moral panic
A semi-spontaneous or media-generated mass movement based on the perception that an…A semi-spontaneous or media-generated mass movement based on the perception that an individual, group, community, or culture is dangerously deviant and poses a menace to society; a public outcry.
» If you're participating in a moral panic about trans people, you've got at least one thing in common with the Nazis.
Meaning
1 sensesA semi-spontaneous or media-generated mass movement based on the perception that an individual, group, community, or culture is dangerously deviant and poses a menace to society; a public outcry.
moralische Panik, allgemeiner Protest
мора́льная па́никаmorálʹnaja pánika, ма́ссовая истери́яmássovaja isteríja
Examples
1 sentencesIf you're participating in a moral panic about trans people, you've got at least one thing in common with the Nazis.
Translations
7 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
Origin
Modern usage appears to originate with Jock Young in 1971 and Stanley Cohen in 1972. CohenModern usage appears to originate with Jock Young in 1971 and Stanley Cohen in 1972. Cohen states that "[they] both probably picked it up from Marshall McLuhan's Understanding Media".
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Forms
plural: moral panics| Singular | moral panic |
|---|---|
| Plural | moral panics |
regular