Cancel culture, also known as callout culture, is known as the phenomenon in which the support for an individual, group, or organization is canceled due to backlash at an action or opinion that is considered highly objectionable.
Alongside the rise of social media in the 21st century, cancel culture has only increased in the most recent decades. Celebrities, politicians, and companies alike face the wrath of the public’s disapproval. And it’s such a good thing.
Since its creation, social media has served as a free, unregulated platform for the broadcasting of invalidated information, opinion, and hatred. It’s a freedom that is not always used for the positive–but with most apps having nothing but a (useless) report button, little is done about it.
Now, with cancel culture, there is finally a check to balance it out. There is accountability, and there are consequences when it is needed most in the way that it affects those doing the harm the most–hurting their ego and taking away the fame that allows them to disseminate negativity and potential harm.
For example, Kanye West has seen the worst of what cancel culture can do. Upon publishing various antisemitic posts and comments on X, or Twitter at the time, West faced more backlash than he anticipated. Not only was his account locked from further use, but many companies severed their business ties with him, costing him millions of dollars, a poor reputation, and previous fans boycotting his music.
In consequence, some would argue that cancel culture fosters bullying and incites violence. However, those affected by cancel culture are the bullies. The victims are merely standing up for themselves and others.
In the case of West, blatant racism and antisemitism is more than deserving of a little backlash–and it’s a curse he placed upon himself. He is one of just many examples, too.
Just about every celebrity or famous-person has been affected by cancel culture at some point in their careers, such as Elon Musk, J.K. Rowling, Dr. Suess, Ben Shapiro, and Colin Kaepernick. In every example, there is a form of influential disrespect.
Cancel culture also gives a voice to those who may not naturally have one. It’s adjacent to a civil rights movement, eliciting change on social media.
Those who are actually affected by cancel culture tend to be wealthy, influential, and famous–three components of power. When this power is not used for the good, it is important for our society to give a voice to those who are great in number but with less power.
Normalizing the criticism of inappropriate behavior online is not necessarily a bad thing for society to accept. When inappropriate content is praised, it only encourages the actions more.
We learned this through TikTok when there were countless attempts of vandalism and destruction of property for the sake of posting a video on a feed. Do we really want to find out what happens when unjust influence and hatred receives the same attention?
Moreover, cancel culture opens the opportunity for new, positive initiatives to gain awareness and popularity that can counteract any harm that a post may have caused. It can also prevent it from happening again by inciting compassion to the masses on social media.
Cancel culture attacks the social status and reputation of those whose actions are not socially acceptable, which not only decreases their power at the time, but increases the challenge to get it back as well.
Some argue this to be a problem, as attacking what is genuinely wrong could turn into a slippery slope of attacking anyone and everyone that disagrees with one’s views. Yet, this has yet to happen, and there is a fine line between difference of opinion and morals and ethics.
In addition to this, cancel culture only offers a further incentive to respect and abide by morals and ethics, which only adds to its list of benefits.
And the list of benefits–it’s long.
Essentially, cancel culture provides nothing more than a benefit to our society.
Please see opposing viewpoint at https://ironbladenews.com/7399/opinion/commentary-pro-c…ncel-culture-con/
