Moral Panic

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MORAL PANIC

Moral Panic

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Moral Panic

Introduction

Moral panic is created at the interface between the media, the general public, interest groups and government. According to Cohen, the moral panic is basically somehow the public reaction to various deviations or violations of the rules that come in a way of expressing disapproval, condemnation or criticism of someone who at the time perceived as deviant. Condemnation and social disapproval are an element of moral panic and hysteria and is an expression of over-reaction. However, the involvement of the media - moral panic without them there is no chance to develop. Media can initiate or blow it.

Moral panic about the situation usually arose unprecedented, unpopular social activity, questionable as to its social and moral character. One can arise even around little controversial case, if there is a favourable social background (phobias and prejudices), and the matter will be noticed and publicized by the mass media. Stanley Cohen believes that the main reason it exploded in contemporary society is the collapse of moral values, "the moral values of today's society is in crisis. Unless one must learned consistent set of moral values, which will happen from time to time that outbreak of moral panic”.

Along with an increase in the moral panic "public nervousness" is also one of the consequences of it. Recipients of media messages have the impression that the phenomenon is indeed an important issue that affects them directly. The last step is to incorporate the opinions of people recognized as experts in the field, the publication of reports and opinions, as well as possible solutions to the problem or information about the action taken. There is a growing public pressure on the phenomenon of infiltration stronger and clearer performance of the services or the government. Building in the community atmosphere of uncertainty and fear may be to distract attention from the important issues, and can be used by political parties.

Moral panic can take a long time, cover the whole of society and strongly affect them [e.g. through changes in social policy, but it can disappear very quickly and have little if not at all have impact on society] (Hayley, 2000).The moral panic is being constant and current over a century ago. It is quite similar to the "witch hunt" as it has several common denominators. The influences and behaviours of young people are common themes in many moral panics.

Discussion

Youth and Media

Definitions of “youth” often reflect and refract adult society's “moral panics” about the younger generation. Thus, “youth” and “adulthood” can never be completely separated. A trend in policy and census circles positions youth as a demographic category people between the ages of 14 and 24. Yet this clarity may easily obscure more than it reveals. One of the most often cited examples is the case of African child soldiers who are forced to kill like adults.

Debate about media and youth has raged on since the 1950s, often split between the traditional social-scientific and the critical-cultural. Although the first argues that “youth” is an important period or stage in acquiring specific cognitive and emotional skills, the ...
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