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For some reason child abuse seems to be the most prevalent feature of moral panics. I suppose that it has to do with our innate drive to protect children from harm, but it's odd that we are so susceptible to unrealistic tales of abuse. If the emotional mind gets triggered before the rational mind, then I suppose it's all over. It's a little bit like the old saying about a lie traveling half way around the world while the truth is still putting its shoes on.

Award-Winning Natomas Science Teacher Accused Of Taking Lewd Student Photos
Having not seen the pictures, it's hard to be sure of anything, BUT this is pretty sketchy. First of all, it sounds like the pictures were taken in the classroom with other students present. Secondly, it sounds like the pictures were merely candid photos. I'm having a bit of difficulty imaging an image taken in class with other students around that would be truly lewd or inappropriate. So, it would seem that the more likely scenario is that officials are massively over-reacting. And so, although there is a very small likelihood that I am wrong, it is probably the case that the inappropriate behavior here is on the part of law enforcement and school officials.

shadylady: The most likely scenario is that the young lady is a drama queen. She probably is embarrassed by a photo that is neither lewd nor inappropriate, but which presents her in a awkward position. The teacher was probably just collecting candid shots, like you say, to be shown at some end of the year fun event where kids get to look back and laugh at what they did throughout the year. Or maybe it was supposed to be used for a yearbook or something along those lines. Anyways, the girl's friends decided to start calling the teacher a pervert for taking an awkward picture of the girl under the desk and then some mentally unstable parent heard the story and complained to school officials. The school officials fearing possible legal repercussions reported the complaint to law enforcement who completely misinterpreted the situation and that's basically how we got to the current situation. It doesn't say anything about the guy needing to post bail and so he's probably in extremely good legal shape although he still might have to fight to keep his job. All this over an airhead student and a mentally unstable parent. That's where we are in this society at this time and there's no sign that things are going to get better!

Political Correctness is "decadent phase" of once legitimate movement - Steven Pinker
Pinker nails it! Often a good thing is taken to an extreme and then it becomes a bad thing. For instance, the hyper-parenting movement as Pinker mentions at the end of this clip.

ergot: Thank you for that post. I've actually read a couple books by Pinker and I regard him as simply brilliant, although I do not agree with everything he has to say. However, your post was perfect for this thread, especially since Pinker approaches the topic from a very different angle in this clip.

ergot wrote:Political Correctness is "decadent phase" of once legitimate movement - Steven Pinker
Pinker nails it! Often a good thing is taken to an extreme and then it becomes a bad thing. For instance, the hyper-parenting movement as Pinker mentions at the end of this clip.

I watched this when it was first posted and I've watched it several times since then. It probably is the best and most concise explanation for the current state of our society. So many perfectly legitimate "rights movements" have become corrupted as they struggle to remain relevant after they have become irrelevant.

Woman Claims Parents Sold Her To An International Sex Trafficking Organization – At Birth
This is so pathetically and obviously fake that it's laughable. There must be a lot of morons in this world for Dr. Phil to still have a show!

CactusHugger: Not just fake, but stupidly fake. The script writers obviously assume that Dr. Phil's audience are a bunch of pathetic retards. Of course, that's a fair assumption, but stupid people who believe this kind of crap are the foundation upon which a moral panic is built.

mrfish: Fair assumption, indeed! LOL The average IQ of a Dr. Phil audience member cannot possible be greater than ninety! Very few intelligent people waste time on television shows anymore and as far as television shows go, Dr. Phil is at the bottom of the barrel!

INFOWARS EXCLUSIVE: Inside The Secret Pedophile Marketplace
Although the topic is the Dark Web, I placed this in the Moral Panics thread because of the misinformational aspect of this clip from InfoWars. Typical of Alex Jones and his organization, there is a lot of exaggeration and distortion used to arouse an emotional reaction in his audience. I think Alex Jones followers are addicted to outrage and indignation. At any rate, there is a kernel of truth to most of the assertions made here, but there is a huge amount of exaggeration and so this clip is less about the Dark Web and more a great example of how Moral Panics are used by opportunists such as Alex Jones.