Every major communication technology has sparked a societal instinct to "control it before it controls you." Fears about AI and disinformation are not new; they echo the historical panic over heresy caused by the printing press. This reframes the current regulatory push as a predictable human reaction to disruptive innovation.

Every major innovation, from the bicycle ('bicycle face') to the internet, has been met with a 'moral panic'—a widespread fear that it will ruin society. Recognizing this as a historical pattern allows innovators to anticipate and navigate the inevitable backlash against their work.

Widespread fear of AI is not a new phenomenon but a recurring pattern of human behavior toward disruptive technology. Just as people once believed electricity would bring demons into their homes, society initially demonizes profound technological shifts before eventually embracing their benefits.

The dot-com era, despite bubble fears, was characterized by widespread public optimism. In stark contrast, the current AI boom is met with significant anxiety, with over 30% of Americans fearing AI could end humanity. This level of dread marks a fundamental shift in public sentiment toward new technology.

Societal fears, or "moral panics," are cyclical. While the targets change (from witchcraft to 5G wireless), the underlying tactics of exploiting fears around child safety and innocence remain consistent throughout history, repeating the same patterns.

While the underlying mechanism of OCD is consistent, its thematic content is culturally and temporally sensitive. Obsessions have shifted from fears of syphilis in the 1920s, to HIV in the 1990s, to modern fears around COVID-19 or climate change.

We fail to learn from historical moral panics over innovations (like the novel or coffee) because of a psychological quirk. Past innovations become normalized "friends," but each new one is an unfamiliar "stranger," resetting our fear and skepticism.

Current instability is not unique to one country but part of a global pattern. This mirrors historical "crisis centuries" (like the 17th) where civil wars, plagues, and economic turmoil occurred simultaneously across different civilizations, driven by similar underlying variables.

Unlike the Y2K bug or the 2012 apocalypse, which were largely fringe concerns, the idea that AI could end humanity is held by over 30% of Americans. This marks a significant shift in public consciousness, where technological anxiety has moved from niche communities to a widespread societal concern.