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Fear is America’s top-selling consumer product

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Re: Fear is America’s top-selling consumer product

#21

Post by SAI_Peregrinus »

rednerrus wrote: post #9
erikb wrote: post #5

I wanted to complain about the title not really making the right distinction, that fear is not a product but a sales method. However, the author actually understands that distinction and really talks about fear being the product. That also implies that people desire fear and that fear is produced with industrial efficiency. Interesting thought.

This is what makes horror movies sell, right?

For most of them, yes. But horror is (or at least can be) distinct from fear. "The Silence of The Lambs" is horrifying, but not necessarily considered a horror movie. Likewise "Apocalypse Now", which is mostly about the emotion of horror, but not designed to frighten in any way.

Re: Fear is America’s top-selling consumer product

#23

Post by QAPereo »

erikb wrote: post #5

I wanted to complain about the title not really making the right distinction, that fear is not a product but a sales method. However, the author actually understands that distinction and really talks about fear being the product. That also implies that people desire fear and that fear is produced with industrial efficiency. Interesting thought.

I don't think people crave fear, they crave stimulation. Joy is much harder to manufacture than dread, and dread makes people act in a predictable, often-profitable manner. In other words, people don't want to be bored more than anything else, and the rest is just about the most stimulating things on offer.

Re: Fear is America’s top-selling consumer product

#24

Post by [deleted] »

erikb wrote: post #5

I wanted to complain about the title not really making the right distinction, that fear is not a product but a sales method. However, the author actually understands that distinction and really talks about fear being the product. That also implies that people desire fear and that fear is produced with industrial efficiency. Interesting thought.

[deleted]

Re: Fear is America’s top-selling consumer product

#26

Post by Ygg2 »

mxfh wrote: post #18

A not so convincing conservative (counter) narrative that lumps up the arguably questionable nature of trigger warnings with a russian imposed nuclear doomsday scenario? That assumption that a russian bomb was merely a copy of the the American effort, spying helped it speed up, but mostly prevented costly mistakes for the soviets is just another example of american exceptionalism. Would rather watch Adam Curtis' Powe…

> A not so convincing conservative (counter) narrative that lumps up the arguably questionable nature of trigger warnings

Conservative? Can trigger warning exist without fearing something? I think the author describes evolution of fear.

Re: Fear is America’s top-selling consumer product

#27

Post by nowarninglabel »

QAPereo wrote: post #23
erikb wrote: post #5

I wanted to complain about the title not really making the right distinction, that fear is not a product but a sales method. However, the author actually understands that distinction and really talks about fear being the product. That also implies that people desire fear and that fear is produced with industrial efficiency. Interesting thought.

I don't think people crave fear, they crave stimulation. Joy is much harder to manufacture than dread, and dread makes people act in a predictable, often-profitable manner. In other words, people don't want to be bored more than anything else, and the rest is just about the most stimulating things on offer.

>Joy is much harder to manufacture than dread

Is it though? And is it just harder in our current configuration or absolutely harder no matter how resources are allocated?

I'd argue that Joy is easier/cheaper to produce, we just haven't optimized for it (yet).

Re: Fear is America’s top-selling consumer product

#28

Post by [deleted] »

erikb wrote: post #5

I wanted to complain about the title not really making the right distinction, that fear is not a product but a sales method. However, the author actually understands that distinction and really talks about fear being the product. That also implies that people desire fear and that fear is produced with industrial efficiency. Interesting thought.

[deleted]

Re: Fear is America’s top-selling consumer product

#29

Post by United857 »

amelius wrote: post #22

Also: "Fear of missing out" It's essentially what our culture seems to be based on nowadays. Thanks Facebook, thanks Google.

I'd say FOMO has been the primary technique used since the dawn of advertising. Not unique to Facebook or Google, although perhaps more prominent.

Re: Fear is America’s top-selling consumer product

#30

Post by alecco »

Playing devil's advocate, all this fear and anxiety (as @coldtea properly states) is an engine of the economic machine of the western world.

What I'd argue is that is all twisted for idiotic reasons. For example, it would be good to have fear of death used to push society towards things like cures for cancers. And anxiety used to push ourselves to reach our potential instead of seeking validation in superficial things expressed in Instagram pictures.

But we humans like the quick fix and the advertising lobby delivers. We have 50% of the blame here. Same with the unhealthy foods and drinks we take all the time.

To improve our behaviour we need incentives like most animals.

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