Pantomime of Fear!

About this episode

The episode explores the concept of fear in media and society, discussing its implications and how it affects public behavior.

In this freewheeling live session of Food For Thought Radio, I open with the show’s theme: the pantomime of fear. From Cold War doom-mongering to today’s rolling headlines, we ask who decides what “news” is and why it so often serves anxiety over insight. With a lively chat alongside, we examine hero worship and historical narratives, touch on eugenics and public health policy, and probe whether media fear is a tool to keep us distracted and divided. We veer delightfully into transport nostalgia (from smart cars and diesel locos to trolleybuses and Mustangs), practical prepping (Primus stoves, farm shops, and avoiding processed foods), and everyday commonsense like being kind, supporting local producers, and using humour as a powerful antidote to establishment pomposity. Joined by Paul (Anorak) and Patrick, we explore civil liberties, money and usury, property and inheritance, and how fear narratives—from chemtrails to nukes—shape public behaviour. We also debate modern tech (LED glare, car electronics), the decline of craftsmanship, and the importance of strong families and community morale. It’s part social critique, part pub chat, with a firm through-line: switch off the fear…

People in this episode

Host: Eric von Essex

Guests: Paul, Patrick

Topics covered

• media criticism
• fear narratives
• public health policy
• civil liberties
• community morale
• transport nostalgia

Keywords

• pantomime of fear
• Cold War
• hero worship
• eugenics
• public health
• media fear
• community
• transport nostalgia
• civil liberties

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