Stages of a moral panic:
- An event, condition, person, group etc. is perceived as a threat to safety, values and interests.
Incels, unwanted attention from unattractive men, misogyny, social media, the "manosphere", smartphones in schools.
- The nature of the threat is amplified by the media (you are here).
Adolescence, news articles, voxpops.
- Social anxiety and concern spreads amongst the public who demand something be done about it (you are transitioning to here)
Campaign groups, activism, lobbying.
- Leaders respond to the social anxiety and concern by suggesting and implementing disproportinate solutions via new policies and laws.
New Online Safety Act, anti-misogyny law, censorship, removal of threat from society.
- The condition disappears, submerges or deteriorates and becomes more visible.
"So make sure you bully them, exclude them, single them out and target them at every possible turn to make absolutely sure they snap."
How much you want to bet these people also defend pitbulls. Or worse.