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Culture of Fear Essay

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Culture of Fear

Culture of Fear, by Frank Furedi, is a book that looks at how widespread fear impacts Western cultures like the United States and Great Britain. Frank Furedi believed that society tends to panic too much, as we actually enjoy "an unprecedented level of safety." I admit that Frank Furedi's novel is based upon a novel concept, and an interesting one at that. However, Frank Furedi comes off to me as little more than a fear monger and an intellectual elitist. His book, to me, seems redundant more often than not. But sometimes part of college is learning about points of view that you may not agree with, so I tried to maintain that perspective when I read the book.

Our assignment for class was to read the book, and every …show more content…

I did not do a good job of putting my logs into a context for a broad audience outside of my class. Nor was I required to do so. We were explicitly instructed to not write a summary, but rather our thoughts on the book. My suggestion for those who would like the book in context: read the book. Part of me wishes that I held back a little in my writing, as I fear that my thoughts betray me in an unfavorable light. But these are all unedited, one shot deals here. Oh, and on the off chance that Frank Furedi himself reads this, then... um... loved the book. And don't read my position piece project.

Preface and Introduction

Upon reading the first part of COF, it made me realize what a widespread epidemic widespread panic can be. We fear so much in this country, and not just safety issues. We fear offending people by being too PC, we fear litigation, and that perpetuates warning labels which foster even more fear. Fear is what gets politicians elected, and fear can even be a hobby to adrenaline junkies.

Fear to me is a fascinating emotion. People take it as a negative, but to me it's there for basic survival. Fear can also make people bond. After 9/11, the whole country was in fear. Yet, for the first time I can remember, the whole country was a united one.

Chapter 1: The Explosion of Risks

First of all, this book is similar to some things I'm learning in social psychology. It wasn't any suprise to me when I

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