[jspark]

The nation just has become more paranoid because of certain events in the past decade.

[CamperBob2]

Yeah, imagine how paranoid we'd be if someone had used dynamite to blow up an entire school building full of kids. :(

Oh, wait, someone did, in 1927, and nobody launched a generalized war on sanity as a result.

There must be something else different.

[temaki]

Media. Back then news spread slowly.

[yoster]

It also seems bullying has grown to astronomical proportions.

[illuminate]

Hasn't changed, people are only aware of it these days.

[Daniel_Newby]

No, the paranoia and cocooning has been building much longer than that. After the wild period of 1960-1989, the pendulum has swung the other way and America is reliving the straight-laced 1950s.