Introduction
When reading The Crucible by Arthur Miller, it is easy to see how disinformation and ignorance can lead to disastrous outcomes. Comparing the play’s plot to current events, one can see that many similarities arise. For example, disinformation can lead to war, intrigue, and other problems in today’s world.
Frequently, the influence of misinformation in the modern day is just as significant as it was in the history of Salem. Through ignorance and misinformation, mass hysteria and a collective mentality emerged in The Crucible, as they completely hindered rational thought and democracy. In modern society, despite better access to various sources of information, cases of misinformation are not rare, which, as well as in The Crucible, leads to adverse outcomes for people.
Disinformation and Ignorance in The Crucible
In the play, disinformation and ignorance are essential components of the story. Their presence led to many problems for the Salem rural English community, which struggled with them in the 1690s. Since the beginning of the story, the manipulative actions and lies of some characters make others suffer (Miller 10-11).
Disinformation in this work was a derivative of other issues that Salem faced, such as class division, persecution of those of an anti-traditional faith, scandals over marital issues, and distrust of people from other communities. To quell the conflict and seek help, religion and justice were used to achieve their goals, but they, too, led to relative chaos. For example, Judge Hathorne built his career on witch-hunting and the persecution and accusation of people, which led to a wide array of adverse consequences (Miller 114-115). The play demonstrates how wrongful information can blind people and lead them to wrong decisions.
Disinformation and Ignorance During the COVID-19 Pandemic
In the modern world, undoubtedly, such themes as witchcraft do not receive much attention. However, there are still topics that, like in Miller’s play, give rise to doubt among such a large number of people that they start raising doubts among the majority. One such issue within the past few years was the discussion of vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic.
While access to healthcare information is widely available, many people argue against the positive effect of vaccination or, what is more, claim that it might have severe negative consequences. As a result, many of those who refused to be vaccinated either suffered from complications of the disease or died. Vaccination is not a solution to all health problems, but it is a good alternative to becoming sick or experiencing complications. As seen from both the play and the present-day example, spreading false information can affect large numbers of people, which may lead to catastrophic outcomes.
Issue Prevention in the Play and Ral World
The situation could have been avoided back then and today if the key players had promoted the spread of accurate information. However, in The Crucible, the key players were responsible for spreading misinformation. Meanwhile, the authorities have not done enough to convince the public of the need to get vaccinated. In both cases, it is evident that the key players’ role in improving or deteriorating the situation is the major one. The herd mentality also played its role by making people believe not the facts but the majority. Those who have power allow for worse scenarios, either by wrongdoing or by doing too little or nothing.
Conclusion
Disinformation and ignorance pose a significant threat to people all over the world. These issues were key dramatic elements in the events in Salem depicted in Miller’s The Crucible and during the COVID-19 vaccination process. Herd mentality is one of the key aspects associated with misinformation and ignorance, as people frequently tend to follow the ideas of the majority without checking them for accuracy first.
Work Cited
Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. Penguin Classics, 2003.