5 ms·

As someone in Europe I just don't understand the level of fear among Americans who are in the safest position probably of any population ever. Is it just media

As someone in Europe I just don't understand the level of fear among Americans who are in the safest position probably of any population ever. Is it just media bias? If I lived in eastern Europe any where near Turkey right now I'd be more afraid.

pnathan 10y ago
> As someone in Europe I just don't understand the level of fear among Americans who are in the safest position probably of any population ever. Is it just media bias? No. People really are that afraid. I don't know why.
- nickbauman 10y ago
  Fear is a powerful political tool. If you can make people afraid, you can control them. Daesh knows this. Governments know this. Media knows this. The antidote is: 1. Practice information hygiene. Who is saying it? How do they benefit in making you afraid? What are the opposing viewpoints? Where is the evidence? 2. Be aware of cognitive biases. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cognitive_biases https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cognitive_biases 3. Know history (this is especially hard for Americans). At least the history of the issue at stake.
  - ethbro 10y ago
    > Fear is a powerful political tool. If you can make people afraid, you can control them. I don't think that's the whole of it though. A large part of the American media / news system is still profit driven -- I'd say a large enough part to swamp editorial intent if the two butt heads. It seems to me another explanation for the evidence is that people like being afraid.
    - nickbauman 10y ago
      People like being afraid because it creates an instant social bond with others who fear the same. It's probably the fundamental foundation for religion.
    - codingmyway 10y ago
      I've mentioned elsewhere that a profit driven media leads to sensationalism and emotion driven content over objective fact telling. That is the one thing that I can think of that is particularly American but there does still seem an inverse instinct within the US, where someone in say Alabama, who is as likely to be touched by a terrorist as they are by aliens are more likely to be a doomsday prepper.
adiabatty 10y ago
They're extrapolating from current trends. To them, everything seems worse 10+ years out.

pnathan 10y ago

> As someone in Europe I just don't understand the level of fear among Americans who are in the safest position probably of any population ever. Is it just media bias? No. People really are that afraid. I don't know why.

nickbauman 10y ago
Fear is a powerful political tool. If you can make people afraid, you can control them. Daesh knows this. Governments know this. Media knows this. The antidote is: 1. Practice information hygiene. Who is saying it? How do they benefit in making you afraid? What are the opposing viewpoints? Where is the evidence? 2. Be aware of cognitive biases. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cognitive_biases https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cognitive_biases 3. Know history (this is especially hard for Americans). At least the history of the issue at stake.
- ethbro 10y ago
  > Fear is a powerful political tool. If you can make people afraid, you can control them. I don't think that's the whole of it though. A large part of the American media / news system is still profit driven -- I'd say a large enough part to swamp editorial intent if the two butt heads. It seems to me another explanation for the evidence is that people like being afraid.
  - nickbauman 10y ago
    People like being afraid because it creates an instant social bond with others who fear the same. It's probably the fundamental foundation for religion.
  - codingmyway 10y ago
    I've mentioned elsewhere that a profit driven media leads to sensationalism and emotion driven content over objective fact telling. That is the one thing that I can think of that is particularly American but there does still seem an inverse instinct within the US, where someone in say Alabama, who is as likely to be touched by a terrorist as they are by aliens are more likely to be a doomsday prepper.

adiabatty 10y ago

They're extrapolating from current trends. To them, everything seems worse 10+ years out.