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Has there ever been a widespread, harmful teen phenomenon that wasn’t an overblown moral panic? Whether it’s tidepods, sexting, or fortnite bullying, it seems l
by GuiA 7y ago
Has there ever been a widespread, harmful teen phenomenon that wasn’t an overblown moral panic? Whether it’s tidepods, sexting, or fortnite bullying, it seems like journalists and politicians would rather focus their energy on this kind of nonsense than actual concerns (proper sex education comes to mind).
- neom 7y agoVaping is one I'd like to see us put the kibosh on, however.
- justforyou 7y agoVape Panic: more vestigal puritanical nonsense hysteria distraction.
- mastratton3 7y agoexcept it does carry actual health risks?
- chachachoney 7y agoIf health risks are the concern the focus should be on harm reduction.
- AstralStorm 7y agoThen the question is if studying efficacy of harm reduction methods including bans or age limits or wide educational campaigns, monitoring of quality or other measures. But moral panic wants none of that.
- on_and_off 7y agoFor real .. it has wiped away years of progress in teen smoking (kids starting to vape are then 4 times more likely to start smoking cigarettes as well).
- Nasrudith 7y agoAgreed - it is probably slightly less harmful than smoking barring exploding batteries but is still a clear case of nicotine merchants being pieces of shit about "not advertising carcinogens". It is a cliche but they are way better off not starting in the first place.
- ksaj 7y agoRemember 80's metal? It wasn't evil enough until some religious nuts started playing the songs backward and heard what they tried really hard to hear. Then it leaked to pop and even mor songs. Every generation freaks out about something.
- justforyou 7y agoThe satanic panic wasn't confined to heavy metal lyrics. The same opportuniatic zealotry also led to misinterpretation of hypnosis in clinical settings which ruined the lives of innocent daycare workers and scrambling the lives of children subjected to the practice. (and then there's the whole Dungeons and Dragons thing...)
- Nasrudith 7y agoIn all seriousness yes but only for stuff society approved of and encouraged anyway like working in unsafe factories or serving in wars.