of moral panic (minimum of 300 words)
Moral panic is a term used to describe a state of intense public anxiety and alarm about a perceived threat to a particular set of social conventions It is usually caused by the exaggerated and sensationalized news media coverage of an event, or a perceived threat to the safety of the public This coverage often creates a false sense of urgency and fear, leading to reactions from the public, law enforcement, and even politicians that are often out of proportion to the actual threat posed by the event.
Moral panics can occur around a variety of issues, ranging from threats to public safety to cultural values and norms. Examples of moral panics include both contemporary issues, such as the fear of terrorism in the post-9/11 world, as well as historical issues, such as medieval fear of witchcraft. Here are five of the best examples of moral panics throughout history.
1. The Salem Witch Trials: The most famous example of moral panic in history is undoubtedly the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. The trials were brought about in part by a panic over perceived threats of witchcraft and black magic, leading to the prosecution and execution of twenty innocent people accused of being witches.
2. The Red Scare: The Red Scare of the late 1940s and early 1950s was caused by a fear of communism in the United States. This fear led to a wave of anti-communist witch hunts, where public figures and government workers were accused of being communists and subjected to intense scrutiny.
3. The Panic Over AIDS: In the early stages of the AIDS crisis, there was a wave of public hysteria and fear around the disease. A culture of blame and stigma grew up around those who contracted the disease, leading to discrimination and even violence against people with AIDS.
4. The Satanic Panic: The Satanic Panic of the 1980s was a wave of fear and hysteria that swept across America, focused specifically on allegations of Satanic ritual abuse and child abduction. These allegations generated a wave of media coverage and led to numerous false convictions before the panic subsided.
5. The Fear of Terrorism: In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, a wave of fear swept the country, leading to increased surveillance, increased restrictions on civil liberties, and even military interventions in other countries. The Patriot Act is a lasting legacy of this moral panic.