There is no species on the earth which does not experience fear, for fear is pivotal to survival. All humans and most species of animals fear loud sounds and falling. But humans grow to learn fear: fear of clowns, spiders, heights, water, insects, et cetera. Americans, after the attack on the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001, learned to fear an entire group of people. Like other fears can be exploited by others, this national fear was exploited by the United States Government. Experts agree that fear is a powerful means of control and has been used as such for centuries; however, the means by which fear is spread and maintained and what aspects of life are controlled are debatable. So the question remains: how does the United States Government
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Barry Glassner, author of The Culture of Fear, notes that everyone pays the price of panic in which huge amounts of money go to waste of investigations, trials, and imprisonments (Glassner xxv). The people forfeit billions of dollars to fund the security measures implemented by their government. Surveillance programs have and will always be more expensive in their lifetimes than the information ascertained through their …show more content…
The War on Terror, for example, is based entirely on fear and paranoia. This war is willing accepted by the American people but is cultivated by the political elite (Whitehead). As a result, government organizations have become increasingly militarized. In the aftermath of 9/11, the Department of Homeland Security was created. Rather than be a security agency, the DHS became more of a domestic army armed with millions of hollow point rounds it shares with its Immigration and Customs Enforcement office (Whitehead). The Social Security Administration has also requested ammunition and plans to send it to locations throughout the United States and collaborates with the DHS in police exercises. More and more organizations request weapons which are claimed to be used to conserve and protect different aspects of the American lifestyle. Overall, these police exercises implemented by the government are maximizing fear and paranoia and continue to control the American
Barry Glassner, author of The Culture of Fear, notes that everyone pays the price of panic in which huge amounts of money go to waste of investigations, trials, and imprisonments (Glassner xxv). The people forfeit billions of dollars to fund the security measures implemented by their government. Surveillance programs have and will always be more expensive in their lifetimes than the information ascertained through their …show more content…
The War on Terror, for example, is based entirely on fear and paranoia. This war is willing accepted by the American people but is cultivated by the political elite (Whitehead). As a result, government organizations have become increasingly militarized. In the aftermath of 9/11, the Department of Homeland Security was created. Rather than be a security agency, the DHS became more of a domestic army armed with millions of hollow point rounds it shares with its Immigration and Customs Enforcement office (Whitehead). The Social Security Administration has also requested ammunition and plans to send it to locations throughout the United States and collaborates with the DHS in police exercises. More and more organizations request weapons which are claimed to be used to conserve and protect different aspects of the American lifestyle. Overall, these police exercises implemented by the government are maximizing fear and paranoia and continue to control the American