“Be afraid. Be very afraid. It’s dangerous out there.”
That’s the message I have been receiving from the world for some time now. A message that is a constant and pervasive drone. Fear is becoming our default setting, and I wonder if we 21st century Americans are internalizing it, splicing it into our DNA. Does it seem that way to you, too?
Let’s review a certainly incomplete list of fearful, worrisome things, shall we?
First, surely, amongst the fears over the last nearly two years is the coronavirus pandemic. The virus has affected how we go about our everyday lives, how we behave toward others, and our attitudes about families and friends, religion and charity, commerce and politics. It is one heckuva fear.
Other recent fear stories concern rising fuel prices, rising food pricing, and a scarcity of everything from Christmas gifts to Christmas trees. Supply chains are bottlenecked and there are not workers even if we had something to buy and sell. We are told to worry about the intrigues of Facebook, Amazon and the Internet, as well as beware of those who are constantly trying to manipulate Facebook, Amazon and the Internet. We should be wary of investment bankers and billionaires and, as always, we need to keep our eyes on the politicians.
I am told to worry about nature. Recently, I was told to fear “Bomb Cyclones,” and “Atmospheric Rivers.” I have always had a layman’s interest in the weather but never had heard these terms. Are these new weather phenomena or have I not been paying attention for the last 30 years? Perhaps these are no more than updated labels for standard weather events, new, dramatic terms to describe big storms and powerful, moisture-ladened winds. Drama certainly is a useful way to get your message out. Then again, maybe it’s just me.
Remember “Murder Hornets?” These giant wasps have been in existence in Asia, but only showed up on my radar when they were spotted in 2019 in the United States. Another natural threat with a scary name. I was not at all surprised to realize I did not know they existed until there they were. Just one more thing I learned I didn’t know. According to the serious tone of the reports, I think I am supposed to add Murder Hornets to the list of things to be afraid of.
(This story takes me back to the 1970s when we were warned about “Killer Bees.” Thank goodness for those funny skits on Saturday Night Live involving the invasive insects. Humor can sometimes take the edge off fear.)
Besides natural events, I am reminded around-the-clock to worry about myriad man-made threats. One of the big worries is climate change, which used to be global warming which is likely human-caused and possibly the reason we are experiencing weather bombs and atmospheric rivers. And maybe somehow Murder Hornets.
Then, of course, we have weapons to worry about. We are told the Chinese have a new hypersonic missile which is causing real concern among those in our government. Perhaps we are heading for a new arms race. I lived through an arms race and its attendant fears as a child of the Cold War. Alas, we don’t have to go around the world to worry about weapons. A raging river of guns floods our own country. Yes, we are awash in things to fear.
The biggest worry I have these days is how this constant bombardment of scary news, and the 24-7 reminders of things we have to fear is changing us. I sense anger everywhere today. Don’t you? Surely this not a good thing? Anger is often the result of misunderstanding, which leads to fear. Anger and fear and misunderstanding lead to hate and sometimes violence and death. Who wants to live in that world? Maybe less news equals less fear?
I can’t ignore the worries of the world, but I can’t live my life dominated by fear either. That leaves one frozen and unable to do anything about the problems. We are told again and again there are plenty of problems out there. Still, an occasional deep breath might be in order.
What’s that classic advice from the British? “Keep calm and carry on.”
Norman Knight, a retired Clark-Pleasant Middle School teacher, writes this weekly column for the Daily Journal. Send comments to [email protected].
