thebirdonfire.org bloggers spent the week examining cultures and countries. Luke looks critically at the phenomenon of a social culture.
By Junior Luke Sonderman
What is cancel culture?
In recent years, you may have heard people talk about politicians, actors, social media influencers, and even everyday people in society being “canceled” for something they say, promote, or do. This is the foundation of cancel culture. To be canceled is basically to be cast out of society or from any social group. This may mean being banned from social media, losing employment, or being labeled as someone not fit to function in society.
Why is cancel culture so prominent today?
Personally, I believe that cancel culture is so prominent because it is the easiest and fastest way to hold someone accountable for their actions while not giving the accused a chance to make their case. In 2019, the 27-year-old Former Editor-in-chief of Teen Vogue Magazine, Alexi McCammond, “parted ways” with her job after an “anti-asian and homophobic” tweet from when she was 17 resurfaced (heritage.org). The platforms advertising was pulled and Vogue had to let go MCammond (heritage.org). One out-of-context tweet from ten years ago can be grounds to fire an employee and cancel someone from society. It is the easiest way for people to ruin someone’s social reputation without giving them a sliver of a chance to salvage it.
Where does freedom of speech play a role in cancel culture?
Well, it is partially true that in the United States, citizens are free to speak their mind without having interference from the government. But, private organizations like Twitter and Instagram are free to sensor anything they like on their personal platforms. Recently a social media sensation Andrew Tate was permanently banned from Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok for being a “dangerous individual or organization” (variety.com). Andrew Tate’s rise to fame came from his controversial views on gender stereotypes, gender equality, and how he thinks men should treat women. His confident and insouciant demeanor as well as his supercars and money has made him a large appeal to teenage boys who want to live like him. Spreading misogyny and sexist ideas to the next generation is a very dangerous plague, but is it the job of companies like Twitter and Instagram to censor what is on their platform?
“Censorship is telling a man he can’t have a steak just because a baby can’t chew it.”
Mark Twain
It is the job of social media users to make opinions and decide for themselves what is right or wrong, not the job of the platform. Just because there are young teens on social media, companies should not censor and tailor their platform for what they should and shouldn’t be exposed to.
Why cancel culture is so dangerous?
Although cancel culture does silence some people with dangerous and controversial beliefs, cancel culture can also ruin the lives of people who have made mistakes. We are sending a message to the world that it is not okay to make mistakes and forgiveness is no longer something that is acceptable in society. We are also accepting blatant censorship as an American norm that is right now confined to private companies but is spreading quickly to our education systems and leading us away from a free, democratic nation.
Cancel culture has always existed. It used to be the conservative, “family values” people who canceled anyone who ruffled their feathers. (Think about all the actors that were blacklisted, or politicians like Gary Hart.) That still happens, of course. (Look at the state of Florida going after Disney.)
But now people who are more non-traditional are also using the cancel strategy. It’s not surprising to see that the new targets of canceling dislike being canceled just as much as the historical targets of canceling disliked it! But it’s nothing new. Live by the cancel, die by the cancel.
I really appreciate reading your perspective on this. While of course we all want to learn and be better to one another, we are going to make mistakes. It is scary to think of a world where you can’t apologize and learn from our mistakes.