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dominance of psychology and the process of secularisation weakened its
moral dimension. Fear became a health and public welfare issue and it was
pushed back into the field of psychology (Fiiredi 2018).
In contrast, according to Anthony Giddens (1994), the world underwent
a moral renewal in the 20" century, and for the first time in history we
can speak about universal values. These so-called universal values rest on
the heuristics of fear, on the perceived or real threats that humanity has
created for itself. Therefore, we can witness a negative utopia, which is based
upon the perception of bad things. The lack of positive emotions, such as
courage, perseverance, hope, love, and solidarity, created a fear-based, negative
authority concept.
Based on the above, we can argue that the politics of fear has become
dominant in recent years and the difference between left and right have almost
completely faded. Frank Fiiredi explains this phenomenon with the decline
of political rhetoric, which reflects the current state of society: its inability
to form a comprehensive, positive vision of its future.
At the same time, left and right as ideological categories have also eroded,
as the modern society is ‘froze’ into the present. People have often moved
away from the values and traditions of the past, and this deprives the political
right from those elements which would actually be its essence. However, the
political left is not in a better condition, either. The left should be the engine
of progression and change, but since it has simply lost its faith in a better
future, it cannot provide the positive image for it.
In fact, according to Füredi, the political spectrum as a whole speaks the
same language. It essentially predetermines for society what and how to fear.
Although the subject of fear may change - while the right scares mainly
with refugees, immigrants, and crime, the left uses unemployment rates,
environmental disasters, and the right itself as means for creating fear - the
basic intention remains the same (Füredi 2005).
FEAR AND IDENTITY FORMATION
When fears become self-sufficient and self-fulfilling, they define the entire
emotional climate (De Rivera 1992; De Rivera and Paez 2007). Emotional
climate is a long-lasting condition that shows not only how the members of
society feel or behave, but also how people relate to each other, e.g. they care
about each other, or they are afraid of each other.
Emotional climate therefore is not simply the sum of individual emotions.
The concept can include all of those emotional components that can shape
and maintain group identity and the rules of group behaviour. Just as personal
emotions help preserve one’s personal identity and value system, the emotional
climate of fear can contribute to maintaining the cultural identity and the
political unity of the nation.