FEAR FACTOR

West in midst of 'irrational fear' epidemic

We humans -- especially those in the Western world -- have never been healthier or freer from risk.
Yet according to Canadian author Dan Gardner, the Western world is in the midst of an epidemic of irrational fear.
The Canadian journalist has just published his book Risk: The Science and Politics Of Fear, in which he describes the growth of an unreasoning fear in all countries in the Western world and warns that this fear is causing us to make foolish, and at times, deadly decisions when we deal with everyday risks.