Superstition Creates Mass Hysteria

Superstition Creates Mass Hysteria

In the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller, the entire town of Salem is struck with mass hysteria over potential witchcraft in the woods created by young girls. This fear for the supernatural and superstitious behavior can create mass hysteria. This similarly fear created mass hysteria in October the 30th in 1938, when a radio broadcast created mass hysteria from an actual fictional story about the Martians, and how they landed on the earth, more specific New Jersey. This caused mass hysteria, because people believed in this story. We fear what we cannot see, and therefore all supernatural events can evolve into mass hysteria and fear. People influence each other with fear, and create hysteria from groups and peer pressure.

In 1938, a man named Orson Welles read a portion of his adjusted version of the recognized book, War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells. Many millions of radio listeners heard Welles, and the listeners believed this were actual and factual news. The situation caused mass hysteria and everyone started to panic, running out of their houses screaming, packed their cars and fled from the state of New Jersey. When reading about this event, it makes me wonder if I would have done the same thing. After growing up with tons of frightening science fiction movies about the invasions of aliens, I would flea from the Martians right away. I fear what I can't see and understand, such as ghosts, death, aliens, and the end of the universe. All the supernatural occurrences on earth still remain mind-boggling today, even though we continuously create more and more advanced technology today. They didn't have technology and basic knowledge back in 1692.

The Salem Witch Trials occurred between February 1692 and May 1693 in Salem, Massachusetts. Arthur Miller writes a play over this famous mass hysteria event. The play explores the mass hysteria of that time. It encounters similarities from today's mass hysteria. This shows that even in the Puritan times, the mass hysteria was caused by supernatural events in the woods. In the play, a young girl called Abigail Williams creates hysteria among the inhabitants of the town of Salem. She "sees" shadows and other invisible supernatural occurrences, which causes panic when other girls deny these appearances. It creates suspension, but back then they knew no better. I know better than they did, but if I lived in those years, I would respond the exact same way to the witch trials.

Mass hysteria creates itself when many people influence individuals with fear. Group dynamics contribute in a high degree to hysteria. As a child growing up, kids didn't have to worry about the big things in life yet. Yet they got much influence from their yet not so developed and intellectual friends. An example from my own life; I went to a birthday party for one of my friends one day. We were sent on a scary