American Elephants

Chapman University just completed its third annual survey of American fears (2016). What are Americans scared about?  The survey came up with 65 examples of things that might be troubling the public. There’s crime, global warming, terrorism, technology, the future, health, natural disasters, spiders, public speaking, heights, ghosts. What would you guess is the top fear? What are most Americans Afraid or Very Afraid about? An important question for politicians.

In its third year, the annual Chapman University Survey of American Fears included more than 1,500 adult participants from across the nation and all walks of life. The 2016 survey data is organized into five basic categories: personal fears, conspiracy theories, terrorism, natural disasters, paranormal fears, and fear of Muslims.

The number  one fear at over 61% turned out to be “Corrupt government officials” in the basic category of government. The next one down was “Terrorist Attack” which came in at 41%, topping “Not having enough money for the future.” Interestingly, global warming just didn’t make the list at all.

Why do you thinK “Corrupt Government Officials” turned out to be the biggest fear? Is it because in this presidential campaign, corrupt behavior is so frequently mentioned? Or are people beginning to notice that government corruption is affecting their lives? Is it the FBI investigation? Or the Justice Department? We do have a long, long list of current scandals.