Don T Panic About Moral Panic

In his article “Moral Panic: Who Benefits from Public Fear?” Dr. Scott Bonn provides in-depth information that explains the reasons for the actions and behaviors of the general public during times of crises. This perspective is embodied in Uncle Matt, the main character in George Saunders’ short story, The Red Bow. Although not directly related, the writings are intricately woven into each other as if they are written by the same author, with one piece being examined and explained by the other. In the following paragraphs, we will visit each writing, and analyze them both in an interfacing manner. Ultimately, we will incorporate how they relate to real life events.

Moral panic is “a condition, episode, person or group of persons emerges to become defined as a threat to societal values and interests and its nature is presented in a stylized and stereotypical fashion by the mass media; the moral barricades are manned by editors, bishops, politicians and other right-thinking people; socially accredited experts pronounce their diagnoses and solutions; ways of coping are evolved or resorted to; the condition then disappears, submerges or deteriorates and becomes more visible” (Cohen, 1973, p.9). This means moral panic is an exaggeration or distortion of some perceived deviant behaviour by the media. In contemporary context, moral panics are not just one-off events, “it is their reappearance that confirms their status as moral disturbances of any significant order” (Marsh and Melville, 2011, p.7). Basically moral panics are social issues that relate to real fears about a particular behaviour such as paedophilia due to the exaggeration of media influence.

In the controversial essay, which was first published in the November 1964 issue of Harper’s Magazine, “The Paranoid Style in American Politics,” Richard Hofstadter argues how the prevalence of paranoia in American politics has dominated the country. Hofstadter asserts American politics have been governed by paranoia since the creation of the United States, and it has manifested itself into the minds of both average and intellectuals Americans. He contends that paranoia has played a pivotal role in American politics by fostering fear in citizens regarding issues such as gender, ethnicity, race, and religion—and proclaims the reason fear is heightened in citizens has more to do with the style in which panic is spread than any other factor. Furthermore, the author claims the sole issue dictating American politics is not simply paranoia, but rather a problem internationally caused, primarily, through misconceptions and false imaginations. Hofstadter also explores the affiliation paranoia has to power, to corruption, and to the government. Additionally, he examines the reasoning behind many skeptics and paranoids in the country today and describes the techniques with which they spread panic and hysteria, through methods such as books, speeches, and media. “The Paranoid Style in American Politics,” by Richard Hofstadter, demonstrates the critical role paranoia plays in dictating American politics through the utilization of academic diction, anecdotal evidence, logical appeals, an explanatory tone, and chronological organization.

Moral panic What is moral panic? Moral panic is a form of collective behaviour that from one day to the other considers a certain group of people dangerous. The reasons might vary from fake rumours to real (exaggerated) facts. The period of a moral panic usually ends with social actions either in form of attacking the "other" (in the case of a Satanic Ritual) or in changing the law (pornography on the Internet).

In human societies there will always be issues or problems that occur which cause some form of reaction from those who feel that their values or societal equilibrium is being threatened. Stanley Cohen and Jock Young led the way in explaining the notion of moral panics and how they are formed and their consequences on society. There have been numerous of these moral phenomena over the years, which have gripped society in a vice lock of terror and more often than not, ignorance. This essay will discuss the concept of the moral panic and look at the case of HIV/AIDS which caused a huge conflict of morality within society. This essay will also analyse the failings of health organisations, politicians, and the

