America’s Culture of Fearmongering: Is Any Narrative Reliable?
By Norman Franklin
January 6 passed without incident. The Electoral College votes were submitted, counted, and certified, marking the final step in the presidential election process and paving the way for the peaceful transfer of power. This constitutional process reflects the foundation of our democratic form of government.
President-elect Trump selected his cabinet appointees and began acting as Commander-in-Chief weeks before the official results were certified. His influence extended to legislative maneuvers dictated to the Speaker of the House, shaping the character and integrity of the Republican Party.
What is less acknowledged is how his leadership has reoriented American culture. We have devolved into an information manipulation culture rather than a truth-seeking one—once built on critical thinking, shared understanding, and mutual respect.
Fearmongering and Its Impact Today, America is a nation driven by fearmongering, institutional distrust, and emotional exploitation. Immigrants are increasingly scapegoated for social ills, while disagreement on policies and legislative protocols is branded as disloyalty to party leaders.
We’ve witnessed a growing acquiescence to framing mainstream media as "fake news," with integrity vested in entertainment networks deemed the sole arbiters of truth.
For example, after the New Year’s Day violence on New Orleans’ Bourbon Street, many rushed to blame immigrants. President-elect Trump linked the incident to immigration issues, a claim echoed by Fox News Network without verifying its accuracy.
The tragedy, however, involved Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old military veteran from Texas, who drove his truck through the Bourbon Street crowd, killing 14 people and injuring numerous others.
This panic-driven media ecosystem amplifies distrust of immigrants and perpetuates an “us vs. them” narrative, laying fertile ground for myths and justification for harsh immigration policies.
Psychological and Social Implications Fearmongering’s reach extends beyond politics and public policy into the very hearts and minds of society. Aside from its apparent political utility— swaying public opinion, rallying support, and discrediting opponents—it deeply affects the psychological well-being of the populace.
Exaggerated risks exploit the human need for safety and certainty. Complex fears prompt people to accept oversimplified solutions, such as mass deportation of immigrants.
Prolonged exposure to fear-based narratives can lead to chronic anxiety, stress, and mental health issues. Sustained fear erodes trust in institutions, leaders, and social systems.
Our culture of fear primes us for a reactive "threat response system." This system leads to:
Confirmation bias: Aligning with sources that reinforce existing fears while avoiding contradictory evidence. Herd behavior: Following authority figures unquestioningly. Emotional hijacking: Fear bypasses reason, increasing impulsive decisions and diminishing critical thinking. The Grave Consequences The fearmongering, fake news culture has reframed America as a nation where institutions are discredited, media are echo chambers of disinformation, and leaders—both state and federal—abandon autonomous thinking in favor of public pressure.
As Psalm 6:9 reminds us: “For there is nothing reliable in what they say.”
The recent election campaign revealed the character of those seeking to lead. Yet, perhaps the saturation of fearmongering narratives has impaired our ability to discern facts and question the reliability of their claims.
America must reclaim its tradition of truth-seeking and critical inquiry. Only then can we challenge the corrosive culture of fear and rebuild trust in our democracy and each other.