Let's Stop Letting People Scare Us

Why are we so afraid?  Many of us seem to be terribly frightened of crime, diseases, environmental threats, food additives, pollution, plane crashes, shark attacks, crazed zombies, the fat content of cheeseburgers, etc.  And, yet, we all know that average life spans in our country have increased significantly in the past century.  Sure, most of those things mentioned above represent authentic potential dangers—okay, exclude the zombies—but the truth is that, in general, we live much safer, much longer lives, these days than ever before.

So why are we anxious, edgy and scared?  Here, in my opinion, are a few of the culprits.

1) Information overload.  We are inundated with details of all the troubles and problems on earth instantly and continuously.  That’s a slight exaggeration, but we do know more than ever before about the difficulties, trials and disasters that befall our fellow U.S. citizens and our fellow brothers and sisters around the world.

Sometimes it seems like every sad tale of woe on earth is relayed to us instantly via TV, radio, and the Internet; and within several hours in all the periodicals.  Being bombarded with so much grim turmoil every day begins to make a person a little jumpy after a while.

2) Media sensationalism.  Now, every new disaster to come along gets a special name by each news outlet, e.g., “Hurricane Watch 2009!” and it’s importance and impact is magnified by the media’s competitive need to present it to their readers/watchers/listeners in a more compelling way than their competitor.  If five inches of snow is forecast in Chicago, it’s a pretty good bet it will be called “Catastrophic Blizzard Watch ’09” or some other heart-pounding name by a local news outlet.

Words like “crisis”, “catastrophe” and “disaster” are used measurably more in the media today than they were just 10 or 15 years ago.  We all know that the various media producers are competing for ratings, but come on guys!  We’re all getting scared.  Give us a break from all the “catastrophes”.

3) Science and academia have contributed to this escalation of fear.  Every time we turn around, some new threat of impending doom is being presented in somber tones by a recognized scholar or scientist.

When I was in college they scared the heck out of us with population explosion predictions.  All the food on earth was going to be gone in about five years, they said.  Too many people.  Now I’m reading there’s no such problem, in fact, it may be just the opposite.  In many parts of the world, including the U.S., I’m now hearing that the population isn’t growing fast enough.

Did you know that in the 1970’s scientists were frightening people with predictions of a new Ice Age that was coming?  Seriously.  Now we hear endless chatter about global warming, complete with impassioned warnings from George Clooney and Cameron Diaz.  Which one is it?  Ice age or global warming?  Should I buy ice skates or swim fins?

(And, by the way, when did Cameron Diaz become an expert on Global Climatological studies?  Was it before or after Charlies Angels 2?  I’m just curious, that’s all.)

Climatologist Stephen Schneider of Stanford was quoted as saying, “Scientists should consider stretching the truth to get some broad based support, to capture the public’s imagination.”  He also said, “We have to offer up scary scenarios, make simplified dramatic statements, and make little mention of any doubts we might have.”

That is a telling comment.  Go back and re-read it and think about what this man is saying.  It’s an admission of blatant manipulation through fear rather than objective scientific reporting.

Science journalist, Tom Bethell says, “All science based on dire warnings about the future should be suspect, and all such science is almost by definition politicized . . .”

I recommend that we pay a little less attention to all these peddlers of fear and doom.  Obviously, there’s no need to take unnecessary risks or to disregard sensible precautions for safe, healthy living.  But it seems like we’re being “worked” by some people who have a vested interest in “working” us.  And it probably wouldn’t hurt to give short shrift to a lot of it.

Also, to those of us who are following Christ, we need to remember that we have His presence with us even in the face of real danger.  “Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me…” Psalm 23:4

I don’t want to live in fear and my guess is that you don’t want to either.

And what the heck, have a cheeseburger once in a while, too.  It won’t kill you.

Dan Marler