Using Fear For Profit And Gain
Recently the discussion on this blog has led to a look at how fear is used for gain or profit by companies and even governments. So I wanted to take a look at that.
1. Newspapers and Television News: The traditional news media seem to get a free ride from the general public when it comes to covering news and how they make money. I don’t think they deserve a better break, especially since major corporations have bought up so many newspapers in blocks.
News today is corporate. Corporations are only concerned about their bottom line. They ignore news that won’t increase their bottom line or further their own agendas. Look at Fox News for the agenda issue. Do you really think that these corporations that own nes stations would not hold back a news story that will adversely affect their bottom line or agenda?
Newspapers and television news shows DO profit from fear. The old saying, “If it bleeds, it leads”, applies here. They show whatever the most people will watch just as networks do when it comes to entertainment. News is no different. It has become entertainment and they make a good profit from that entertainment.
2. Alarm Companies and Security Firms: These companies routinely put out crime statistics and other information that sways people to believe their services are crucial to their safety. These companies are correct. They use real stories and statistics. But isn’t that using fear to promote their products and services?
3. Insurance Companies: There may not be a better example of how companies use fear to promote their services. You may see a cute lizard or a caveman on their commercials on tv, but do you remember the last conversation you had with an insurance salesman? He or she uses fear to get you to buy a larger policy than you probably need.
4. Hitler: No, not a company, but this lunatic was an expert at selling himself based on fear. He made the entire public believe that they were in danger from everyone, especially the jews. Their were people reporting their neighbors for suspicious activity. People were reported just for being jewish because Hitler made them fear the jews. Making people fear others sold them on following Hitler to protect them. The government was able to use wiretaps, bugging, torture, and start wars by selling fear to it’s own people.
5. George Bush: See #4 above. Replace Jews with Terrorists.
