The Fear Epidemic

Frank Furedi, Monica WilkieOctober 14, 2020

Everyone seems to be cursing 2020. We have seen a coronavirus pandemic, mass unemployment, an impending recession or depression, Black Lives Matter riots, and the scourge of cancel culture continues at pace.

All these events have led to another epidemic — fear. We are told to fear the virus, fear economic collapse, and fear…each other. But have you ever wondered how fear works? To answer that question, we talked to Frank Furedi a sociologist, social commentator, and author of 26 books including How Fear Works.

Frank and CIS policy analyst Monica Wilkie discuss the shift from assuming people are resilient, to assuming they are vulnerable. What impact has how fear ridden culture had on individuals and society?

• Subscribe

Subscribe now and stay in the loop with our giving appeals, event alerts, newsletters and research updates.

We are always pleased to hear from you. If you have any questions or feedback, please contact us here: