“Good Night, and Good Luck is George Clooney’s warning to today’s post-9/11 YouTube culture that civil liberties and rights can slip away with mass hysteria”
- (Caulfield, 2007).
George Clooney’s Good Night, and Good Luck (2005) is a huge alert and warning to todays post terrorist attack (of the Twin Towers in 2001) society, in which civil liberties and human rights of each and any person can slip away as an effect of mass hysteria. The core of Clooney’s approach is the idea that sometimes journalists need to go beyond simple and exact reporting and offer some more in-depth interpretations on current affairs. He stresses the tensions caused by post-war paranoia and threats made against a country through his portrayal of the acting and characterisations,
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George Clooney has shown the fear and paranoia that surrounds McCarthyism and all that Senator Joe McCarthy stood for, during his time of (so-called) power. The acting and characterisations in the film steer the point of fear and paranoia to show the actual feelings and emotions of people during this period of time. The uninviting, distant and desperate expressions of the characters when reporting on See It Now convey this very idea. The pronounced and dramatic acting from the characters in the film is abundant with extended eye contact and strong delivery of the lines, which are combined on the news show to describe and clarify the fear of McCarthy and his impact on society. The reason of fear of McCarthy was that he was accusing people of being communist, having communist connections and being communist sympathisers. This was not a good look to have and was frowned upon if these accusations became true. The film successfully demonstrates the overwhelming fear of the employees of the CBS television broadcasting company being accused as communist sympathisers. Whilst the film was produced in 2005, it is shown in black and white as a way of relating it back to the period of McCarthyism; making it seem as though it was actually of that …show more content…
Mass hysteria is defined as an imagined or assumed threat that causes physical symptoms among a large number of people. It’s a fear that grips a large group of people because of a potential danger to the well being of their society. This is a short-term event that may or may not have one specific cause and sometimes, there is no real explanation for why it happens; it just does (Study.com, 2015). In particular, the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers created an enormous amount of hysteria in the United States and around the world. Shortly after the incident, the whole world had come to know about the terrible tragedy; it had spread across to every nation. This occurrence led to a crazed population with fear and paranoia running rampant through their minds. America, as well as other countries, fell into such a state of paranoia and fear of more terrorist attacks that their trust started to shatter. They began to crack down in airports with security searches, looking for in particular, people with Middle Eastern features, for the possibility that they were terrorists. As a result of the Twin Towers incident, countries all around the world became frightful of what could possibly happen to them, leading them into what its called as mass
During the late 1940s and the early 1950s, the thought of communism instilled fear within many Americans because it was portrayed in such a way that confined diversity and corroded political culture. This fear of communism was nicknamed the “Red Scare” and was fed by Joseph McCarthy’s accusations of hidden communist in the country. The Manchurian Candidate was a black-and-white American film released in 1962 that depicted the Cold War and the effects that paranoia had on the nation. It was released at the peak of the Cuban Missile Crisis and the spread of communism. This film was about Raymond Shaw, the son of a right-wing political family, who was brainwashed to act as an assassin for his mother in a communist conspiracy theory. Major Bennet (Ben) Marco was another main character that played an important role in discovering the truth of Shaw’s brainwashing. Raymond Shaw faced the conflict of acting upon his free will while still being subconsciously manipulated by someone else. Throughout the film, Shaw was shown committing actions that he does not recall whatsoever later due to his programming which was triggered by the Queen of Diamonds playing card. Through the use of film techniques, The Manchurian Candidate creates a scenario which resembles the manifestation of America’s “Red Scare” paranoia in that the film portrays Raymond Shaw as an individual who lacks human agency due to his brainwashing because of a communist conspiracy.
During the late 1940s and the early 1950s, the thought of communism instilled fear within many Americans because it was portrayed in such a way that confined diversity and corroded political culture while the United States was supposed to be the land of the free. This fear of communism was nicknamed the “Red Scare” and was fed by Joseph McCarthy’s accusations of hidden communist in the country. The Manchurian Candidate was a black-and-white American film released in 1962 that depicted the Cold War and the affects of that paranoia had on the nation. It was released at the peak of the Cuban Missile Crisis and the spread of communism. This film was about Raymond Shaw, the son of a right-wing political family, who was brainwashed to act as an assassin
Le Rory, NY is a small town in upstate New York and in 2012 a "mysterious illness" stuck teenagers in the town. This "mysterious illness" was allegedly some sort of tourette's. Tourette's is a neurological disorder involving repeated involuntary movements, and tics ( U.S. Nat'l Library of Medicine). However tourette's is not contagious, and people in the town of LeRory were having the same symptoms as others. Neurologists were baffled and, the town became furious. The townspeople started to blame the high school for not being able to stop this. Parents stated to feel as if their children were not safe in the school. This is an example of mass hysteria, mass hysteria is a condition affecting a group of persons, characterized by excitement or
36). They also characterized moral panics using the following five features: “Concern”, “Hostility”, “Consensus”, “Disproportionality”, and “Volatility”, which typically occur sequentially. Moral panic itself is defined by Cohen as when “a condition, episode, person or group of persons emerges to become defined as a threat to societal values and interests” (Burns and Crawford, 1999, p. 148). The subject and duration of a moral panic varies. It may be new or it can be something that has existed for a while but only for a certain time is it seen to be problematic. It can suddenly appear then quickly disappear or it may produce noticeable differences in law or in society (Burns and Crawford, 1999, p. 148). It can be proven both, the Burns and Crawford article entitled “School Shootings, the Media and Public Fear: Ingredients for a Moral Panic,” and the Brezina and Phipps article entitled “False News Reports, Folk Devils and the Role of Public Officials: Notes on the Social Construction of Law and Order in the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.” fully demonstrate the social reaction to the event they are describing meets the definition of a “moral panic” according to the definition by Cohen (Burns and Crawford, 1999, p. 148) and Goode and Ben-Yehuda’s five features (Steeves and Milford,
In Good Night and Good Luck why was McCarthy accusing everyone who opposed him of communism? Was he doing it for publicity? Why was the director making the characters smoke when they don't like smoking? Was it to help get his vision across. The usage of actual
A term coined in the 1950s, McCarthyism is the general act of making accusations of treason or subversion without proper regard for evidence. Both Arthur Miller’s The Crucible and George Clooney’s Good Night, and Good Luck explore the theme of McCarthyism through numerous ways using conventions of their text types: respectively a play and a film. Each through characterisation and symbolism, as well as individually through the plays title and narrative style, and the films editing, camera techniques and sound track, the texts delve into the subject constructively through their own unique methods.
