It reminds me of when we visit my father in law. He has the news going almost all day & has a distorted opinion on everyone & everything.

It's not just fear being used in this instance, there's guilt being applied as well. You need to recycle harder, you're not doing enough.

If people buy into the lies that are being fed to them, they're forced into a state of learned helplessness. They then need to either play the role of victim or judge. It's completely disempowering.

In this state, they'll cheer on whatever authoritarian measures are imposed upon them if it means bob nextdoor is forced to recycle too.