The Fear Knot by Swalve, Natashia; DeFoster, Ruth;

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We live in a dangerous world, but which dangers inspire fear that is well-founded, and which have been manufactured, spread through faulty logic or disingenuous creators? Which fears are we born with, and which do we learn? Most importantly of all, how do these fears overtake us and how can we think logically in the face of so much apprehension? The Fear Knot examines our most common deeply held yet misguided fears, explaining how they developed and how we can unlearn them.

In this lively and timely tour, Neuroscientist Ruth DeFoster and mass communication professor Natashia Swalve lead readers through the history and psychology behind widespread cultural fears of innocuous things, beginning with the most personal fears within our own bodies and moving outward to the home, our country, and finally to culture at its largest level. From micro fears, such as fear of vaccines and GMOs, through potential threats to our families like drugs and smart homes, and finally to the broad existential dread associated with mental illnesses and global warming, The Fear Knot examines the toll of our fears and how they manifest in our brains. Exploring how shared culture, media consumption, and political narratives help drive beliefs about risk and hazards, DeFoster and Swalve will help readers to make informed, well-researched decisions about fear and risk – and along the way, to learn how to think critically, examine sources, and become confident consumers of media and popular culture.

Combining psychology and journalism in short, light-hearted chapters, The Fear Knot gives readers a fresh look at Americans’ perceptions of risk and danger, with an emphasis on how to recognize misinformation or biases, updated to include the most recent fears that Americans face in the 21st century – and the real dangers that we may be ignoring.