The Fear Factor

Last evening I finished reading the book Culture of Fear by Barry Glassner. This fine book (published in 1999 by Basic Books), presents a solid review of the major media scares of the last twenty-five to thirty years, including road rage, youth at risk, monster moms, black men, crack cocaine, and plane wrecks. At the time of writing, Glassner was Professor of Sociology at the University of Southern California. I learned many surprising things from this book. For example, I was completely unaware that the news of razor blades being placed in apples at Halloween -- so prominent in the media a number of years ago -- was essentially a hoax.

In concluding the book I realized that the fear-mongering after the attacks of September 11, 2001, were simply a natural continuation of the culture of fear which has been wrought upon America and the world in the last decades. The planners of that evil deed surely knew this would happen. From my research I have come to the belief that those horrible attacks were planned with the knowledge of those in the highest levels of the American government. (Although this has seemed preposterous to many, it is the only explanation which seems to meet all the facts.)

America these last years has been a nation run on fear. That is more than a shame. It is a tragedy and a crime. Culture of Fear does a tremendous public service in de-bunking many of the media and cultural myths of our time. It is highly recommended.