The Toxic Side of Cancel Culture
Has cancel culture gone too far?
The idea known as “cancel culture” has been used on social media since 2015. It’s a term that describes the act of cutting off support of a person or brand in response to their wrongdoings, controversial words, or actions. It’s a form of boycotting those with financial and social power to eject them from their pedestal of fame or influence. When done right, it can be a great way for the black online community to feel and retain a sense of justice. However, when taken out of context, the repercussions for those being called out can be immense.
Previous “canceled’ figures include Kanye West for his right-wing political views and “slavery was a choice” statement, Megan Thee Stallion for her homophobic tweets sent out during her high school years, and Gucci for their black ski mask that many felt resembled “blackface.”
Though many figures deserve to be canceled — including R&B singer R. Kelly for his sexual exploitation and conditioning of underage girls — some celebrities are still ostracized despite their apologies or actions to correct their behavior.
During the Obama Foundation summit last October, former President Barack Obama discussed his take on youth activism, deeming “call-out culture” to be “judgmental,” and far from true advocacy.
“That’s not activism. That’s not bringing about change,” he said. “If all you’re doing is casting stones, you’re probably not going to get that far. That’s easy to do.”
When someone is canceled, they lose their career and financial and digital support. This can lead to the inability to support themselves due to their loss of followers and consistent income.
Another con of cancel culture is the shunning of those who support the canceled brand or figure. How can one learn from their mistakes or understand the repercussions of their support when they aren’t given the chance to grow?
In order for us to use cancel culture in a more efficient way, proper research should always be done. It’s easy to use social media to base your conclusion on an issue. However, social media can be one-sided and doesn’t always show the full picture of the issue in question. Before you decide the side you want to take, research every aspect. Five questions are a great way to start: Who is the figure or brand under fire? What did they say or do? When did this happen? Where did this take place? How did they respond to the backlash received?
The response is one of the most important determinants for if a public figure should be canceled. Failing to realize their mistakes and make the proper steps to overcome their faults and hurt brought upon their fan base is far from a true apology.
According to linguist Edwin Battistella, some apologies made by public figures fall short of being truly apologetic. Many of their apologies are based on self-interest instead of feeling regret for their words or actions.
“So it’s good when groups and individuals push back and say, ‘this isn’t the apology we were hoping to see. This apology says nothing.’”
In an article published on “Let’s Not Be Trash,” writer Stanley Fritz described his beliefs that “no one is ever really canceled.” When the person doesn’t learn from their past “transgressions,” they are still more likely to cause harm in other spaces.
Fritz’s solution: Getting rid of cancel culture in its entirety.
