Fear?

quick thought, in most cases, is it the unknown that is fear?
and when we meet the unknown -  therein it adds the flavour of knowledge? or can we call it knowledge itself?
does that explain y for a child, there is a quality change, before and after he touches a hot vessal?
before he touches for the first time - its the fear parents put into him. once he touches it the quality changes? it has more of a knowledge flavour to it?
does this explain why we use the common term - raise up to the occasion?
at times when in our normal sense - we absolutely cant imagine facing a catastropy, but once we meet it, we might raise up to it.

i had read that intense fear itself liberates, the mind reaches the no mind zone. guess some masters have explained this - something like seeing the vishwaroopa effect and the beholder is like becoming a point - nothing else exists in him - expect the witness.

another aspect of fear is the break in continuity is what we dread. human mind thrives on continuity and any break to the continuity is a cause of fear for him. it may be his money,relation, health, life, status in society, power, his

also interesting read was, that an experience by itself is less damaging to the subconscious mind. An experience attached with an emotion is what lingers on in the subconscious. Breaking this bond between the experience and emotion  - unburdens us.
for eg, a company worker touching a hot furnance vs the supervisor punishing him with the same act of touching.