Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt

“Anxiety Disorders can be Debilitating.” The headline, from The Clarion-Ledger a few weeks ago, speaks volumes about the way we live our lives. Fear stops us in our tracks, making us into the proverbial deer in the headlights. Fear, whether in politics, medicine, marketing or media, can be crazy making. Pick up a paper, turn on a TV, go to the Internet; wherever you turn, someone is trying to scare you. Why? Because it works.

Afraid of food? Of course you are. Spinach was contaminated and people died. Trans-fats, found in every cookie and French fry, are so dangerous that state after state is outlawing them.

Afraid for your health? Of course you are. But if you’re unhappy, there’s a pill; if you have an allergy, here’s a spray; if you can’t get a boner, take your choice of little blue pills.

Afraid of terrorists? Of course you are. That’s why we’re fighting them “over there,” so they don’t come back “over here.” And, by the way, have you noticed that it’s “terror” itself that we’re waging war against, not just terrorists. And how can you be against fighting “terror” with everything we’ve got?

Afraid of sex? Of course you are, what with AIDS, STDs and the highest teenage pregnancy rate in the U.S. Just say no. Right. How’s it working? It’s not.

When did all of this get so out of hand? FUD (Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt) was a term coined in the ’70s to describe IBM’s fear-based marketing, which engendered fear of the competition’s product instead of confidence in IBM’s. It worked for IBM, and copywriting courses routinely teach that if you can’t inspire fear, greed or lust, you won’t inspire sales or votes. Fear is a strong motivator, and has been since we were running from saber-toothed cats on the savannah. And whether it’s in the hands of the unscrupulous or simply the overeager, we allow fear mongers to manipulate us. We’re too eager to believe statistics without considering their source or context. Overexposure magnifies every threat to frightening proportions. It’s how politicians get elected, how big pharma sells us potions for every twitch, how religion sells heaven, hell and abstinence, how activists whip us into an angry frenzy and how marketers get us to buy things we don’t need: With fear.

In an age when big business brings you most of your news along with most of the advertising, we all have to learn to better sort a little truth from a lot of sensationalism. Next time you’re angry or fearful, take a breath. Consider the facts. Is there really something to fear or has someone just punched the right buttons on your personal fear meter? Are you thinking or reacting? If you’re afraid, chances are you’re not seeing things clearly. And that’s when you’re vulnerable to being controlled. See it for what it is and you take back your power.

Or be afraid; be very afraid.