The vicious cycle of fear and anger — and how it traps society

17/01/2025 29 min
The vicious cycle of fear and anger — and how it traps society

Listen "The vicious cycle of fear and anger — and how it traps society"

Episode Synopsis


Authoritarians rule through fear. We can clearly see that from China to the Middle East to eastern Europe. But why do we constantly overlook the way in which fear also shapes democratic societies? It's fueling populism and distorting our future focus. Then there's anger. It's inspired generations to man the barricades and right society's wrongs. But anger is increasingly becoming a driver of commerce. There's billions to be made in getting you riled up and keeping you that way. Fear fuels anger, and anger blinds you to recognise that your fear might be misguided. A truly vicious cycle.GuestsErika Ferszt – Owner, founder and lead-consultant, Scintillate Brand ConsultingProfessor Jennifer Lerner – Public Policy, Management and Decision Science, Harvard UniversityProfessor Robert Peckham – historian and Fellow at the Royal Historical Society, LondonMargot Faraci – Global leadership expertFurther informationRobert Peckham – Fear: An Alternative History of the World Margot Faraci - Love Leadership Survey