Reflection II

Reflection II

The article Rethinking 'moral panic' for multi-mediated social world by Angela McRobbie and Sarah L. Thornton was definitely an interesting read that definitely got me thinking.

The authors discuss the influences the ever-evolving media has on moral panic - a term coined by Jack Young that represents the way a population reacts to issues that threaten its social values and interests (McRobbie & Thornton). The 'folk devils', people who threaten the social order, are becoming less marginalized because they are apparently supported by the same media that criticizes them.

The media is one of the most influential communication tools used by the government, businesses, and the general population. The article provides examples about how moral panic has been used to sell music or how politicians use it to distract society from other issues. Today's youth are tremendously susceptible to media influences and marketing strategists take advantage of that.

I liked the example provided by the authors about marketing music. What better way is there to release an album with a controversial cover design? (McRobbie) Once people start talking, the music goes viral and gets listened to. That's what the artists meant to happen. The more people talk about the band leads to more headlines, which results in mass exposure and ultimately to their glory. Teenagers, especially, adopt the haircuts, and clothing and dance styles of the bands. The youth even form bands of their own that play similar music to that of who they listen to.

One of the first examples of a moral panic that I could think of was the book Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling. I just Googled "moral panic Harry Potter" and this link came up:

http://www.usask.ca/relst/jrpc/art22%281%29-PotterPanic.html

It provides a great summary of why Harry Potter received so much criticism (and includes a great summary of what a moral panic is to boot). The criticism stemmed mostly from Christian Rights groups who are concerned that the book promotes witchcraft, which is an anti-Christian theme, and, for the kicker, "exposes young readers to inappropriate content" (Soulliere). I first read Harry Potter the year it came out and continued with the rest of the series each subsequent year. The same type of controversy has been surrounding the game Dungeons and Dragons for decades. I have played in (time to unleash my inner nerd) several Dungeons and Dragons campaigns and have also played the role of Dungeon Master. Did I find the content of either inappropriate? No. I may not be Christian or religious at all in fact, but these are fictional books and games we are talking about. Last I heard, J.K. Rowling wasn't headmaster at Hogwarts, nor was she seen teaching our youth how to cast spells.

Do these anti-Harry Potter groups think that our youth are going to join or create cults that practice witchcraft? Some think so, apparently. Aren't religions kind of like cults themselves? I completely respect religion, but couldn't people who are not religious criticize those who are for their traditions, which may include worshiping, praying, superstitions, and sacrifices? What about Santa Claus and his magic elves?  

To quote Wikipedia: "According to a tradition which can be traced to the 1820s, Santa Claus lives at the North Pole, with a large number of magical elves" (Wikipedia). Why doesn't this stir up a moral panic?

Don't many parents essentially lie to their children and make them believe that Santa Claus is somehow coming to their house with the help of his magical elves and reindeer every Christmas? Why doesn't this promote witchcraft?

What about all of the other fantasy books that I read? Most of those generally contain some sort of witchcraft or magic, so why don't people try to have them banned? The same type of moral panics surround video games - people think that video games cause gamers to engage in violent acts or other immoral activities. I have yet to see a conclusive study to this.

I hope any who read this are not offended by my opinion. Religion is a touchy subject among many, but I personally find it odd how religious groups attack the Harry Potter series.

Our youth are directly affected by these types of moral panics. For example, Harry Potter was banned by many different schools. As a result, Harry Potter became more famous, and people who wanted to read it probably did at home.

The media is becoming has become so dynamic and controversial that it is difficult to determine what is right. The government and businesses utilize the media to influence the population with subliminal messaging and moral panics in order to shape the society how they want. Our youth are especially susceptible to these strategies and they are will soon mature into adults and continue the cycle.

References

McRobbie, A. & Thornton, S. (1995). Rethinking Moral Panic for Multi-Mediated Social Worlds. British Journal of Sociology, 46(4): p. 559-564.
     
Soulliere, Danielle. (n.d.) Much Ado about Harry: Harry Potter and the Creation of a Moral Panic. Journal of Religion and Popular Culture. Retrieved from http://www.usask.ca/relst/jrpc/art22%281%29-PotterPanic.html

 

Wikipedia. (2012). Santa Claus. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Claus