False Alarm: The Truth About the Epidemic of Fear - Hardcover

Siegel, Marc

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0471678694 ISBN 13: 9780471678694

Publisher: Wiley, 2005

Synopsis

Life today for citizens of the developed world is safer, easier, and healthier than for any other people in history thanks to modern medicine, science, technology, and intelligence. So why is an epidemic of fear sweeping America? The answer, according to nationally renowned health commentator Dr. Marc Siegel, is that we live in an artificially created culture of fear. In False Alarm, Siegel identifies three major catalysts of the culture of fear—government, the media, and big pharma. With fascinating, blow-by-blow analyses of the most sensational false alarms of the past few years, he shows how these fearmongers manipulate our most primitive instincts—often without our even realizing it. False Alarm shows us how to look behind the hype and hysteria, inoculate ourselves against fear tactics, and develop the emotional and intellectual skills needed to take back our lives.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

Advance Praise for False Alarm

"Marc Siegel is an articulate voice of reason in a world beset by hype and hysteria. We would be well advised to listen closely to what he has to say."
—Jerome Groopman, M.D., staff writer, The New Yorker

"A passionate aria that puts Marc Siegel center stage in the Anti-Hysteria chorus. As both an empathetic doctor and a shrewd observer of popular culture, Siegel updates that 1950s truism: watching TV can be injurious to health . . . especially if you believe the hype about imminent terrorist threats and fearsome potential epidemics. False Alarm is a color-coded burst of sanity amid the fear and frenzy of twenty-first century America."
—Walter Shapiro, author of One-Car Caravan

"A brave, insightful, and ultimately wise exposé of how the government and corporations rev up our fear to lethal levels——d istracting us from our true needs, and the needs of the world. A 'good doctor' indeed."
—Samuel Shem, M.D., author of The House of God

"In this masterful and provocative work, Dr. Marc Siegel, an accomplished physician and author, skillfully dissects our present-day culture of fearmongering. An engaging blend of science, politics, and social criticism, False Alarm—— fully supported by extensive research—— exposes how government officials, the media, and the pharmaceutical industry exploit—— and spread—— fear for profit and power. They all should be scared of this powerful book."
—David Corn, Washington editor of The Nation

"False Alarm asks an important question about threats from bioterrorism and emerging diseases: when should we be afraid? Siegel cuts through the hype about the 'deadly' this and the 'lethal' that, and applies reason in seeking the answers. Those who think for themselves will find useful guidance here."
—John M. Barry, author of The Great Influenza: The Epic Story of the Deadliest Plague in History

"Relax and put away your duct tape. In exposing the phony politics of fear, Dr. Marc Siegel proves that things aren't as bleak as they seem. The only thing to fear is fear itself."
—Bill Press, former cohost of CNN's Crossfire

From the Inside Flap:

Life today for citizens of the developed world is far safer, easier, and healthier than for any other people in history. Modern medicine has all but wiped out many diseases that once were common killers. Science and technology have given us countless devices that protect our bodies from injury, secure our property, and warn us of impending disaster. And modern intelligence gathering can pinpoint threats to our domestic security as they arise. So why is an epidemic of fear sweeping America?

The answer, according to nationally renowned health commentator Dr. Marc Siegel, is that we live in an artificially created culture of fear. From the anthrax panic to the SARS "epidemic," from "official" rumors of bioterror to Orange alerts to West Nile virus—the media continually bombard us with breaking news of yet another super-bug, terrorist plot, or natural disaster that's about to wreak havoc. Most of the time the disasters never materialize. But even if they did, the odds that any of us would suffer harm from them is infinitesimally small—especially when compared to the much greater risks of dying in a car accident or from coronary heart disease.

In False Alarm, Siegel identifies three major catalysts of the culture of fear—government, the media, and big pharma. And, with the help of fascinating, blow-by-blow analyses of some of the most sensational false alarms of the past few years, he shows how those big three fearmongers manipulate our most primitive instincts—often without our even realizing it—to promote their political agendas, boost their ratings, and sell their products.

In his role as a dedicated healer, Siegel offers his prescription for inoculating ourselves against fear tactics. He shows us how to look behind the hype and hysteria and helps us to develop the emotional and intellectual skills needed to take back our lives from fearmongers.

About this edition

• Publisher: Wiley
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0471678694
• ISBN 13: 9780471678694
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 256