Since the early-2010s, debate around the sexualisation of children has instigated much social alarm. A number of media articles (Cameron 2010; Critchley 2009; Doherty 2011; Kermond 2012, Jones & Cuneo 2009; Snow 2013; Tuohy 2012) have depicted the sexualisation of children as a prevailing social matter which accentuate concepts represented in moral panic discourse. In everyday practices of reporting public and social events, moral panic frequently becomes elicited by society’s mass mediated exaggeration of certain social events. What becomes apparent from Critcher’s work (2003), is how understandings of public incidents become portrayed as concerning through socially constructed and distorted notions of panic which become widely adopted views. As Cohen (1972) suggests, moral panic becomes a state of panic through the encouragement of important social agents which believe that an ideological perspective is threatened or endangered by a particular view. Thereby to accentuate these notions using moral panic discourse, this essay will investigate whether representations of sexualised children constitute a moral panic contrived by mediated distortions or is truly a concerning societal issue through an analysis of the processual and attributional model (Critcher 2003). Drawing on both discursive models of moral panic will allow a thorough investigation of the catalysts for moral panic involving the sexualisation of children. This paper will demonstrate how moral panic discourse

Robinson emphasizes some her argument on employing logical persuasion to counteract her shortcomings in credibility. It’s frequent that events in history can repeat themselves, and understanding the implications of past actions helps to prevent future mistakes. Fear is an emotion that is, in our society today, unavoidable. Yet, this is precisely what creates an atmosphere of political or social unrest within the nation and abroad. Because, it serves as a tool by which ideas can be spread or perhaps forced down upon those easily convinced. She cites guns as being a prime example of this case, saying: “gun sales stimulate gun sales,” and “when people see weapons, they have every reason on earth to fear the worst” (4 Robinson). Fear is better described as being ‘contagious’. As the threat of violence, for example, increases, the perceived need for violence in retaliation increases. The logical response

In conclusion, political leaders across the world are often noted for their accomplishments during times of crisis in the minds of the people and within the books written about such events. Although political leaders must have certain skills and abilities in order to fulfill the tasks given to them once they enter office, those skills are simply tools to be used against the challenges faced. How political leaders face the challenges and how the challenge is initially solved, such as how they benefit the people at large by their actions, is what they are remembered the most

A moral panic is the public’s response to problems that seem threatening to the society. Moral panics are used by the media, however people are likely to panic out of proportion due the way it is upheld.

The third influence is the conflict between government officials, and individual choices. Citizens tend to want to help the ones in danger or in need no matter the consequences, while government officials tend to try to secure their re-election by using the money and resources provided to the best of their ability. Before any government agency can begin to provide assistance, the President must declare a natural disaster, which is usually delayed.

Challenge: Select and describe a “moral panic” against a perceived deviance. Analyse the role of the “moral entrepreneur” and “folk devil” in your selected case. Finally, explicate what it demonstrates about individuals and their socialization. (Length: 2 000 words)

In the article, “Moral Panics: Culture, Politics, and Social Construction” by Erich Goode and Nachman Ben-Yehuda, the authors explore the meanings behind moral panics, what contributing factors ignite the panics, who or what may be the cause of moral panics and so forth all while with providing interesting examples. They also propose five criterias that goes into defining moral panics which are; concern, hostility, consensus, dispositionality and volatility. Concern is regarding a measurable or manifested heightened level of

Moral panics do not occur spontaneously, they are a result of an intricate interplay of behaviours and responses (Muzzatti & Rothe, 2004: 329). The media and moral entrepreneurs often tend to stir up the general public in defining deviant behaviour (Becker, 1963: 147). Subsequently, President Bush can be labelled as a moral entrepreneur, owing to his actions and ideals after the 9/11 attack.

Michael Tonry in his book “Thinking About Crime” brings up the subject of moral panics (pg 86). A moral panic as defined by Stuart Hall is as follows

Unexpected events are most often the moments that teach us the most about ourselves. August 31st, 2016 at 1:23 PM was no different. A fellow student in my french class was sitting next to me when his body started to go into seizure. Being the first to react, my instincts kicked in, and I immediately called for the nurse and rushed to hold his head in aide. Upon help’s arrival was when I stepped back and realized the severity of the situation. Looking back on the life threatening experience, I have come to acknowledge my quick-thinking under pressure. I believe that my ability to resist panicking would benefit me and allow me to thrive on a campus as large as Penn State. In accordance with the previously mentioned, the level of stress that I