August 21 - Pet Peeve Monday - JayJayPhobia?

This week’s PET PEEVE MONDDAY is a result of the release of the horror movie, Snakes on a Plane that came out this past weekend. The goal of Snakes on a Plane was to combine common fears in one movie, namely aviophobia (fear of flying) and ophidophobia (fear of snakes).

The much buzzed-movie performed well below its extremely hyped expectations, earning an estimated $15.3 million for its three-day opener. Well I’m not a Hollywood movie mogul, but what did they expect. They combined two of the highest rated things that people were “Very or Somewhat Afraid Of.” From the Internet the list includes.

1. Public Speaking - 77 %


2. Death - 75 %


3. Snakes – 63 %


4. Heights – 55 %


5. Being alone in the Forest – 41 %


6. Spiders and Insects – 37 %


7. Flying on a Plane – 35%


8. Thunder and Lightning – 28 %


9. Mice – 27 %

If they had titled the movie, Having to Publicly Speak on a Plane with Snakes, Insects, Mice and Snakes while Flying Over a Forest Through a Thunderstorm, I think they would have really drawn a crowd.

Why would you release a movie that plays on people’s worst fears? Seeing the movie would not be therapeutic, it would be traumatic. Maybe the film producer suffers from Plutophobia (fear of wealth and success)). Or maybe their target audiences all suffer from Theatrophobia (fear of theatres). But this is not this week’s PET PEEVE.

This week’s PET PEEVE concerns the list of 500 phobias that potentially afflict people. I believe as a society we are always trying to blame someone for our fortunes or lack thereof. We want to blame bad childhoods for our bad behavior. We want to sue McDonald’s for our obesity. We want $20,000 reparations for something that happened to our great, great, great, great, great, grandfathers. Everyone wants to assign responsibility to someone else for his or her situation. They want an excuse other than self-infliction for their lot in life. This is my PET PEEVE.

Now it appears certain deviances are OK because it’s a PHOBIA. I found it somewhat humorous as the things that give people the heebie jeebies.

Now I believe that Testophobia (fear of taking tests) and Claustrophobia (fear of confined spaces) are legitimate phobias. However if you review the list of phobias from this Internet site, you got to wonder how some people ever left the womb.

I believe the French suffer from Ablutophobia (fear of washing or bathing).

What would happen if an Amnesiphobia (fear of amnesia) and a Mnemophobia (fear of memories) were to get married? Would there be any wedding photos?

If you suffer from Arachibutyrophobia (fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth), why not stay away from PB &J?

I know I suffer from Atomosophobia (fear of atomic explosions) but then again who doesn’t?

If you suffer from Barophobia (fear of gravity) what are your options?

Some blog readers of Jay’s Jabberwocky suffer from Doxophobia (fear of expressing opinions or of receiving praise). I’ve conquered that demon.

It took me years of night clubbing and beach going, but I cured my Caligynephobia (fear of beautiful women).

I wonder if you suffer from Cacophobia (fear of ugliness) should you also have Catoptrophobia (fear of mirrors)?

Can’t Coprastasophobia (fear of constipation) and Urophobia (fear of urine or urinating) be combined as PIBS (Perceived Irritable Bowel Syndrome)?

I’ve heard of Coulrophobia (fear of clowns), but it still sounds funny?

Are people in China double inflicted if they suffer from Geniophobia (fear of chins)?

Do people that suffer from Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia (fear of the number 666) also suffer from Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia (fear of long words)?

What do you call people that have Nomatophobia (fear of names)?

A lot of people think the University of Michigan students have Bibliophobia (fear of books).

Finally there are actually people that suffer from Panophobia (fear of everything).

I guess they never heard FDR’s First Inaugural Address in 1932 “The Only Thing We Have to Fear Is Fear Itself”.

For my part, I do hate snakes and I don’t care for large dogs.

I don’t have a fear of flying. I have a fear of crashing.

I don’t suffer from Emetophobia (fear of vomiting) but I do have a fear of being vomited on. There was no phobia for that on the list. Clearly the list makers do not have small children.

Interestingly, nowhere on the list of 500 phobias was there a FEAR OF PET PEEVES. It should probably be called JAYJAYPHOBIA.

"Some people are afraid of heights. Not me, I'm afraid of widths." - Steven Wright