The Culture In Fear
The Culture of Fear
Culture in fear is a powerful factor in social and political discourse. Much of the time, such fear is being blown out of proportion by the media, the state, or some other body with an interest in seeing people afraid. Along with any motion, fear can easily be used inappropriately in arguments. The essays “The Market in Fear” by Frank Furedi, “A World Becoming More Peaceful?” by Paul Rogers, and “Do We Fear the Right Things?” by David G. Myers consider the role that fear has come to play in our lives, the extent to which we intentionally cultivate it, and the degree to which we control it. Fear being an intense emotion in our lives, it can also be used against us to influence an audience with false evidence to support a claim.
Fear is becoming not only an emotion, but a cultural expression in which we have a sense of unease about our life. The more we cultivate the more we lose sight of the fact that fear today is different from the past. 2000 years we feared supernatural forces, medieval times we feared that volcanic eruptions and solar eclipses were Special Forces, and Victorian times we feared unemployment. Frank Furedi then states how groups consisting of Politicians, the media, businesses, environmental organizations, public health officials, and advocacy groups warn us of something new to fear about. “Today, however, we appear to fear just about everything. One reason why we fear so much is because life is dominating by competing groups of fear entrepreneurs who promote their cause, stake their claims, or sell their products through fear.” This can be portrayed through competitive stores wanting you to buy from them because they do not want you waste money when you can save, and public health officials pressure Birth Control, merely express fears that having a baby could be the wrong choice. The basis of fear is to ensure that there is no alternative as Furedi says, “This mood of powerlessness has encouraged a market where different
Culture in fear is a powerful factor in social and political discourse. Much of the time, such fear is being blown out of proportion by the media, the state, or some other body with an interest in seeing people afraid. Along with any motion, fear can easily be used inappropriately in arguments. The essays “The Market in Fear” by Frank Furedi, “A World Becoming More Peaceful?” by Paul Rogers, and “Do We Fear the Right Things?” by David G. Myers consider the role that fear has come to play in our lives, the extent to which we intentionally cultivate it, and the degree to which we control it. Fear being an intense emotion in our lives, it can also be used against us to influence an audience with false evidence to support a claim.
Fear is becoming not only an emotion, but a cultural expression in which we have a sense of unease about our life. The more we cultivate the more we lose sight of the fact that fear today is different from the past. 2000 years we feared supernatural forces, medieval times we feared that volcanic eruptions and solar eclipses were Special Forces, and Victorian times we feared unemployment. Frank Furedi then states how groups consisting of Politicians, the media, businesses, environmental organizations, public health officials, and advocacy groups warn us of something new to fear about. “Today, however, we appear to fear just about everything. One reason why we fear so much is because life is dominating by competing groups of fear entrepreneurs who promote their cause, stake their claims, or sell their products through fear.” This can be portrayed through competitive stores wanting you to buy from them because they do not want you waste money when you can save, and public health officials pressure Birth Control, merely express fears that having a baby could be the wrong choice. The basis of fear is to ensure that there is no alternative as Furedi says, “This mood of powerlessness has encouraged a market where different