The media turned the young man into a folk devil.
folk devil
idiomA person or type of person blamed by the public for various ills, as during a moral panic.
During the moral panic, the news outlets identified a local group as the folk devil responsible for all the town's problems.
Sociologists often observe how society constructs a folk devil to focus collective anxiety and justify harsh measures against a specific, marginalized group.
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dance with the devil
To engage in risky and immoral behavior.
- 02
devil dancing
Risky, reckless or potentially immoral behavior.
- 03
devil in disguise
A person or thing that appears to be good, honest, or upstanding, but is inherently nasty, evil, or damaging.
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devil lies in the details
Synonym of devil is in the details.
- 05
give the devil his due
To acknowledge the positive qualities of a person who is unpleasant or disliked.
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play the devil with
To cause great trouble or distress to.
- 07
speak of the devil
An expression sometimes used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive on the scene.
- 08
speak of the devil and he appears
Synonym of speak of the devil.