Fearmongering: Difference between revisions

According to [[evolutionary psychologyanthropology]] and [[evolutionary biology]], humans have a strong impulse to pay attention to danger because awareness of dangers has been important for survival throughout ourtheir [[evolution|evolutionary]]ary history]]. ThisThe effect is amplified by [[cultural evolution]] when the [[news media]] cater to ourpeople's appetite for news about dangers.<ref name=Shoemaker>{{cite journal| last1=Shoemaker |first1=Pamela J. |title=Hardwired for News: Using Biological and Cultural Evolution to Explain the Surveillance Function |journal=Journal of Communication |date=1996 |volume=46 |issue=3 |pages=32–47 |doi=10.1111/j.1460-2466.1996.tb01487.x}}</ref>

The attention of citizens is a fiercely contested resource that [[news media]], [[political campaign]]ers, [[Reformreform movement|social reformers]], [[advertising|advertisers]], [[Nonnon-governmental organization|civil society organizations]], [[Missionarymissionary|missionaries]], and cultural [[Eventevent management|event makers]] are competingcompete over, according to [[attention economy]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Zhu |first1=Jian-Hua |title=Issue competition and attention distraction: A zero-sum theory of agenda-setting |journal=Journalism Quarterly |date=1992 |volume=69 |issue=4 |pages=825–836 |doi=10.1177/107769909206900403|s2cid=144203162 }}</ref>

[[Agency (sociology)|Social agents]] of all kinds are often using fearmongering as a tactic in thisthe competition for attention, as illustrated by the examples below.<ref name=Shoemaker /><ref>{{cite book |last1=Altheide |first1=David L. |title=Media Edge: Media Logic and Social Reality |date=2014 |publisher=Peter Lang Publishing |isbn=978-1-4331-2645-11433126451}}</ref>

Fearmongering can have strong [[psychology|psychological]] effects, which may be intended or [[Unintendedunintended consequences|unintended]]. One hypothesized effect is [[mean world syndrome]], wherein which people perceive the world as more dangerous than it really is.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Gerbner |first1=G |title=The "mainstreaming" of America: violence profile number 11 |journal=Journal of Communication |date=1980 |volume=30 |issue=3 |pages=10–29 |doi=10.1111/j.1460-2466.1980.tb01987.x}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Signorielli |first1=N |editor1-last=Signorielli |editor1-first=N |editor2-last=Morgan |editor2-first=M |title=Cultivation Analysis: New Directions in Media Effects Research |chapter=Television’s Mean and Dangerous World: A Continuation of the Cultural Indicators Perspective| date=1990 |publisher=Sage |pages=85–106}}</ref> Fearmongering can make people fear the wrong things, and use antoo excessive amount ofmany resources to avoid rare and unlikely dangers, while more probable dangers are ignored. For example, some parents have kept their children at home to prevent [[Childchild abduction|abduction]] while they paid less attention to more common dangers such as [[lifestyle disease]]s or [[traffic accident]]s.<ref name="Glassner">{{cite book |last1=Glassner |first1=B |title=The Culture of Fear: Why Americans are Afraid of the Wrong Things |date=1999 |publisher=Basic Books}}</ref> Fearmongering can produce a [[Rallyrally 'round the flag effect|rally around the flag effect]], by increasing support for the incumbent political leaders. For example, official warnings about the risk of [[terrorism|terrorist]] attacks have led to increased support for the presidentproposed policies of the [[US President]]s.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Willer |first1=R |title=The effects of government-issued terror warnings on presidential approval ratings |journal=Current Research in Social Psychology |date=2004 |volume=10 |issue=1 |pages=1–12}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Nacos |first1=B. L. |title=Selling Fear: Counterterrorism, the Media, and Public Opinion |date=2011 |publisher=University Of Chicago Press |isbn=978-0-226-56719-80226567198}}</ref>

Collective fear is likely to produce an [[Authoritarianauthoritarian personality|authoritarian]] mentality]], desire for a [[Strongmanstrongman (politics)|strong leader]], strict [[discipline]], [[Punishmentpunishment|punitiveness]], [[Tolerationtoleration|intolerance]], [[xenophobia]], and less [[democracy]], according to [[Theory of Regal and Kungic Societal Structures|regality theory]]. Historically, thisthe effect has been exploited by [[political entrepreneur]]s in many countries for purposes such as increasing support for an [[Authoritarianismauthoritarianism|authoritarian]] government, avoiding [[democratization]], or preparing the population for war.<ref name="Fog">{{cite book |last1=Fog |first1=A |title=Warlike and Peaceful Societies: The Interaction of Genes and Culture |date=2017 |publisher=Open Book Publishers |isbn=978-1-78374-405-31783744053 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p845DwAAQBAJ}}</ref>

|website=[[YouTube]] |date=26 October 2006 |access-date=25 August 2010}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

[[Terrorism]] is also a kind of psychological warfare. It is creating violence and terror in order to get media attention or to scare an enemy.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Weimann |first1=G |last2=Winn |first2=C |title=The theater of terror: Mass media and international terrorism |date=1994 |publisher=Longman}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Altheide |first1=D. L. |title=Terrorism and the Politics of Fear |date=2006 |publisher=AltaMira Press}}</ref>

A remarkable tactic is the so-called [[strategy of tension]]., This strategywhich is based on making violence and chaos in order to create [[political instability]], to [[Defamationdefamation|defame]] an opponent, to pave the way for a more [[Authoritarianism|authoritarianauthoritarianism]] or [[Fascism|fascist]] government, or to prevent the [[Decolonization|liberationdecolonization]] of [[Colonycolony|colonies]]. The strategy of tension is associated in particular with the widespread [[political violence]] in the so-called [[Years of Lead (Italy)|Years of Lead]] in the 1960s to 1980s in [[Italy]]. There were many [[terrorism|terrorist]] attacks in the country in these years. Some of these attacks were committed by [[right-wing]] and [[neo-fascist]] groups, whileand other attacks were attributed to [[left-wing]] groups. Many of the apparent left-wing attacks were suspected or confirmed [[false flag]] attacks. The main purpose of the strategy of tension in Italy was to prevent the [[communism|communistcommunists]] party from gaining power and to pave the way for a [[Neo-fascistneofascist]] government. Historians disagree about who were controlling the strategy of tension, but there is evidence that both national Neo-fascistneofascist groups and foreign powers were involved.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Ferraresi |first1=F |title=Threats to Democracy: The Radical Right in Italy after the War |date=1996 |publisher=Princeton University Press}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Cento Bull |first1=A |title=Italian Neofascism: The Strategy of Tension and the Politics of Nonreconciliation |date=2007 |publisher=Berghahn Books}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Willan |first1=P |title=Puppetmasters: The Political use of Terrorism in Italy |date=1991 |publisher=Authors Choice Press}}</ref><ref name="Fog" />