Why Are We Becoming Foolish, Though We Were Supposed to Be Wiser?
In October 2024, Poland witnessed numerous cases of dangerous objects, such as needles, razor blades, and nails, being inserted into candies handed out to children during Halloween. These incidents occurred in various regions of Poland.
The police suspect these events may result from a coordinated action organized through social media or online messengers. Authorities are conducting investigations to identify the perpetrators and understand their motives. In some cases, local governments have offered rewards for information leading to the capture of those responsible. So far, no official information has been provided regarding the specific motives of the perpetrators.
Since the 1960s in the USA, there have been reports of alleged poisoning or insertion of sharp objects into candies given out during Halloween. However, as “The New York Times” noted in 2021, most of these cases were untrue or exaggerated. In reality, confirmed incidents have been extremely rare and often stem from actions by family members or acquaintances rather than strangers. The article “That Tainted Halloween Candy Myth Just Won’t Go Away,” published in The New York Times on October 27, 2021, addresses the enduring myth of the dangers associated with poisoned or sharp-laden candies given to children during Halloween. Although tales of such incidents have circulated for decades, actual cases of poisonings or serious injuries inflicted by strangers are sporadic, and most reported incidents have been either false alarms or later clarified as misunderstandings.
Could Poland be breaking this trend? The authors suggest that this myth remains strong in public consciousness, affecting parental behavior as they check their children’s candy yearly. Experts recommend this fear primarily stems from general concerns for child safety and a growing mistrust toward strangers, amplified by the media and popular culture. Professor Joel Best from the University of Delaware, writing in Psychology Today, presented research on “Halloween sadism.” His study analyzed media reports on this phenomenon, revealing that reported incidents rarely involved severe injuries, and deaths attributed to this phenomenon were mistakenly linked.
Best has examined this belief that children might receive contaminated or dangerous treats during Halloween, analyzing media reports of such cases in the United States since the 1950s. His findings show that real threats are sporadic. The media frequently warns parents about potential dangers, yet many reported incidents are hoaxes or misinterpretations. He regards the belief in widespread Halloween sadism as a modern urban legend, expressing societal fears. Though there have been isolated cases, such as a child’s death due to poison given by their father, most reports are false alarms. Recently, new threats like marijuana in candies or fentanyl poisoning have surfaced, though these cases also lack confirmed evidence. Social media, in particular, contributes to the persistence of these myths, even without substantial proof of real danger.
Will Poland be the first? The growth of social media and easy access to information were meant to provide societies with more excellent knowledge, awareness, and educational opportunities. The effect seems increasingly the opposite.
We Were Supposed to Be Wiser With the rise of social media, the risk of misinformation has also increased. Algorithms that promote sensational content allow false or distorted information to achieve global reach within minutes. Research conducted by MIT found that false news spreads 70% faster than true news. Users are likelier to share shocking content over reliable information, contributing to false beliefs and informational manipulation.
Other studies indicate that social media users absorb information in fragmented ways. An increasing number of users prefer short formats like TikToks or reels, which offer only snippets of news or knowledge. This leads to a mass, surface-level approach to knowledge, making gaining a more profound understanding of topics difficult. Stanford University research signals that young people often struggle to distinguish genuine information from false and struggle with critical thinking.
Social media algorithms, meanwhile, present content aligned with users’ preferences, leading to the creation of so-called “information bubbles.” We’re already familiar with this, but the creators of these algorithms do little to address it, as they lack a societal incentive. Thus, users absorb content that reinforces their beliefs instead of being exposed to diverse viewpoints. A study by Oxford University proved that social media users are prone to fall into “echo chambers,” limiting their perspectives and ability for critical analysis.
Social media is designed to capture and retain user attention on the platform as long as possible. Studies indicate that constant notifications and screen scrolling disrupt our concentration. For example, Dr. Gloria Mark from the University of California has studied the effects of media on human attentiveness, proving that intensive social media use shortens users’ attention spans.
Where Are We Heading? Instead of raising awareness and building knowledge, social media has become a source of stress and anxiety for many people. The constant bombardment of information leads to an “infodemic,” in which excess information hampers the ability to absorb knowledge. Numerous studies have shown that information overload can cause more tremendous stress and confusion than a lack of information, increasing susceptibility to manipulation.
Social media and easy information access were supposed to increase knowledge and social discernment. Yet, numerous studies reveal quite the opposite effect. By creating “information bubbles” and enhancing the influence of manipulation, social media reduces our resistance to misinformation and fosters superficial thinking. Even in Poland, phenomena comparable to “Halloween sadism” have emerged — challenges that, while globally and positively attention-grabbing (like the #IceBucketChallenge or #MeToo campaign), also present new challenges for psychologists, psychiatrists, and sociologists. Despite its potential, social media, or the Sixth Estate, carries risks often beyond our everyday awareness.
May we not find ourselves in an Age of Idiocracy sooner than we think.
Sources:
Best, J. (1985) ‘The Myth of the Halloween Sadist’, Psychology Today, 19(11), pp. 14–16.
Best, J., 2024. Halloween Sadism: The Evidence. Newark: University of Delaware.
Study: On Twitter, false news travels faster than true stories, MIT News 2018, https://news.mit.edu/2018/study-twitter-false-news-travels-faster-true-stories-0308, [dostęp: 10–11–2024].
Reuters Institute, Echo chambers, filter bubbles, and polarisation: a literature review, https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/echo-chambers-filter-bubbles-and-polarisation-literature-review, [dostęp: 10–11–2024].
