In 1938, one of the biggest, scariest events ever happened to those listening to the radio. During that broadcast, it was believed by many that Martians were arriving on earth, killing everyone on sight. Mass panic ensued, and many thought that it would be their last few moments on earth. Chaos reigned over the area, everyone who had heard the terrifying words fleeing for their lives.
What they didn't realize was that the radio announcement was simply a reading from The War of the Worlds. Martians weren't really coming to earth: it was just a modified excerpt from a book.
I chose this article on the War of the Worlds broadcast panic because it shows how the spoken word can affect people. Those people genuinely believed that aliens had come to earth because of skillful manipulation. Through seemingly genuine reports and the reporter on the 'scene', the people broadcasting that announcement made it believable enough. Of course, the people in charge hadn't meant to cause such a scandal, but the fact is that it happened. The radio is still a powerful influence over people, and the same panic could happen again if those in control decided to do such a thing.
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