Book Review

Book: Risk: The Science and Politics of Fear

Author: Dan Gardner

Publisher: McLelland & Stewart

Year: April 30^th 2008

# of pages: 395

ISBN: 978-0-7710-3299-8

Reviewed By: Katie Clancy (Calgary Correspondent)

Much has been made of the ‘culture of fear’. In Bowling for Columbine, Michael Moore discusses the culture of fear as one of the ills of society. Dan Gardner, in his book Risk: The Science and Politics of Fear, takes a different perspective. He breaks fear down, and assesses the risks. How can we not break a sweat about driving a car, and yet have a huge fear of flying when driving is actually much more dangerous? He uses a carefully constructed argument that touches in both science and economics.

Gardner starts out by discussing the caveman mind. Humans, he says, are still wired to hunt wildebeests and gather roots. Our instincts have us constantly on the lookout, because back then it was important to react quickly or suffer mortal consequences. This is tempered by our more rational minds, but the head and the gut can still be at war. According to Gardner, the quick-fire gut is often wrong, and our rational minds don’t always win against our instincts.

Economically, fear sells; drug companies, politicians and the police always have something to gain from fear. Whether it is bigger sales, being better able to trump the competition, or expanding jobs for the force, fear is big business. Of course, the biggest perpetrators of such scare tactics are often the media, in particular the news. After all, blood and guts reporting can be big news.

Gardner touches on a spectrum of societal issues and contradictions as related to fear, and each issue comes with a concrete example. One of his main themes throughout the book is the misuse of statistics by people with a point to make. While one issue may look frightening, often comparatively everyday issues are more deadly or more common in the population. By comparing such stats in a variety of ways, he is quickly able to make his point.

Ultimately, Risk is a great book for everybody to read. It gives a lot of insight into current culture from a reputed journalist, one who has obviously seen many sides of an issue. Gardner’s ultimate point is that human beings currently exist in one of the safest and most disease free periods in recorded history.

Risk should be required reading for everyone with doomsday prophecies. Get a copy to all your favourite paranoid friends. Even better, do yourself a favour and read it for a very insightful look into the way human beings process and deal with risk itself.