These days we’ve all seen those videos on social media of problematic people shouting slurs, being racist, or showcasing bigotry in general. Many of these people being recorded later face repercussions for their actions – job loss, being shunned for their actions, and are held accountable. Many people aren’t fans of cancel culture; however, I believe that this type of action is not cancel culture and rather involves being held accountable.
Cancel culture is a phenomenon of “cancelling” people, brands, and other forms of pop culture due to offensive or problematic remarks or ideologies. This can result due to intentional or unintentional actions or phrases being said. For instance, Jaclyn Hill, a beauty guru, launched a lipstick in 2019, called “So Rich Lipstick.” These lipsticks ended up having white hairs protruding from them (ew) and many fans complained about the lack of quality control. Hill did issue apologies; however, it was only after more fans took to social media to expose the brand, other influencers talked about the manufacturing, and the lipsticks got backlash that Hill finally decided to take a break. In this case, Hill isn’t necessarily “cancelled” but is facing the consequences of a lack of investment into quality lipstick manufacturing.
While this case isn’t necessarily cancel culture (more like accountability), racist acts caught on camera are a different story. Lipsticks and racism are mutually exclusive. While lipsticks don’t bash or hurt another person, racism does. Many of these people express racist beliefs in videos of road rage, over a parking spot, or other insignificant issues. This is alarming because these people work in jobs where they are directly dealing with diverse clientele comprised of all backgrounds and walks of life. This jeopardizes customer service, the quality, and ruins days. As such, when you give out bad energy and bigotry (racism), you should face the consequences. While I can understand that these people expressing these beliefs may have complex upbringings and social environments, it is their job to educate themselves and be respectful of everyone around them. You are responsible for unlearning your biases. Let’s not forget you reap what you sow.
References:
https://nypost.com/article/what-is-cancel-culture-breaking-down-the-toxic-online-trend/
https://www.thelist.com/374133/the-jaclyn-hill-makeup-line-controversy-explained/