Because our first major work The Crucible by Arthur Miller deals with the controlling idea that “mass hysteria” is a social construct, it is important to determine what factors go into said hysteria, what the causes are, and what, ultimately , is the end result of such claims. In a world where hysteria is so easily created with social avenues like cable TV, Facebook, Twitter, and text messaging, knowing the historical implications of hysteria can often lead to differing perspectives regarding its role in present-day society. From the following questions, choose one you are identifying with in some way and add a component of conversation about that topic. Remember, for this blog post, you are to respond in your own way on your own post, and respond to someone else’s answer. You will get credit for doing both. Failure to respond to mine and someone else’s will result in half the grade. Make sure you are diligent in this way. The questions to choose from are as follows: **Choose ONE for your own post**)
- How is social hysteria created? (How do cultural anxieties manifest themselves?)
- Who or what perpetuates cultural anxieties? To what effect? And, what causes them to dissipate?
- What can Fear create?
- Can a cultural anxiety influence us to act? If so, how?
- What tendencies and patterns does our society show when facing fear/anxiety?
- Give an example of hysteria/cultural anxiety: what happened, how did it continue, what was the end result?