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This puts the “state” in “state of panic.”
It’s not ghosts and ghouls that are keeping Americans up at night this Halloween. This scream season, US citizens are far more afraid of government corruption, cyberterrorism, and other real-world issues, per a spine-tingling survey by California’s Chapman University.
The so-called “annual survey of American fears” served to provide an in-depth “look at the most common fears across the country” and explore how these anxieties affect “daily life, decision-making, and emotional well-being.”
“Understanding what we’re afraid of isn’t about stoking anxiety, it’s about putting those fears into context,” according lead researcher Dr. Christopher Bader, Chair and Professor of Sociology at Chapman.
To shed light on what gives us the willies, the researchers 1,015 adult Americans on a cornucopia of common fright triggers, from sharks to heights and even identity theft.
While many of the fears seem fairly legitimate, the researchers felt that others were amplified by scare-mongering internet and media outlets.
“Often, the events that capture the most media and social media attention are rare and unusual,” Bader declared. “But because they’re highlighted so vividly and so often, they can feel like daily threats. Recognizing that difference helps us regain perspective and power over our own emotions.”
To wit, the team noted that fear of crime has been on the rise even though statistics show that the real deal has been statistically declining in recent years — a phenomenon they attribute to sensational “political and media discourse.”
For the tenth consecutive year, corrupt politicians ranked 1st on the fear countdown with a staggering 69.1 percent of participants saying they’re afraid or very afraid of this phenomenon.
This result, which coincides with the NYC mayoral race being led by democratic-socialist Zohran Mandami, comes just a year after Mayor Adams charged with five counts of Federal corruption — including bribery, fraud and soliciting illegal foreign campaign donations — before the charges were dismissed in the Spring.
Coming in second, per the survey, was “people I love becoming seriously ill” (58.9%), followed by economic or financial collapse at 58.2%.
This follows uncertainty concerning US President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariff policies with economists projecting that American consumers will shoulder 55% of tariff costs.
Cyberterrorism placed fourth (55.9 percent) while “people I love dying” and the U.S. becoming involved in another world war both tied for fifth at 55.3 percent.
Earlier this month, President Trump announced that he no longer plans to hold a second in-person summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin “in the immediate future” after Russia rejected Trump’s demand to stop the ongoing war with Ukraine along the current battle lines.
Top ten American fears
- Corrupt government officials (69.1%)
- People I love becoming seriously ill (58.9%)
- Economic or financial collapse (58.2%)
- Cyberterrorism (55.9%)
- People I love dying and U.S. becoming involved in another world war (tied at 55.3%)
- Pollution of drinking water (54.5%)
- Russia using nuclear weapons (53.7%)
- Pollution of oceans, rivers, and lakes (53.5%)
- Government tracking of personal data (52.7%)
