child comments
  • [–] 3 points 7 months ago* (2 children)

    And I voluntarily played on the question's ambiguity. Mea culpa.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • [–] 4 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    Spontaneous human combustion.

    Watched a documentary on it as a kid and I've had the fear in the back of my mind ever since

  • source
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • [–] 2 points 7 months ago

    In the 80s we figured we would be abducted, if not that, it would be quicksand that got us, and if that failed,we would spontaneously combust, and if all else failed the hole in the ozone layer would destroy all life on earth. We were so concerned with all that happening that we all became kinda apathetic.

  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 4 points 7 months ago (6 children)

    That a huge carpet of ants will sweep into my neighbourhood and eat everything, including me. I blame Macgyver.

  • source
  • hideshow 6 child comments
  • [–] 3 points 7 months ago (5 children)

    Gah. That reminds me of some 70s or 80s horror movie I saw part or all of at some point where ants basically did that. I remember there were scenes with ants everywhere, scenes of people in houses trying to stay very still so the ants wouldn't bite them - but physically actors were covered with ants. It was horrifying. I'd forgotten about that thing until your comment.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 5 child comments
  • [–] 2 points 7 months ago* (4 children)

    Doesn't sound exactly the same, but you may be thinking of Phase IV.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
  • [–] 2 points 7 months ago (3 children)

    You made me try to find it and I think it was https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It_Happened_at_Lakewood_Manor - that matches what I remember (very vaguely). lol. I remember it was bad and stupid, but also horrifying. lol

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 3 child comments
  • [–] 3 points 7 months ago (2 children)

    Swimming pool drains. I panic if I get above one. No idea why. I used to love swimming/diving as a kid but I always made sure to stay as far away as I can from the drains. I didn't go to a swimming pool for like 20 years (mostly because of body dysforia but the drains did play a role as well), only recently I've been to a spa - and I'm like a cat with a cucumber around the drains.

    Oh, and leeches. Never want to see one of those fuckers in real life.

    Also I have a fear of getting worms. One of my late cats got that type which, if in a wrong host, can travel to the eyes.

  • source
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • [–] 3 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    Dying with unspent money in my bank account

  • source
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • [–] 3 points 7 months ago (2 children)

    I feel a bit uneasy around mushrooms.

  • source
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • [–] 3 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    Broken glass or porcelain, but specifically the idea that splinter sized shards could get missed, end up in my fingers or toes, I could somehow completely miss that they did, and then they'd just randomly cause intense sharp pinpricks of pain randomly for the rest of my life.

    Like full on panic attack from a dropped glass breaking near me.

    Like, I know how to deal with it, but still. Just put on your shoes, some gloves, carefully sweep up what you can, vaccuum with something that doesn't blast air everywhere, then wipe a damp paper towel over the area to get any stragglers. If I'm extra paranoid I'll let it dry then sweep and vacuum again.

    I think it comes from some weird and intense growing pains I had like that growing up, plus repeated times in school I ended up getting nearly invisible stinging papercuts on my fingers.

  • source
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • [–] 4 points 7 months ago

    then they'd just randomly cause intense sharp pinpricks of pain randomly for the rest of my life.

    If it helps at all, your body will push foreign objects like glass out of your body. You'll probably get a glass like sliver after a while that you could pull out.

  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 3 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    Accidentally inhaling a drinking straw.

    Much less of a problem now that I've stopped using them, admittedly.

  • source
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • [–] 5 points 7 months ago (5 children)
  • [–] 7 points 7 months ago (3 children)
  • [–] 11 points 7 months ago* (2 children)

    OP asks what the least logical thing I am afraid of is:

    Trump is a thing (he's a fucking tool)
    Trump is illogical (he has dementia)
    Trump is frightening (he has the nuclear codes)

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • load more comments (1 reply)
    [–] 2 points 7 months ago* (1 child)

    Human faces. Eyes and mouth specifically. When talking to people, I focus on their hair to not feel uncomfortable without breaking "eye contact." Even my own face on mirror/camera feels "weird" to look at.

  • source
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • [–] 1 point 7 months ago

    I grew up in the times of "look at me when I talk to you" and would get in trouble for "looking past the person". So I developed an ability to make eye contact while unfocusing my eyes. Turns out if you make eye contact long enough people get uncomfortable and look away thereby letting you relax.

  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 2 points 7 months ago

    needles at the doctor. getting my shots and withdrawing blood is such a mental hassle for me

  • source
  • [–] 2 points 7 months ago (2 children)

    American civil war 2. Lack of utilities, medications, water and food. I know its unlikely but I don't want to end up in a med tent suffering from a amputation or washing mustard gas out of my eyes.

  • source
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • load more comments (1 reply)
    load more comments
    view more: next ›