UPDATED EDITION AVAILABLE NOW
“[The Culture of Fear] will amaze you, make you upset, and give you a new resolve to do what’s best for this country.” — Michael Moore
“A sobering examination.” – Washington Post Book World
In the age of Trump, our society is defined by fear. 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, from politicians to advocacy groups to the media. He spells out the price 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 immigration, vaccination, and “political correctness,” and reveals why Donald Trump’s fearmongering is so dangerously effective.
