Cancel culture is a double-edged sword. I believe it does contain both pros and cons, as I’ve noticed within the various conversations and research I have conducted on this phenomenon. Cancel culture is interesting to me because most of the time, people are not canceling people for a silly mistake, but rather people are canceling others who have done wrong, hurt others and are refusing to admit that. But then again, who is in charge of what is right and what is wrong? I feel like cancel culture is a complicated web of different views, resonating most with the demographic they are most similar with.
Thus, here are my three main thoughts on cancel culture: (1) people are more inclined to listen to the personal issues felt by their followers, friends and coworkers, and dedicate themselves to being proactive if they are called out, (2) but I don’t want people to live in constant fear of judgement or cancellation. Finally, (3) I am also very tired of people thinking it is the obligation of minorities to educate them on their own privileges.
Merriam Webster sheds light on the origins of cancel culture, elaborating that, “It has taken hold in recent years due to conversations prompted by the #MeToo and other movements that demand greater accountability from public figures. The term has been credited to Black users of Twitter, where it has been used as a hashtag.”
First off, cancel culture is not “woke” and just because you participate in it does not mean that you are immune to the social plague that our country is facing. It is not activism if you are not giving people a chance to grow and learn. Being a performative ally does not help anyone in the long run, and is just causing more damage to an already struggling society.
But chances are that the biggest reason you’re upset by “cancel culture” is because you’re worried about your reputation. It’s one thing to actually want to grow and develop as a human being, as someone who is increasingly aware of the daily issues marginalized groups face on a daily basis.
Yet, cancel culture is not political when it’s focusing on defending human rights. No matter what political party you are, if you do not think people who are different than you should have proper rights, then that is a whole other issue.
Nobody is perfect. I am not perfect. But if you are willing to overlook your own privileges and not examine them under a different perspective, if you are too worried about being “canceled” than doing the work internally and educating yourself on a diverse array of important subject matters regarding social justice and societal issues… then chances are you are doing something you know in your heart has another layer, another component that isn’t completely right.
In the New York Times article “10 Theses About Cancel Culture,” opinion columnist Ross Douthat explains how technological advancements, primarily on social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, affect cancel culture: “It’s easier to encounter ideological extremes on your smartphone than it was in the beforetime of print media, and easier to encounter hateful speech as well.” Something undeniable about cancel culture in today’s technological age is that it is a form of opening our perspectives up and holding each other accountable. Granted, cancel culture is not always the best uplifting method of creating change. And for some people, I understand why they believe it is toxic. We make a mistake and we want to erase it, forget about it. Our past does not define us, and cancel culture and the opinions of people we know can hinder our progress and self-development.
However, I personally have listened to a lot of people whose ideas I do not want to associate myself with, and it is because of my identity as a BIPOC and as an immigrant-turned-U.S. citizen that I have mixed feelings and multiple ideas regarding cancel culture. Is it really bad that many people who identify as a part of a marginalized community want to hold people, especially those in powerful socioeconomic positions and their white friends with privileges that they do not understand, accountable, especially online? And at the same time, who are we to continuously judge others and not take the time to look into the lens of the ideologies we ourselves possess?
I am personally uncomfortable by those people who preach kindness and love, yet take no effort to live out their words. I confess, my friends, that I am guilty of not being perfect, but I do try to listen more than I talk now, to recognize my mistakes and move forward with a willingness to be a better advocate, a better ally, a better person. And this is why I know that open dialogue with others can’t change our society, our country, our world, if we ourselves are not willing to do the work within our own hearts, within our families and friend groups, and be better. If we are not educating ourselves, then we are not working diligently to be open-minded and create fundamental change. Also, the addition and improvement of someone else’s rights in a political system will not take away from your own.
I do not want to be a hypocrite and devalue the importance of giving people second chances. I live by that; every day, I work harder to be in competition with my past self and become the best version of myself possible. I think that everyone deserves a chance. But at the same time, my glass half-full perspective is another privilege I have that I am working to recognize.
Therefore, for some people, cancel culture is a form of power, of marginalized groups calling out people’s behaviors that are hurtful and dangerous. After my research and conversations with people in my life, I see cancel culture from both ends: one way I see it is that most people who are upset at others for “canceling them” have done something questionable, something wrong, that they know about. Whether it’s engaging in racist behavior or not respecting someone who shares a different religion or viewpoint as you, cancel culture exists for a reason. This is not to say that I 100% support cancel culture. I don’t.
Because at the end of the day, if you are more worried about “getting canceled” than actual minorities getting hurt by systemic racism and other laws, then you are just a part of the problem. Cancel culture is supposed to make you feel uncomfortable.
And your feelings, your anxiety during this confusing political time, is all valid. It’s important to recognize and celebrate where we come from and our beliefs, whether they be more traditional or more liberal. But a small correction to those people wondering: being conservative does not equate disrespecting the human existence of others. You can like country music, go to church twice a week, and enjoy fishing. But what you can’t do is preach kindness while not working to do the work internally and educate yourself on your privileges as people who are oppressed continue to suffer.
Yet, contrary to popular belief, cancel culture does not take away our American liberties or freedom of speech because most of the time, just because we can say something hurtful to someone else does not mean we should. If we are truly worried about open dialogue, then the first step we take has to be within ourselves to engage others and be proactive. If we are truly worried about spreading kindness and positivity, then no, we should not be afraid of being canceled. If we aren’t doing anything wrong in the first place, if we are simply respecting minorities and being “good people,” then why are we afraid of getting “canceled?”
At the end of the day, I am grateful enough to recognize my privileges and view the two different standpoints on cancel culture. There is a deeper layer to cancel culture on both sides. We need to recognize our privileges, our internal traditional ideas about not accepting people who are different from us. It’s easy to avoid the current political landscape and turn your phone off when you are feeling uncomfortable rather than educating yourself and choosing to read how a BIPOC or LGBTQIA+ person is feeling.
My greatest takeaway is that we ALL need to do better by first finding out what we’re more uncomfortable with: people’s reputations getting judged or people calling you out on your harmful actions that contribute to a larger system of injustice.