The study of fear (especially, culture of fear), and fearism-t are all part of an essential course in "Security" and State politics which cannot be denied. This new film by Irving Stone (2016) on the choices made by Ed Snowden, a top security worker for NSA, CIA, etc., is a must watch to see how the "culture of fear" has infiltrated what otherwise are essential parts of our society--that is healthy security (defense) systems.
How do security systems stay healthy? One is they depend on healthy and "fearless" workers within them to be whistleblowers like Snowden, when the ethical imperative is required. I do believe inside whistleblowers need legal and other supportive protections in all aspects of society and in all institutions, communities, you name it. Those who are willing to risk it all to tell the truth, from the inside of complex systems. Then, secondly, we need institutional policies that counter-fearism-t (i.e., fearlessnessness)--here, is where I would love to be more involved in assisting this transformation of organizational cultures and undermining the politics of fear that pollutes the best intentions into shadow ('evil'). History is full of these examples which the Nuremberg Trials after Nazi Germany (WWII) exemplified corruption ("banality of evil" as Hannah Arendt named it) in fascist and totalitarian states/systems--and, even in ones that say they are "democracies."
Oh, btw Snowden is living in exile in USSR under protection from that gov't... and, has had his US citizenship revoked, and if he steps outside the USSR he will be charged and likely imprisoned for a long time under the Espionage Act. He says in the film he would return to be an American, he still loves his country, but he saw such abuses not being honestly dealt with in the Intelligence Community and that's why he leaked top secret documents to the press.
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