#1
#1 out of 2
crime8h ago
Opinion | I study moral panics. The Epstein files are not one.
- Experts say the Epstein file coverage is a real public revulsion, not a moral panic, and should prompt accountability.
- Moral panic is defined as a disproportionate response to a perceived threat, a framework used to analyze media debates.
- The article traces moral panics to power dynamics, showing how elite voices police the status quo during social change.
- Epstein-related revelations are discussed as part of ongoing debates about accountability for the wealthy and connected.
- The author notes that moral panics are usually short-lived before changes are accepted by society.
- Historical examples of moral panics include witch trials, internment, and the Satanic panic of the 1980s.
- The piece emphasizes that targets in moral panics are often marginalized groups, which shapes the discourse on change.
- Researchers urge careful reading of Epstein files to avoid premature conclusions about innocence or guilt.
- The author invites ongoing scrutiny of how media and power intersect in major public scandals.
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