Let’s Talk About Cancel Culture
Whether it seems like it or not, cancel culture is not new. This shocking and sometimes toxic phenomenon has been woven throughout history and has been called by many names. Though the reasons for public shaming have shifted over time, the main objective has remained the same: calling people out for something that the majority deems offensive. But instead of doing things physically, now we do it all through our devices.
It’s no secret that the rise of cancel culture is a result of the evolution of public shaming and technological advancements. In our digital era, the everlasting digital footprint allows us to scrutinize the actions of public figures. The ease with which faults can be unearthed has empowered our society to play judge and jury through our devices, changing the process of public scrutiny. When a public figure falls under the gaze of societal disapproval, we feel like we have to punish them; and that could be through societal ostracization, blacklisting, and/or shunning.
When evaluating the efficacy of cancel culture, one must look at the dualities of the results. The #Metoo movement stands as a testament to the positive potential of public call-outs, empowering victims to share their stories and exposing abuse perpetrated by figures of power. This movement has aided women to feel supported when speaking out against abuse. Publicly calling out powerful individuals can also unfortunately backfire. In the case of R.Kelly, the negative attention surrounding him had a counter-effect when people began to call him out for his sexual crimes and started demanding for the end of his career. While his documentary brought light to the victims’ stories, it also caused his streams to increase dramatically.
Looking beyond just high-power celebrities, cancel culture casts its net wide within the influencer community. Influencers, subject to public scrutiny for offenses ranging from serious transgressions like sexual misconduct to trivial matters such as product endorsement dishonesty, have been sucked into the ever-expanding web of cancel culture. As we embrace this culture with ease and desensitization, it starts to dilute the power of cancellation and the meaning behind why we cancel someone in the first place.
References
The Collector – “Is Cancel Culture Toxic? Pros & Cons”
New York Times – “The Long and Tortured History of Cancel Culture”
UGC Pegasus – “Is Cancel Culture Effective?”
The Daily Wildcat – “OPINION: Cancel culture has made enjoying music difficult”
On Our Moon – “Cancel Culture: The Good, The Bad, & It’s Impact On Social Change”
News is My Business – “What brands should know — and do — about cancel culture”
