Here's a simple explanation for cancel culture:
I believe that cancel culture can be good, but nowadays there is a lot of bad to it. Let's start with the good. Cancel culture is good when there is agreement across different groups and/or nations that someone did something egregious and should be boycotted. Examples of these bad actors would be Russia because of their unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, and Hitler because of the Holocaust and his many other crimes. Such people and their actions should not be supported in any way.
Where cancel culture can go wrong is when it is use as a political weapon (e.g. to silence, to divide, etc). The easiest example to see if or when it is being used as a political weapon is when cancel culture is applied selectively and/or inconsistently. Someone or group become outraged by some comment or act so they shun the bad actor online, usually done in large groups. But then, when someone from their side commits the same act, there is not the same action. In my mind this clearly shows that the act is not the problem, but it's also trying to eliminate opposition. Another time I disagree with cancel culture is when the outrage comes mostly from one side and/or is debatable. If something is really wrong, then you're likely going to have people from both sides speaking out. But when it's just one side, then you gotta question how much politics is playing a role, and you can even question who the person was to first stir up outrage. Was it just some politician, and then he or she just gets others to follow her lead?
And last but not least, I am against cancel culture because it is a very divisive tool. Imagine if both Republicans and Democrats were doing that to each other. If that happened, then the United States would fail. Nowadays, it seems like it's mostly those on the Left that use it, or perhaps they are the ones that get the most traction doing it because most mainstream media is on their side and they help bring attention to it. But we're starting to see a small shift with Republicans starting their own media brands, Elon Musk has Twitter (although he's more of a Libertarian), Trump has his own social media platform, we other media outlets other than Fox News. I caution the Republicans about doing their own cancel culture because they will be just as wrong. Many forget that former president Trump helped popularize cancel culture when he called for Colin Kaepernick to be cancelled. Since then, Kaepernick has had a hard time being hired. Some things can be called out, but not to the point of being boycotted.
Feel free to share your own thoughts on the topic!
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancel_culture
I believe that cancel culture can be good, but nowadays there is a lot of bad to it. Let's start with the good. Cancel culture is good when there is agreement across different groups and/or nations that someone did something egregious and should be boycotted. Examples of these bad actors would be Russia because of their unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, and Hitler because of the Holocaust and his many other crimes. Such people and their actions should not be supported in any way.
Where cancel culture can go wrong is when it is use as a political weapon (e.g. to silence, to divide, etc). The easiest example to see if or when it is being used as a political weapon is when cancel culture is applied selectively and/or inconsistently. Someone or group become outraged by some comment or act so they shun the bad actor online, usually done in large groups. But then, when someone from their side commits the same act, there is not the same action. In my mind this clearly shows that the act is not the problem, but it's also trying to eliminate opposition. Another time I disagree with cancel culture is when the outrage comes mostly from one side and/or is debatable. If something is really wrong, then you're likely going to have people from both sides speaking out. But when it's just one side, then you gotta question how much politics is playing a role, and you can even question who the person was to first stir up outrage. Was it just some politician, and then he or she just gets others to follow her lead?
And last but not least, I am against cancel culture because it is a very divisive tool. Imagine if both Republicans and Democrats were doing that to each other. If that happened, then the United States would fail. Nowadays, it seems like it's mostly those on the Left that use it, or perhaps they are the ones that get the most traction doing it because most mainstream media is on their side and they help bring attention to it. But we're starting to see a small shift with Republicans starting their own media brands, Elon Musk has Twitter (although he's more of a Libertarian), Trump has his own social media platform, we other media outlets other than Fox News. I caution the Republicans about doing their own cancel culture because they will be just as wrong. Many forget that former president Trump helped popularize cancel culture when he called for Colin Kaepernick to be cancelled. Since then, Kaepernick has had a hard time being hired. Some things can be called out, but not to the point of being boycotted.
Feel free to share your own thoughts on the topic!
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