Summary

This chapter begins with Archbishop Tutu’s observations on fear; not only are fear and anxiety felt by all humans, but he adds that they are basic survival instincts. Fear becomes a negative and harmful emotion, however, when it is “exaggerated or when it is provoked by something that is really quite insignificant” (93). Abrams states that his main goal in this discussion is to determine how humans can minimize the worry and stress that seems to accompany modern life.

While stress will always be inevitable, it seems to be more prevalent and more widespread today than overall stress has been in history. The Dalai Lama argues that stress is often birthed in “too much ambition” (96), a concept with which Abrams analyzes deeper by claiming it is a matter of priorities. He interprets the Dalai Lama’s...