I don’t meet enough people who can see both the hypocrisy and sound logic coming from both sides of the culture wars. Thank you for that.
I wouldn’t say people need to have more fear, just to look at situations realistically and place their fear where it is warranted instead of into their misinformed stories of the world that they got from social media and their echo chambers.
The people who aren’t afraid of a bear in the woods are likely the same people who are terrified that Trump is going to end America (sorry I don’t know the UK equivalent), and while it’s POSSIBLE, it’s much less likely than A BEAR RIPPING YOUR FACE OFF, and there’s also a lot more you could do to prevent the bear from ripping your face off, not take a selfie with it for one.
We don't really have a Trump equivalent. Our problem is more deeprooted in a completely out of touch and dyfunctional government, perpetually stabbing each other in the back and promising, for generations, one thing, while doing the complete opposite - partially out of malice, and partially out of sheer incompetence.
Thus, the downfall of Britain.
But yeah to your main point, maybe you're right, fear itself is not necessary, but an experience of where fear should be manifested likely is. Such as a fear of touching a hot stove - you only need to experience that once to know why!