America is a country gripped by fear. In this startling and 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 TV news magazines, among others—cost Americans dearly, weighing us down with needless worries and wasting billions of dollars. Insightful and reassuring--and now with a thought-provoking discussion guide—The Culture of Fear diagnoses the predominant pathology of our age and provides a passionate rallying cry for a return to rationality.
Editorial Reviews
"Mr Glassner, a professor of sociology at the University of Southern California, has written a workmanlike book with a good argument. Americans, he says, should confine their worries to the things that are truly amiss in their society: inequality, poverty, racism and—a brave try, this—too many guns. The money lavished on metal detectors in schools and safety features on aircraft would be better spent on school books or health care." --Economist
"A gutsy exposé of one of the most widespread delusions of our time: misplaced fear." --The Los Angeles Times Book Review
"Lucidly exposes how the media and politicians play to Americans' fears, presenting anomalous incidents as rampant dangers." --Entertainment Weekly
"[Glassner] is a sharp critic of the hypocrisies that compose much of American political discourse." --LA Weekly
"[Glassner] wields an impressive body of research and consequently enjoys the power of redefining reality for a moment in history." --Salon
About the Author
Barry Glassner is a professor of sociology at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon. Glassner previously held posts at Syracuse University, the University of Connecticut, and the University of Southern California. He received his PhD from Washington University in St. Louis and is the author of The Gospel of Food. He lives in Los Angeles, California.
