What are the most common fears and phobias that people have today? Most of us can relate to having a healthy fear of sharks or getting sweaty palms at the idea of being stuck in a tiny space. It’s also pretty socially acceptable for someone to opt out of bungee jumping, or for a fellow aeroplane passenger to need a few deep breaths to calm themselves before takeoff.

Then of course there’s the fear of public speaking - which we all fear more than death, right? Maybe not… This claim seems to link back to a publication from 1977 called The Book of Lists, which in turn cites the London Times… which in turn references the 1973 Burskin Report. This claims that 41 per cent of people feared speaking before a group, whereas only 19 per cent feared death.

But is it really true?

CHAPTERS:

00:00 The fear of public speaking
05:29 Defining fear and phobia
10:24 Research findings: 1977 Book of Lists
13:04 The fear of heights and deep water
15:29 Top 10 Fears in America
16:31 White Supremacists and High Medical Bills
18:02 Fear of Ghosts and Zombies
20:49 Australia’s fears: Social Phobias and Agoraphobia
22:22 Fear of Swooping Magpies
26:26 The Boring Apocalypse
28:28 What’s next on the Wholesome Show

PREVIOUS EPISODES MENTIONED:

Mary Shelley, Taphophobia and Life-Preserving Coffins

SOURCES:

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Episode description

What scares people these days and where does your phobia rank?

Episode description