In Episode 22 of Occasionally Philosophical, Doug and Mark follow up on the “illusion of choice” and dig into what we call the fear machine—how fear evolved to keep us alive, and how modern media, algorithms, and institutions can amplify fear into a tool for control.

We unpack the difference between real, lived experience vs. manufactured panic, and how a constant feed of danger (crime headlines, culture-war narratives, “be afraid” advertising, surveillance paranoia) can change the way we behave—locking doors, avoiding each other, staying home, and slowly trading community for isolation.

Along the way, we talk about:

Fear as an evolutionary survival feature (and how it gets hijacked)

“If it bleeds, it leads” and why fear spreads faster than truth

The culture of fear and how media framing shapes what we’re afraid of

Surveillance, digital footprints, and the unease of “everything remembered”

Bureaucracy, rule-enforcement, and fear as social control

What a fearful society gains (predictability/control) and loses (freedom/community)

If you enjoy these conversations and want to join the conversation: drop a comment with a story/topic you want us to unpack next.