Why are people so paranoid?

Any little problem and it's some conspiracy. The right thinks Obama is a Kenyan Marxist Muslim Nazi. The left thinks gorge Bush planned 9/11. We had the swine flue paranoia, alien paranoia, the red scare, terrorist paranoia, bird flu paranoia, NWO paranoia, and now nuclear paranoia V.2. Am I the only one pissed off at humanity about how easy it is whipped up into a frenzy, and blows things way out of proportion?