Neither liberty nor safety: the impact of fear on individuals, institutions, and societies, part 1

Abstract

This is the first in a series of four papers looking at the ways that minds and bodies of individuals are affected by severe stress and using that to develop a deeper understanding of what happens to stressed individuals who come together to form stressed organizations, and the impact of this stress on organizational leaders. The series will also explore the parallel process that occurs when traumatized individuals and stressed organizations come together to form stressed societies. Part I focuses on the basic human stress response, also known as ‘fight‐flight‐freeze’, as a starting point for understanding the impact of acute trauma and repetitive stress on individuals, organizations, and nations.