The Competing Narratives: Empathy vs. Fear

Giving credit where credit is due: I'm watching Legion lately.  If you're into trip, smart science fiction mutant stories, I recommend it highly.  In Chapter 4, a character starts things off by explaining the following concept and I found it so truthful and preternatural that I wanted to think on it a bit.

As we are slowly indoctrinated in society, we are told two stories.

The first is that of the scrappy hero thrust into a quest of some sort.  The hero is beset by a challenge and is good at heart.  The hero goes through tests honesty, bravery and tenacity.  The hero overcomes the obstacles and learns something.

The second is that the world is dangerous and if you go out into the water, you will surely die.  If you fail to wear a helmet, you will surely die.  If you have unprotected sex, do drugs, or take a camping trip in the woods with a smart virgin, a slut and some comic relief, everyone but the virgin will most certainly die.