Fear is defined as an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat. In our own lives we see that once the idea that something is dangerous or a threat is sensed, the emotion of fear is quickly enhanced and spread to others. In the book, Hater, David Moody argues that the observation of others, being exposed to violence, and the media easily trigger the abstract emotion of fear to spread throughout civilization. Our observation of others that surround us often affects our emotions and how we act. When Danny was in public surrounded by other frightened people, David Moody was able to represent how fear spread from person to person within the town. For example, when Danny…show more content… In our everyday lives, the media is how we get the majority, if not all, of our information from, whether it is from social media or television. In Hater, the media, such as the television broadcasts, were the main way the public was informed about the situation. The television broadcasts showed the public that the violence was not just in their town, but other places as well. This caused even more fear to spread throughout the citizens and even increased the intensity of it as well. For example, as the amount of killings increased and the situation worsened, the reports on the television broadcasts got shorter and to the point. Eventually, all that was left on the news was a black screen that read, “Remain calm. Do not panic. Take shelter. Wait for further instructions. The situation is under control.” This caused Danny and his family to become very fearful as they no longer felt safe and did not know what was going on. As shown, the media is a very powerful factor in spreading fear because it is the fastest way to spread news.
Throughout the book Hater, David Moody argues that fear is an abstract emotion that can easily be triggered to spread throughout civilization by people’s observations of others, being exposed to violence, and the media. Not only does fear grow immensely by these three factors, but also it shows just how easily it can be triggered to spread. We often mimic others’ emotions, become fearful of violent situations and our emotions are easily affected by the information the media gives us. It is clear that fear can be a toxic emotion that affects everyone and is easily spread throughout civilization when a crisis
