When Fear Rules

It's been a depressing week news-wise: too many examples of what humans do when they get scared: they get violent, and they jump at invisible enemies, taking out innocents in the process.

The world is much simpler when there's something we can clearly blame the badness on.  And if we take action against the blamed target, we feel like we're being productive instead of sitting back like helpless victims.

But the world isn't a simple place.  There isn't nearly always a convenient villain in the corner twirling his mustache.

From the About.com Blog:
Potential Satanist Compound Burned in Zambia
Vodouissants Murdered for Spreading Cholera
The Problems of Selectively Using Evidence