The Fear Trap: Why We Need a Rational Revolution

"When fear dominates, nuance and exceptions fade. Over time, this dynamic creates insular echo chambers that amplify threat narratives while filtering out contradictory evidence. What is particularly striking, and deeply concerning, is that this climate of dread is no longer confined to one group. It is now mirrored across political divides, leaving many people-regardless of affiliation-feeling powerless, overwhelmed, and chronically anxious."

"It is now mirrored across political divides, leaving many people-regardless of affiliation-feeling powerless, overwhelmed, and chronically anxious. These emotional states do not resolve fear; they worsen it. So, if "fear" is the culprit, then it's on us to try to manage our own fear better. But how? How long can we continue looking away? We can't sleepwalk through this forever."

"Prolonged exposure to fear-based messaging narrows cognitive flexibility. Fear causes "emotional reasoning," when feelings are mistaken for facts. Societies are not sustained by emotional certainty but by integrity, shared facts, and respect for the law. As a psychotherapist with over 30 years of clinical experience, I am often asked to make sense of the profound psychological divisions currently defining our national political landscape-particularly in moments when actions, such as threatening a long-standing ally like Denmark, appear to undermine international stability, diplomatic norms, and NATO principles."

Prolonged fear-based messaging reduces cognitive flexibility and encourages emotional reasoning, where feelings are treated as facts. Fear of loss, displacement, and uncertainty combined with limited exposure to diverse perspectives fosters insular echo chambers. These echo chambers amplify threat narratives while filtering contradictory evidence, spreading chronic anxiety and powerlessness across political divides. Emotional states driven by fear exacerbate rather than resolve fear. Managing individual and collective fear is necessary to preserve nuance, democratic norms, and civic stability. Societal resilience depends on integrity, shared facts, and respect for the law rather than emotional certainty.

Read at Psychology Today