The following question was presented:
I came up with this week's question on a flight and no, it wasn't a bad flight. I was sat there wondering why you're supposed to shit yourself when you're scared. It doesn't seem like the most productive thing one could do in that situation. In fact, it seems like it wouldn't really help at all. So why do you think you're supposed to shit yourself when you're scared?
Results:
Your nervous system just shuts down was the clear winner with 67% of the votes selected from the following:
- To lighten the load so you can run away (17%)
- So you have something to throw at the thing scaring you (17%)
- Your nervous system just shuts down (67%)
Graphic of Results:
Analysis:
I'm not sure whether this is as much a rhetorical question as anything else, but I did do a little searching online to see if there was a rational explanation that made sense to me. I didn't find one. About the best I can get is that it's an autonomic response, but I can't really gather the intent of that response. There was one article that supported lightening the load as it claimed the body can carry up to 8lb of waste that you would be better off without if you're to run away from whatever it is that's scaring you.
Still seems rather odd to me as I can't see a practical reason for it.