Scaremongering

Synopsis

Scaremongering intrudes on every dimension of our lives. From cradle to grave, alarmist warnings influence our behaviour and dictate the way we now live our lives. As a society we are haunted by alarmist scenarios about weapons of mass destruction, global warming, and avian flu. But are our fears founded or are we being manipulated by scaremongers?In this fascinating book, Frank Furedi investigates the way scaremongering influences us and just how much the resulting fears can dictate our daily habits and alter the way we lead our lives. Covering the recent scare stories, such as child abduction, cyber terrorism and climate change, he reveals how scaremongering has actually become a respectable enterprise, with 'fear appeals' being openly discussed by public health officials and businesses selling their goods by engaging with public anxieties. Living in a continual state of fear can have very destructive effects - estranging us from our own experience and intuition and damaging our relationships with those around us. Furedi shows how to treat scare stories for what they truly are and bringing scaremongering firmly down to earth.