A Short History of Panic: Conspiracy Theories from Electricity to 5G

I’ve come to the conclusion that the world will always be divided into three categories: those who embrace change easily, those who adapt along the way, and those who are forever left behind.

And today, I want to talk about the last group.

These people have always had a strange relationship with technology.

Every time something new appears, the standard reaction is:

“I don’t understand it → therefore it’s dangerous → therefore it must be a conspiracy.”

And honestly, it’s fascinating how consistently this pattern repeats.

From light bulbs to 5G, panic has evolved, but logic… not so much.

Let’s take a little trip through history and see how every major invention was greeted with fear, suspicion, and theories that now feel absolutely delicious.

Electricity – “The Devil’s Lightning”

When the first electrical demonstrations appeared, people were convinced that:

• electricity steals your soul
• light bulbs burn your eyes
• wires attract spirits
• entire cities would instantly catch fire

Some priests even declared electricity “the work of the devil.”

The irony? Today, if the power goes out for 10 minutes, we enter emotional apocalypse mode.

Trains – “Speed Will Melt Your Organs”

In 1830, trains reached the dizzying speed of… 30 km/h. It seems slow now, but back then it was Formula 1.

Public reaction at the time:

• speed will detach your organs
• women will lose their fertility
• trains will alter the weather
• people will go insane if they move too fast

If TikTok had existed back then, it would’ve been full of “experts” explaining how your liver slides into your neck at 40 km/h.

The Telephone – “Demonic Voices in Your Ear”

The first reactions to the telephone were intense:

• people thought they were hearing spirits
• the waves would destroy the brain
• the device was a portal to the other world

The first phone call was basically the first technological panic attack.

Photography – “Soul Theft”

When cameras appeared:

• people refused to be photographed
• they believed the image stole their soul
• photography was considered black magic

The first selfie was, unknowingly, an accidental occult ritual.

Radio – “Voices from the Void”

Radio was perceived as:

• a tool for mind control
• a channel for demonic messages
• a spying device

Today? Radio is just where you hear detergent commercials and traffic updates.

Television – “The Brainwashing Box”

When TVs entered homes:

• people believed they emitted deadly radiation
• that they hypnotized children
• that they were tools of manipulation

If TVs really washed brains, the ’80s generation would’ve been flawless.

Well… some still believe that. We’ll talk about those theories another time.

The Internet – “The End of Civilization”

In the ’90s, the internet was considered:

• a global spying network
• a threat to morality
• the beginning of society’s downfall

And yet here we are, making cat memes, watching tutorials on how to boil an egg, and staring hypnotized at Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok shorts.

Wi-Fi – “Invisible Radiation That Fries You”

When Wi-Fi appeared:

• people believed it caused cancer
• that it ruined your sleep
• that it altered your DNA

If Wi-Fi were deadly, gamers would’ve vanished first.

5G – “The Modern Apocalypse”

Welcome to the golden age of panic:

• 5G spreads viruses
• 5G activates imaginary microchips
• 5G controls your mind
• 5G is the government’s ultimate weapon

Reality? 5G is just faster internet. So fast that conspiracy theories spread even quicker 😉.

I have an acquaintance with “academic pretensions” who bought a tiny pyramid to block 5G waves in her home. 

She even asked if I wanted one.

I stared at her and said nothing 😏.

She paid around 150 euros, in 2022, for a 5–10 cm pyramid😮. 

A true masterpiece of foolishness.

Conclusion

Technology evolves. Panic stays the same.

Every time something new appears, humanity goes through the same stages:

Denial → Fear → Conspiracy → Acceptance → Total Dependence

If history has taught us anything, it’s that the future will bring new inventions… and the same old reactions.

Next up: the panic around artificial intelligence😉. It has already begun.

But the flat-earthers and reptilian believers haven’t even warmed up their engines yet.