America is a country gripped by fear. In this widely-acclaimed book, Barry Glassner exposes the people and organizations that manipulate our perceptions and profit from our anxieties. These peddlers of fear (politicians, advocacy groups, and the media) cost Americans dearly, weighing us down with needless worries and causing us to squander billions of dollars to fix mythological problems. Topics like lethal road rage get major play in the media, even though one is far more likely to be killed by lightning. Meanwhile, we fail to correct the true cause of a problem; for instance, instead of enacting tougher gun laws, we erect more prisons. Ultimately reassuring, The Culture of Fear diagnoses the predominant pathology of our age and provides a passionate cry for a return to rationality.This audio edition includes an exclusive introduction by documentary filmmaker and author Michael Moore.
 Write a Review of The Culture of Fear
 
LOLDavid, February 17, 2006
Reviewer: LOLDavid
from Los Angeles, California
This was a pretty good cultural criticism audio book on America’s collective irrational fears. I agree with him that our wacky fears stem from our media which is always seeking the most outrageously terrifying stories because that is the news that sells and Americans seem peculiarly gullible and uncritical when faced with perpetual pseudo-serious of our TV news, magazines, radio, and newspapers that are always announcing the latest apocalyptic phenomena of violence, disease, drugs, and sexual deviance pervading in every stranger you come across on the street.
Glassner is good at deconstructing the media and how traumatic personal stories and skewed statistics are blown way out of proportion. I wish he would’ve theorized a little more as to why so many Americans fall for it and choose to buy guns, fear black people, check their kids’ Halloween candy, etc. It is a pre-September 11th book which makes it very relevant because our irrational fears have only increased since then. Glassner reads the book and his narration is fine. My only problem with the audio book is that Glassner seems to have a liberal axe to grind emphasizing that many of these fears and problems are created by conservatives and only have liberal solutions. I think that the problems with our media come from both sides, and that the reform of our media needs solutions from everyone.
- Published:
2003
- Average Customer Ratings:
 (3.5, Audible.com)
- LearnOutLoud.com Product ID:
T001849
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1572703547 |
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1572703539 |
9781572703537 |
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