Moral panics are a product of mass media.
The media reports a statement or an event which generates a lot of
public interest. The population become concerned about the situation and
want to know more about it. The media responds by deliberately seeking
out stories on the topic. This makes it appear the event is occurring
more and more frequently. The situation rapidly spirals out of control
as the new stories reinforce public concern, the public demands more
information and the media goes all out to deliver stories that meet the
demand.

Moral panic is a tool of trade for politicians. It is rumoured some
political organisations have pre-packaged moral panics ready in case the
opportunity arises where they can be used. Moral panics can be used to
distract the public from an unpopular policy, to take media attention
away from a successful opponent, or to manufacture an issue the
politician for which the politician has a pre-arranged campaign
strategy.

The recent media attention to illegal immigrants, weapons of mass
destruction, terrorism and indigenous child abuse are examples of moral
panics.

A moral panic is a form of mass hysteria. It differs in that moral panic
is usually expressed as outrage rather than fear. Politically this is
very useful because outrage lasts longer than fear and is more easily
directed against opponents.

In particular, outrage implies a moral decision the person is forced to
justify even after it has become apparent the initial perception of
threat is unjustified. The outrage takes on a life of its own and
continues to motivate the person even after the initial fear is found to
be groundless.

The most recent example of this is the moral panic over weapons of mass
destruction that led to the invasion of Iraq.

We are currently in the throes of another moral panic, this time centred
on indigenous child abuse.

Rationality can do nothing to prevent this panic from running its
course. Once a moral panic has begun it takes on a life of its own. It
is unstoppable once underway.

All we can do is recognise the process and take it into account in our
own thinking.

Hopefully enough people will keep cool heads during the panic to steer
the situation toward an desirable and achievable outcome.

The politicians who started the panic hope to surf the wave of public
opinion to electoral success later this year. are they skillful enough
to stay on their boards, or of they will be displaced by more skillful
surfers.

We can only hope the less fortunate members of our society, those in the
bottom socioeconomic levels, are not too badly injured as they are
scraped across the moral coral in the backwash.