Synopses & Reviews
In the age of 9/11, the Iraq War, financial collapse, and Amber Alerts, our society is defined by fear. So its not surprising that three out of four Americans say they feel more fearful today then they did twenty years ago. But are we living in exceptionally dangerous times? In The Culture of Fear, sociologist Barry Glassner demonstrates that it is our perception of danger that has increased, not the actual level of risk. Glassner exposes the people and organizations that manipulate our perceptions and profit from our fears, including advocacy groups that raise money by exaggerating the prevalence of particular diseases and politicians who win elections by heightening concerns about crime, drug use, and terrorism. In this new edition of a classic bookmore relevant now than when it was first publishedGlassner exposes the price we pay for social panic.
Synopsis
Revised for the first time in ten years, an update of the classic book, with new material on the administration of George W. Bush and the use of fear in the war on terror.
Synopsis
The bestselling book revealing why Americans are so fearful, and why we fear the wrong things-now updated for the age of Trump
In the age of Trump, our society is defined by fear. Indeed, three out of four Americans say they feel more fearful today than they did only a couple decades ago. But are we living in exceptionally perilous times? In his bestselling book The Culture of Fear, sociologist Barry Glassner demonstrates that it is our perception of danger that has increased, not the actual level of risk. Glassner exposes the people and organizations that manipulate our perceptions and profit from our fears: politicians who win elections by heightening concerns about crime and drug use even as rates for both are declining; advocacy groups that raise money by exaggerating the prevalence of particular diseases; TV shows that create a new scare every week to garner ratings. Glassner spells out the prices we pay for social panics: the huge sums of money that go to waste on unnecessary programs and products as well as time and energy spent worrying about our fears.
All the while, we are distracted from the true threats, from climate change to worsening inequality. In this updated edition of a modern classic, Glassner examines the current panics over vaccination and "political correctness" and reveals why Donald Trump's fearmongering is so dangerously effective.
About the Author
Barry Glassner is professor of sociology at the University of Southern California. He is the author of seven books and countless articles that have appeared in magazines and newspapers around the world. His academic research has appeared in the most prestigious journals in sociology and psychiatry. He lives in Los Angeles.