We are statistically the safest humans to have ever lived. Yet, the media inundates us with warnings and scare stories, fueling a pervasive sense of anxiety. How can this paradox exist?

In this eye-opening book, Dan Gardner explores the flawed strategies we employ to perceive risk and how they impact our lives, often with unintended and tragic outcomes. He sheds light on our obsessions with threats like paedophiles and terrorism, revealing that the most significant dangers are often the everyday risks we overlook.

By engaging with psychologists and scientists, and examining the roles of the media and politicians, Gardner unravels a central puzzle of our time: Why do the safest people in history live in a culture of fear?