State of Fear

by Michael Crichton | Mystery & Thrillers |
ISBN: 0066214130 Global Overview for this book
Registered by pammykn of Decatur, Alabama USA on 2/11/2005
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2 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by pammykn from Decatur, Alabama USA on Friday, February 11, 2005
Pre-numbered label used for registration.

Journal Entry 2 by rem_THK-795888 on Friday, March 25, 2005
Thank you so much pammykn!!! I am sure I am going to enjoy this quite a bit ... I love Crichton and apparently this is a techno-thriller so I get a nice double does of pleasure!

Journal Entry 3 by rem_THK-795888 on Sunday, March 27, 2005
First, I must thank you pammykn. This has to be one of the best Crichton books I've read. I not only enjoyed it from a reading standpoint, I learned a lot about the environment and about myself too.

This book affected me even though it is a scientific thriller (as most of Crichton's books are). I found myself feeling very much like the main character in the book -- adamant that the world environment was in danger from humans. Yet, when confronted with data that opposed that world view, I was resistant in believing it. I mean, really, of course global warming exists. I was, however, swayed much quicker than the main character (assuming that the facts stated were true). I wasn't a third way through the book before I told myself I needed to find out about the actual facts.

Those thoughts came from the person inside me that does most of the thinking. But there's another person inside of me that has often questioned myself and my "depression" over the world. I wonder, many times, if this isn't just the way it is supposed to be? That even if we are doing things to the environment, that it will cope? It has coped with all other animals and it will cope with us. The sadness I think comes from being conscious enough to see how beautiful the world is and at the same time see how horrible it is ... for our brains, we have to qualify the is. It is never just as it "is".

Back to the story and my thoughts. I was glad that Crichton gave us the actual facts in the back of the book because I was wondering at the accuracy of what I had read in the story. And I do agree with what he thinks should be done ... in particular I'm all for scientists doing research without knowing where the money is coming from and managing the environment outside of politics. I also think that we can do our part now to reduce obvious effects to the environment -- car pollution, cities getting hotter, massive deforestation, garbage disposal, wasting of water on lawns and other such things, and over pollution of water and grounds. Conservation, in general, of all resources, is likely prudent.

Another point of the book and where the title comes from, is the state of fear we live in. People do seem to be scared of everything. Fear is controlling. Fear feeds upon itself. Fear has been used by many to control others. In fact, we raise our kids that way. To fear us. I think its inherent and it's a natural part of us. Fear keeps us alive. Fear keeps us alert. We should be wise to the world, but we shouldn't live in fear of everything and, in the end, end up not living. In the book, fear was being used by the environmental conglomerates to raise money and lots of it. Misinformation was used to continue the fear. Information was tweaked so that it would prove the point and garner more donations. There was a small portion of the book that went into why we were in fear at all times and I would like to know more about that. Michael Moore had stated the same thought although a bit different theory in Bowling for Columbine. We are tremendously scared of all things.

I suffer from panic disorder so it's hard for me to say "hey don't fear things". But I seem not to fear the same things others do ... I'm not scared that dirty things will make me sick, or of germs, or of sick people, or of being abducted, or being randomly killed, or my id being stolen, or my credit cards being stolen, or the person who knocks on the front door, or my computer being infiltrated, or a huge number of other things that people randonly worry about. There's nothing wrong with being alert. Living in fear of these things I mentioned seems useless. Being aware of your surroundings and potentially dangerous situations seems prudent. I think there is a big difference between those two things.

I'm very glad I read the book.

Journal Entry 4 by rem_THK-795888 at Federal Highway and Spanish River in Boca Raton, Florida USA on Saturday, April 16, 2005

Released 18 yrs ago (4/16/2005 UTC) at Federal Highway and Spanish River in Boca Raton, Florida USA

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Northeast corner at Bank of America drive-up ATM. On top of the deposit envelope box.

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