Moral Panics
'Hotline Miami' Showed the Futility of Ultra-Violence as Critique
After a decade of games asking what kind of person commits video game violence, returning to Hotline shows that we need new questions.
Why Trump Probably Won't Crack Down on Pot
The same dense, diffuse media environment that propelled the self-proclaimed groper to victory makes it tough for old-school drug panics to take over America—even if Attorney General Jeff Sessions hates weed.
The World's Most Dangerous Game: Pokémon's Strange History with Moral Panics
For over 20 years, Pokémon has been a scapegoat for crises social, political, and even spiritual.
The World's Most Dangerous Game: Pokémon's Strange History with Moral Panics
For over 20 years, Pokémon has been a scapegoat for crises social, political, and even spiritual.
We're Really Starting to Panic About Heroin in America
Politicians and law enforcement are losing their shit, but a moral panic over any kind of drug use is usually a bad thing that hurts everyone involved—except the prison-industrial complex, of course.
Why Do Local Governments Want to Treat Ice Cream Men Like Criminals?
Thanks to American paranoia, many ice cream truck drivers are getting fingerprinted.
Teens Are Abandoning April Fools' Pranks for a Dangerous Drink Called "Foolio"
The potentially deadly concoction often contains horse blood, whiskey, and fennel.