OPINION
We had to read Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible” in high school, the story of the Salem Witch Trials, and it seemed a rather silly book at the time.
It was an allegory of the fear-driven emotionalism present in the age of McCarthyism.
We like to think we have outgrown witch hunts—but have we really?
If so, then why have so many educators found the text important enough to keep it in curricula for so long?
A quick scroll or channel flip reveals why—emotional manipulation, a fervor for fear and unbridled anger are alive and well.
The context has changed, but the tactics remain the same: fear over facts.
And, in the digital age, fear and anger’s fires burn hotter than ever.
How can we protect ourselves against the onslaught of information and the seemingly ever-present fear-mongering that Miller warned against?
First, we must understand the basic psychology that is being manipulated.
Because our brains are wired toward a negative bias, due to a protective instinct, headlines that inspire fear are often used to catch attention and captivate audiences.
Examples are evident from the “Red Scare” of the ‘40s and ‘50s, “Moral Panic” of the ‘80s and ‘90s, to the “Weapons of Mass Destruction” of the 2000s.
Now, with the prevalence of social media, information is skewed, if not completely fabricated, to raise your blood pressure and inspire you to respond, share and add your own two cents.
It feeds the downward spiral of the negative news cycle.
Recognizing the patterns will help you to understand the psychological manipulation at play.
A good rule is, when you read something that makes you mad or scared, stop and objectively evaluate the facts instead of the spin.
Second, reading multiple diverse sources will help you to get a better understanding of the situation, even if bias is present in the articles.
Furthermore, by reading widely, you will begin to realize what issues you really care about.
If you see a headline that you are not willing to research, then obviously you do not care much about that topic. You need not be fully invested in everything you see or hear about.
Yet, you would be surprised how easily someone can manipulate your emotions, inspiring fear and anger from a topic you are only tangentially familiar with.
Finally, take control of your emotional state by disconnecting from the sources that tend to upset you.
We are not talking about a disconnect from reality, news or culture altogether, but an intentional redirection towards healthier avenues to obtain your news.
Bipartisan news sources can offer diverse perspectives while nuancing differences.
Long-form discussions tend to provide a better format for engaging with diffi cult subjects that are easily exploited with shocking headlines.
Setting specific personal boundaries and limits on how, when and where you will consume media will help you to not fall into the downward spiral of the media Crucible.
Emotional self-control is not an easy discipline to tackle amid America’s heightened emotionalism, but it is wise to begin the practice.
Proverbs 29:11 (NASB) warns, “A fool always loses his temper, but a wise person holds it back.”
When we read through “The Crucible” and think about the Salem Witch Trials, many of us find the trials to be ridiculous, but I wonder how future audiences will read about us and how we attached ourselves to social media, locked into the endless doomscroll, and our mental health suffered as a result.
Are these our trials? We need an intentional media diet like never before!
The fire of fear and anger will continue to burn until we stop feeding it and choose to stamp it out.
Steve Stanley is a Providence Village resident with a doctorate in ministerial leadership. He can be reached at stevestanleyacoustic@ gmail.com.
