panic

Panic comes from Pan, the wild goat-god blamed for sudden fear in herds and armies.

The story

Pan was the half-goat god of the wild. Greeks blamed him for the sudden, unexplained fear that could sweep over a herd or an army. That fear was 'panikos': of Pan.

The Texas version

A cattle stampede at night was exactly what Greeks would have blamed on Pan.

Use it at work

Before you panic about a bad week of numbers, check whether it's a pattern or noise.

Practice it in Skepsis

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