Is Fear the Worst Viral Epidemic?

Check out the student guide that you can use with this post.

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What is the biggest motivating factor in your life? Do you find that negative consequences or positive rewards are more effective when helping you make choices? Can you remember a period in American history (prior to 2020), in which there were significant economic consequences to individuals? Today, Americans, and individuals throughout the global economy have found fear as a motivating factor to help them make decisions about what to do with money they have invested in the stock market. What global event (in the first few months of 2020) has caused individuals to fear the risk of investing their money in the stock market?

​Take a look at the “Cartoons for the Classroom: Is fear the worst viral epidemic?” What do you see in the cartoon (by Dave Whamond) in the upper left hand part of the page? What do you think is happening? What do you wonder?

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How may this cartoon show what is happening in the American or global marketplace? Behavioral Economist Daniel Kahneman provides a quote for  the Between the Lines,  in which he states: "The world in our heads is not a precise replica of reality. Our expectations . . . are distorted by the prevalence and emotional intensity of the messages to which we are exposed."

1. Rewrite a phrase or part of the quote that stands out to you the most.
2. Using the whole quote, what message does Kahneman try to convey? ​
   
3. Do you agree with the Between the lines quote? Why or why not?
   

In the bottom right side of the article, John Darkow has created a black and white cartoon to provide an idea of what is going on in “The Market.”

1. Looking at the sketch, what do you see?
2. What do you think is portrayed? 
3. What do you wonder? 
4. A bull is labeled “The Market,” what market is he referring to? How do you know? 
5. What is the consequence to the “freakout” mentioned by the CDC?
   

Why do you think human emotion affects the decisions people make with their money? What types of people are more willing to take “possible risks” and ignore the widespread fear of the public? What may be the best solution for the recovery of the global market when there is widespread fear? (What kinds of wise economic decisions must be made?)