In a fearful world, has safety become our false god?

[TechBear_Seattle]

In a fearful world, has safety become our false god?

ARE WE LIVING in a culture of fear? If we are, what is it doing to our souls?

I spend a good deal of time in airports. You can't go more than a few minutes in one without a robotic voice declaring, "The national security threat level has been raised to ... ORANGE." More ominous are the follow-up announcements encouraging travelers to report anything or anyone "suspicious."

...

Yes, we live in the world of the Virginia Tech shooter, terrorism, and various and assorted horrors. But we also live, increasingly, in a culture of fear where fear is a strong motivator for buyers, voters, and parents, as well as for how we think and act in our daily lives.

Perhaps you, too, have noticed how ubiquitous the word "safety" has become among us. Instead of good parenting, we hear about safe parenting. Instead of love, we urge safe sex. We have neighborhood safety zones and safe houses. In all sorts of institutional and community settings, people toss out phrases such as "exposure," "liability" and "safety concerns" as trump cards. Safety is of course a legitimate concern, but has it also become the real American idol? That is, has safety become our false god?

The essay can be read at http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/317333_faith26.html

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. the culture of fear is being cultivated

because it is through fear that they can control us. We can choose not to fear. The first step is to realize that no matter what happens, the world as we know it is changing drastically and in ways unknown to our forebears. So be ready.

[villager]

2. Any other rhetorical questions you wanna throw our way?

;-)

[Jade Fox]

3. We're in a time of major change.....

That is a great article.

"A friend of mine has a test for identifying an idol, in the religious sense of the word, and idolatry. "An idol is anything you can't laugh at," he says. If there is one place in the world where no jokes are allowed, it is in the security screening lines at the airport. If there is one word today that silences all levity, it is "safety.""



This is long, and covers a lot of territory, but it's well worth the read:

http://www.philipslater.com/

[Warpy]

4. "We have nothing to fear but fear, itself."

Hoo boy, does that ever ring true today! Look at what being afraid of fear has cost us: most of our civil rights, our peace of mind, the ability to trust one another, the illusion that rational thought guides the choices people make in government.

Frightened people tend to keep themselves in a defensive posture at all times and react with incredible hostility to anyone who doesn't agree with their world view. They are ready to butt heads at the slightest provocation, even unintentional provocation, and that makes for an increasingly unpleasant society in which to live.

Fear also generates a certain amount of personal paralysis, an inability to decide and to act accordingly when real life decisions are necessary, something that makes it so useful to authoritarian government.

Eventually, I hope fear fatigue sets in and people start to shake themselves out of it. Until that happens, little will change.

[LWolf]

5. For those willing to participate

in the culture of fear.

I don't find that fear accomplishes anything constructive, and I don't choose to be a victim of fear or fear mongering.

That choice is available to all.

:shrug:

[LynnTheDem]

6. The SAFEST nation from terrorist attack on the entire planet is...

North Korea.

Do rightwingnuts really want to be that "safe"?

[MadMaddie]

7. And to me that is the biggest crime of this administration.....

They have run on escalating the lie that Americans must be afraid of everythin and anyone different from them.

V-Vendetta anyone?

[Greyhound]

8. Safety is always an illusion, we have just forgotten this fact, and so are desperate to

surrender our liberty to maintain the illusion. Ben warned us.

[uppityperson]

9. Safety and the Almighty Dollar.