The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2011 prompted the world to reevaluate and drastically modify airport and airline security. “Four targets had been chosen, all iconic American buildings that would send a clear message of the depth of their hatred for the United States. All four planes crashed, killing all on board—terrorists, crew members, and passengers, along with hundreds who were killed inside the structures, on the ground, and the men and women who ran into collapsing buildings in an effort to try and save others” (Smutz 1). As Jason Villemez said “the decade after the 9/11 attacks reshaped many facets of life in America” (Villemez 1). Before the attacks, people did not think that large scale hostility towards innocent people in
Even though he may seem outspoken in his approach, Murrow proves a valid point as he reveals the error in McCarthy’s thinking as he falsely accuses Radulovich of being a Communist. Due to lack of solid evidence, McCarthy has no stance while accusing Radulovich. Though his sister’s political leanings suggest Communism, Radulovich can only speak for himself and not his sister. (Clooney) Labeling Radulovich a communist, solely based on his family’s alliances is synonymous with claiming that Murrow is a Communist due to his membership in a leftist union. It seems like McCarthy is on a “witch-hunt” of sorts, out to call out anyone who goes against the government or spoke ill of government practices. McCarthy orders the interrogation of Pentagon communication worker Annie Lee Moss, solely based on her name appearing on a blacklist.
“Over 127,000 United States citizens were imprisoned during World War II. Their crime? Being of Japanese ancestry”(History par.1) all because people were scared which is a form of mass hysteria. Mass Hysteria is the cause of many panics across the world such as in Le Roy High School in New York where multiple girls suffered a twitch disorder much like tourettes and then in Tanzania when villages west of Lake Victoria experienced an epidemic of laughing and crying. Similar outbreaks have been reported in schools in europe and the US”(Waller par. 2). Most cases of mass hysteria all have different causes and there are three which are most common. Throughout history, mass hysteria has been caused by fear, attention and rumors, and even a psychic contagion.
Mass hysteria is a phenomenon that transmits collective allusions of threats through a population in society as a result of rumors and fear. The Crucible by Arthur Miller accurately portrays mass hysteria that took place during the Salem witch trials of 1692. People were accused based on revenge or other malicious motives and to make the situation worse, nothing about the trials was logical. After a few people were accused, fear set into the town and everyone was viewed as a witch until proven innocent. Mass hysteria not only happened during the Salem witch trials, but right after the Twin Towers fell on September 11, 2001 as well. Mass hysteria ties into both the accusations made in The Crucible and the islamophobia that set in after 9/11.
September 11. 2001 was a major turning point in American History, and its political and social impact can still be felt today. The tragic event shook the entire country on the civilian and federal level. Before 9/11 many did not think that a plan of terrorism such as that of Osama Bin Laden's would be able to come to fruition because they had great trust in American security. The destruction came as a wakeup call to the federal government and American citizens themselves. National Security became the first thing people thought of when they traveled, and civilians looked to the government for reassurance that they were safe. The federal government's plan of action was to pass a series of acts that would go on to create the Department of Homeland Security and Transportation Security Association. Along with the creation of more strict security measures came the question of "who is a terrorist?" within the country. The formation of the DHS, TSA, and increase of Islamophobia are some examples of the lasting effects that 9/11 had on the country.
The main cause of mass hysteria is fear. Mass hysteria is initiated by an event that causes fear. This event usually involves people from a town or community of people. The other people of this
The apparent difference in socio-cultural context, target audience, and form further reiterates the idea of mass hysteria, as both Miller’s and Moore’s varied perception of hysteria is developed alternatively through different perspectives, structures, and context. However, both develop mass hysteria through the
In the play, the phrase “mass hysteria” cannot by itself do the work. Even now, most
“Even in an enlightened democracy, the media have to check themselves to make sure they are not contributing to an unnecessary mass hysteria” (Brainyquote). Even the most sophisticated governments can lead the public into a state of hysteria. Often times when people become hysterical, others take that opportunity to obtain power for their personal benefit. In history and Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, public hysteria was exploited in order to obtain and manipulate power for personal gain.