Well, I got my license in the early 1990s and have owned airplanes since the mid-90s. Flying was perceived as dangerous then too, but that didn’t stop me. I was a kid of the 1960s with astronauts and Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey”. I wanted to be an astronaut/pilot. When I was finally able to afford it, I got my license. I have always reviewed accident reports as part of my “practice” to stay current, learn things, and not become complacent. Over the years it’s become clear, as the Led Zeppelin put it, the song remains the same. People become complacent, make mistakes, or are just very unlucky. There are a few yahoos (e.g., a recent accident in Watsonville), but mostly accidents are avoidable with some mindfulness, common sense, and professionalism.
With respect to internet story saturation, and “new” pilot fears, I think it’s just the latest 21st century fad. Recall that before GPS finding the destination airport could be an adventure. When I was a student my CFI would hit me with a rolled-up chart if I was looking at the gauges too much. With all the new flight simulators and gadgets I image that problem has only gotten worse.
The upshot is, if you really have a burning desire to fly, nothing will stop you. If anything, cost is probably the biggest roadblock for most folks as it was for me.
BTW, thanks for the great articles.