4 ms·

A hiatus? Really? ‘80’s: The Satanic Panic ‘90’s: Crack and Rap ‘00’s: Video Games ‘10’s: OMGZ Teh Internet!

jerf 9y ago
I lived through all of that. It was not continuous like it is now. It was intermittent. If the media had not been ginning them up for the temporal equivalent of "page views" they wouldn't have happened at all. Now "the people" can generate them on their own. (The media still runs along behind fanning the flames, but they're working to keep up rather than leading it now.) There has been a fundamental change in how they work now.
- QAPereo 9y ago
  That’s essentially the same argument which was levied against the Gutenberg press, and the home telephone, the crossbow, and virtually all significant advances which served to empower more people at the expense of hierarchy.
  - RickHull 9y ago
    I don't think jerf is saying that the increased prevalence of witch hunts is an argument levied against the internet. I'm pretty sure jerf is an enthusiastic supporter of the internet. Nonetheless, the increased prevalence of witch hunts which is enabled by the internet is lamentable and worth addressing.
  - jerf 9y ago
    I am no longer able to track what argument you think I am making, or that you are making.
mc32 9y ago
I think there is a difference between unsubstantiated vilification of an amorphous or undefined group, (headbangers, techbros) and particular individuals (i.e. doxxing). I mean, sure you had an exception where Ozzy "ate a live bat" but it was more about "more at 11".
- QAPereo 9y ago
  https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2017/08/24/accused-of-satanism-they-spent-21-years-in-prison-they-were-just-declared-innocent-and-were-paid-millions/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2017/08... Just for one example of how individuals were indeed singled out. Same with each example given, I’d recommend studying the history of this aspect of human behavior to get a grip on its present. Sure, Harvey Weinstein and his ilk did alright, but plenty of individuals went through the wringer. That’s not even looking at the impact of the crack panic on the prison population and various communities. You just didn’t have a live feed informing you of their plight.

jerf 9y ago

I lived through all of that. It was not continuous like it is now. It was intermittent. If the media had not been ginning them up for the temporal equivalent of "page views" they wouldn't have happened at all. Now "the people" can generate them on their own. (The media still runs along behind fanning the flames, but they're working to keep up rather than leading it now.) There has been a fundamental change in how they work now.

QAPereo 9y ago
That’s essentially the same argument which was levied against the Gutenberg press, and the home telephone, the crossbow, and virtually all significant advances which served to empower more people at the expense of hierarchy.
- RickHull 9y ago
  I don't think jerf is saying that the increased prevalence of witch hunts is an argument levied against the internet. I'm pretty sure jerf is an enthusiastic supporter of the internet. Nonetheless, the increased prevalence of witch hunts which is enabled by the internet is lamentable and worth addressing.
- jerf 9y ago
  I am no longer able to track what argument you think I am making, or that you are making.

mc32 9y ago

I think there is a difference between unsubstantiated vilification of an amorphous or undefined group, (headbangers, techbros) and particular individuals (i.e. doxxing). I mean, sure you had an exception where Ozzy "ate a live bat" but it was more about "more at 11".

QAPereo 9y ago
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2017/08/24/accused-of-satanism-they-spent-21-years-in-prison-they-were-just-declared-innocent-and-were-paid-millions/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2017/08... Just for one example of how individuals were indeed singled out. Same with each example given, I’d recommend studying the history of this aspect of human behavior to get a grip on its present. Sure, Harvey Weinstein and his ilk did alright, but plenty of individuals went through the wringer. That’s not even looking at the impact of the crack panic on the prison population and various communities. You just didn’t have a live feed informing you of their plight.