Senseless emotional frenzy which is unfortunately common to the human condition. Sometimes it is the result of simple panic, but too often, it is generated by a small group of people, usually corporations, politicians, or the media, who are seeking to stir up strong feelings on a particular topic.
Once upon a time, it was believed that only women suffered from hysteria (the word itself is derived from the Greek word for the womb), but nowadays, we've all had ample opportunity to observe many, many hysterical males in action.