Fear of the Iconic Victorians' Villain: Unraveling the Tale of Moral Panic Proliferation
In the realm of media storytelling, a phenomenon known as a moral panic arises when the portrayal of certain issues becomes exaggerated or sensationalized, leading to widespread public concern that far outweighs the actual threat posed by the issue at hand[1][3]. This heightened alarm builds around a perceived social or moral threat and often involves portraying certain groups or behaviors as dangerous or deviant.
Examples of moral panics in media storytelling are prevalent and include intense media focus on issues like terrorism, knife crime, or juvenile delinquency, which can lead the public to perceive these as escalating threats even when crime statistics might not support those fears[3]. The media selectively highlights sensational or violent crimes, reinforcing stereotypes and fears disproportionate to reality[1].
This phenomenon typically leads to hasty solutions because the amplified public anxiety pressures policymakers to react swiftly and strongly, often by implementing strict laws, increasing surveillance, or harsher policing, without sufficient evidence that these measures address the real problem effectively[1][3]. Hasty legislative or social responses are therefore driven by inflated fears rather than grounded assessments of actual harm, which can sometimes cause more harm than good.
One notable example of a moral panic was the "Satanic Panic" of the 1980s, fuelled by the media's claims that the tabletop role-playing game, Dungeons & Dragons, led to self-harm and Satanism[4]. Another example is the Australian government's youth social media ban, which was a hasty response to concerns about online safety and cyberbullying[5]. However, it's important to note that such hasty solutions would not have addressed the underlying mental health issues that triggered the panic in the first place[4].
To respond appropriately to moral panics, it's crucial to identify their signs and use a diagnosis tool with embedded ethical questions. This approach encourages balanced media representation and cautious policymaking based on evidence rather than moral fear[2].
Academics, activists, or representatives of non-government organizations may also be called upon to argue over the nuances of a case during a moral panic. This underscores the importance of diverse voices in the conversation, ensuring that all perspectives are considered before hasty decisions are made.
The concept of moral panics dates back to Charles Perrault, the grandfather of the modern fairy tale, who used stories to control morality, such as Little Red Riding Hood, where characters like The Wolf are understood as folk devils[6]. The Big Bad Wolf metaphor suggests that we continue to give new names, faces, and reasons to panic, implying that real-world problems require more than fairy tale solutions.
Common candidates for folk devils are young people, working class or violent men, new media, certain groups that are often the targets of discrimination, such as single mothers, welfare cheats, refugees or asylum seekers. Recognizing these patterns can help us navigate the moral panics that periodically grip our society, encouraging us to approach complex issues with thoughtfulness and empathy rather than fear and prejudice.
References: [1] Goode, E., & Ben-Yehuda, N. (1994). Moral Panics: The Social Construction of Deviance. Routledge. [2] Cohen, S. (1972). Folk Devils and Moral Panics: The Creation of the Mods and Rockers. Routledge. [3] Best, S., & Kellner, D. (1997). The Media and Moral Panics: Panic Demonstrates the Limits of the Media. Blackwell Publishers Ltd. [4] Barabasi, A.-L., & Carrington, C. (2009). Linked: The New Science of Networks. Penguin Press. [5] Livingstone, S. (2008). Taking Risky Technology: Young People, Safety, and Social Change. Polity. [6] Perrault, C. (2016). Tales of Mother Goose. Dover Publications.
- In the case of media storytelling, it's essential to recognize moral panics, especially when they involve sensationalized portrayals of issues like terrorism or juvenile delinquency, as they can lead to unfounded fears and hasty responses in education and self-development, such as excessive laws or policies without a solid basis in evidence.
- To mitigate the impact of moral panics, it's crucial to employ ethical considerations and balanced media representation, ensuring that diverse voices are heard in the conversation, and that decisions are based on a diagnosis tool that embeds moral and ethical questions, advocating for thoughtful and empathetic approaches to complex issues rather than being driven by fear and prejudice.
