As an aside, if you think that you are fearless, that is, you have no phobias and are maybe feeling a little left out, the site phobialist.com lists 621 types of phobias. I'm sure that you could find one there to call your own.
Actually, Trypophobia is a fairly recent discovery. Geoff Cole of the university of Essex did some research on people who had, as he did, a fear of holes. Now these aren't bottomless pit holes; these are common holes, especially when they form a pattern, as in Swiss cheese, seed pods or sieves. Cole through his research was able to connect this fear to a primeval part of the brain, that linked holes with the patterned skin of poisonous animals. In other words Trypophobia is a hang over from our cavemen days, when we had to be super sensitive to everything in the environment that might endanger us.
Now, I may have a fear of holes, but not where they apply to dangerous animals. I fear, for example:
1. Holes in my pockets - literally and figuratively. I once had a coat with a hole in each pocket. All my spare change would fall into the hem of the coat. I jingled when I walked and I probably should have developed a fear of large magnets :)
2. Holes in the plumbing - literally these are a drain on the pocketbook. We are actually going to have to have the bathroom replaced because it leaks through holes in not one but three places :)
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Holes with a purpose |
3. Holes in the masonry, especially at this time of the year. That's where the mice get in. My parents who lived on a farm actually used to have snakes creep in!! Another fear - not a phobia - this is a rational one!!
4. Holes in the body - this is not actually a fear, but more of a revulsion. I particularly dislike seeing people with pierced tongues and lips.
5. Holes in the newspaper where someone has clipped out an article. Now I have to find out what that article was all about :)
6. Holes in woollen garments - moth holes are the bane of people who knit fine lace in cobweb yarns. Now, I never fear the holes in lace.
7. Holes in the inventory - who's been helping themselves?
8. Holes in my shoes. I have been known to wear my shoes out on the top side, where the toes are, rather than on the soles - Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned that :)
9. Loopholes in contracts - why can't more things be done on a handshake?
10. Holes in the bread - that's where the jam drips through.
OK, most of this post has been on the negative aspect of holes. However, I would like to leave you with a positive thought. For this I will have to paraphrase Leonard Cohen.
There's a crack (hole) in everything. That's how the light gets in.
The picture? From my post on sieves.
Have a wholly wonderful day!!
Great list, I've got no holes to pick in it! (sorry!)
ReplyDeleteDid make me smile, and I also agree about pierced lips, noses, etc, particularly the new thing of piercing cheeks or foreheads it just looks ridiculous to me!
Cheers,
Gordon