The Problem with Cancel Culture
Exploring the Truth in an Uncompromising Society
Before you rip me apart, I get it. Some people deserved to be cancelled for blatant hate speech or harmful behaviour.
However, we must define what hate speech is.
According to the Ontario Human Rights Commission, “Hate speech is the use of extreme language or a form of communication that expresses detestation for or vilifies an individual or group of individuals based on colour, ethnicity, place of origin, race, creed, gender, or sexual orientation, among other grounds of discrimination under Ontario’s Human Rights Code. Hatred is often rooted in anti-Black, anti-Asian, and anti-Indigenous racism, misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, antisemitism, Islamophobia, and white supremacy.”
It is no question that hatred on these grounds is unacceptable and should be subject to penalization.
But,
- What parameters exist for hate speech?
- Who is making the rules?
- What do the rule-makers have to gain from such a policy?
These are questions we should be encouraged to ask. In order to understand the what, we must understand the why.
Obey or Be Exiled
It is my observation that any statement or act which challenges the mainstream narrative is purported to be inherently “hateful” or “dangerous” to the public.
I’m not talking about the radical left or right, either. People far on both sides of the spectrum are too emotional and identified with their ism. I am speaking of people who are reasonable in their approach.
Jordan Peterson is a current victim of the tyranny imposed by governing bodies in Canada. The Clinical Psychologist has had his license revoked in Ontario due to his proclaimed political outlook. As a result, he must undergo a mandatory coaching program for an indefinite amount of time and a hefty fee.
This is arbitrary because mental health professionals who divulge their liberal politics are seldom penalized and even applauded for promulgating their views. On the other hand, anybody who openly questions the narrative is ridiculed or subject to punishment.
Newsflash: truths exist which can offend their recipients. Not because they were designed to propagate hate, but rather because they are backed by a universal and objective truth.
There’s Your Story, My Story, and the Truth
The problem today is that the concept of objective reality is under attack. We are being told that the truth is based on the way we feel, not scientifically-backed information.
We see this often today with radical leftists and conservatives. Both parties are constantly vying to defeat the other, missing the whole objective of their political association. Their feelings trump any logical pattern of thought, barricading them from learning and developing their ideologies.
Ahem! Have you ever heard the statement that feelings aren’t facts? A cognitive behavioural therapy session will teach you all you need to know about this notion. Just because you feel like you’re worthless doesn’t mean you are worthless.
Does a Universal Truth Exist?
Without objectivity, life on Earth could not be sustained.
Think about it.
A sequence of events had to occur and repeat itself over eons in order to develop the intricate processes, cycles and systems we experience today. That doesn’t just happen randomly. It’s written in the law of nature.
The lifecycle of a butterfly is mapped by a pre-determined law which allowed it to brave its four phases of metamorphosis from egg to adult or die off due to natural selection. Settle it with Darwinism.
Why the Quest for Truth Matters
If the miracle of life is possible, don’t we want to create the best conditions for beings to thrive?
Shouldn’t the goal be to optimize human existence while we’re here?
Wouldn’t the exploration of truths help us to inch closer to a maximally healthy way of living?
I would say so.
Unfortunately, the 21st-century population is growing increasingly distant from self — and reality. We have largely lost touch with our intuition, the late Middle English word meaning “to contemplate.”
The upswing in technology usage from the 2000s dot-com bubble onward has plagued society with wounds and/or confirmed pre-existing injuries to the psyche. We are seeing this currently as depression and social anxiety skyrocket.
Fake food, Instagram and pharmaceuticals may create exemptions for self-accountability, leading to a self-deteriorating dependence on authorities to fix the broken parts of an individual.
In a time of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.
What would our world look like if we faced the truth?
What if we stopped hiding and walked into the unknown?
Imagine the healing that could arise from releasing our need to defend our fragile identity or be right.
What if we just listened more? And a little more? You can listen and be heard. Take on the role of student and teacher. Be informed and short-sighted.
What you can’t do is remove the possibility of exploration.
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