Why has the question of whether crime has increased or decreased created so many extreme responses? "You become what you give your attention to," according to the ancient Greek philosopher, Epictetus. With so many places seeking attention - often using extreme rhetoric to attraction that attention - it might not be surprising that the individual's personal identity is strained. News feeds yell "Breaking News" and others report "This Just In," causing one’s attention and brain to work overtime to discern this or that new risk, thus furthering the confusion and anxiety that have become commonplace today. What does a hypervigilant brain do to the individual’s mental stability?
An examination of the struggle between the emotional and the reasonable parts of the brain and why hyperbolic rhetoric might get more extreme from here.