Profs and Pints Online presents: “The Fear Industry,” a look at the psychological and biological basis of fear and how fear is exploited by politicians and businesses, with Arash Javanbakht M.D., associate professor of psychiatry and director of the Stress, Trauma, and Anxiety Research Clinic at Wayne State University.

[This talk will remain available in recorded form at the link given here for tickets and access.]

Few people confront fear as much as Dr. Arash Javanbakht, an internationally recognized expert on all aspects of it, including its biological roots and cultural aspects. His research and clinical work focus on anxiety disorders and trauma, and the populations that he has worked with include first responders, refugees, and survivors of torture and human trafficking.

Join Dr. Javanbakht online, where’s he’ll give a crash course on why we experience fear and shed light on how our fears are exploited by politicians, the media, social-media companies, and others.

He’ll start out by discussing how fear is arguably as old as life itself, remaining deeply rooted in all living organisms over billions of years of evolution. As a result, it’s firmly part of our mental and physical makeup.

Then he’ll deliver a thought-provoking, research-based analysis of how our fear leaves us vulnerable to manipulation, especially in today’s social and political climate. It represents a way for political and religious leaders to intimidate enemies and subordinates. It encourages tribalism, by rallying us against feared others. And it keeps us frantically consuming the media and social-media products that inspire it, offering businesses a financial incentive to keep us afraid in ways that pit us against each other. Both people and algorithms are involved in encouraging our fear consumption.

Finally, Dr. Javanbakht will discuss ways in which we can overcome fear and resist fear-based manipulation, skills that if learned widely would leave our nation less divided. (Ticket: $12)

Profs & Pints Online: The Fear Industry