ABSTRACT
The paradigmatic picture is of an animal running to escape a predator. Other means of flight are avoidance, retreat, freezing, and hiding. Humans use running, hiding, freezing, and camouflaging to escape. Arousal, fear, terror, freezing, fright, startle, and anxiety may become protracted or entrenched if escape is impossible. The term inescapable shock denotes a situation of no escape from danger. It is borrowed from animal studies of electrically shocked animals, whose responses of learned helplessness have been suggested as models of human trauma. Tom-and-Jerry–type escapes are reflected in more mature heroes who maybe escape even more than they kill. Knowledge may include different types of escapes suitable for different circumstances. Truth is that all are vulnerable and will eventually be caught by death. Wisdom includes heedfulness and prudence, so as to avoid later necessity to flee.
