Cancel Culture

Anyone with a Social Media account has seen someone get “canceled.”

Usually, it’s a public figure who gets caught doing something bad, resulting in hordes of angry people online. Initially, these vigilantes were fair and just (they only targeted the worst of the worst), but after they got a taste of their newfound power, a dangerous culture began.

People started to go on Social media and patrol the streets. Some were tasked with scanning new posts for potential offense, while others were instructed to review people’s social media history to see if any dirt could be found on an old post they made. If someone’s had a Twitter account since 2009, that means looking through all their tweets to see if, somewhere along the way, they posted something that could be used against them.

If any incriminating evidence was found, it was brought to the public’s attention, and the person’s trial began online immediately. Anyone with a social media account was welcome to take part in the jury. To streamline the process, it was decided to ignore any context surrounding the transgression and completely remove the statute of limitations. Why the crime was committed or how long ago it was is irrelevant. All that matters is the person made a mistake, and now it’s time for them to pay for it.

Once the court begins, jurors are advised to review the case quickly and post their verdicts in the comment section. Why the rush? Every day, a new person is caught violating the moral law, and there’s no time for a thorough investigation when there’s a never-ending list of people who also need to see the judge for their offenses.

If it’s determined that the person is guilty, orders are given to withdraw all public support. If they’re an actor, that means no longer watching their movies; if they’re a musician, it means no longer streaming their music, and so on. In the event a regular person gets busted, an investigation begins to determine where they work. Once that’s discovered, the company’s information is posted online, so people can harass them until their employment is terminated. After that person’s life and reputation have been destroyed, the group gathers their pitchforks & torches and starts searching for the next person to cancel.

Members of Cancel Culture work 365 days a year, rotate morning and evening shifts, and are willing to work on holidays without bonus pay. They have an obligation to society and will stop at nothing to make sure every sinner faces their judgment.

I was aware of “Cancel Culture” before it formally got its name, but this was the first year I started paying attention to it. My interest was piqued after I began using Twitter more frequently and noticed that every day, people were rallying together to “Cancel” somebody. Sometimes, the attack felt justified because the offense was so bad, and other times, it seemed like people just got offended when someone had a different opinion.

Regardless of what happened, though, one thing was clear – the reaction was always extreme.

The only positive thing I noticed about “Cancel Culture” is that it doesn’t discriminate against anyone. The people involved in it don’t care what color your skin is, how old you are, or who you’re voting for come election time. I knew nobody was safe when I went online and saw people trying to cancel Tony Robbins. If they’re willing to go after the king of positivity, we’re all fucked.

You could be in the

• Lower Class
• Middle Class
• Upper Class
• or even part of the Elite

Everyone’s fair game, and no one’s off-limits.

Now, I understand people have to be held accountable for their actions. On the surface, it does seem like the individuals getting canceled deserve what’s coming to them. It’s hard to feel bad for people who get caught in these deplorable acts. The problem is that an unfair system has now been created, and there’s no possible recourse for the person in error. People who participate in “Cancel Culture” just want them exiled from society and work aggressively to make their lives as hard as possible.

People are ruthless because they have no connection to the person they’re attacking. If a family member or friend were caught in a blunder, they would never be so quick to condemn them. People don’t have the same compassion for a stranger as they do for someone they care about, though. They’re also going to be more fierce with their judgment when they can hide behind their private social media accounts or separate anonymous ones.

These online Avengers come off like they’re fighting for a good cause, but they’re really using vulnerable people as scapegoats for their own pent-up frustrations in life. It provides them with a sense of relief when they group up online and attack defenseless people. Social Media has created a new form of therapy called “Kicking People When They’re Down,” and many people participate in it.

I’ll occasionally scroll through the comment section when someone’s getting canceled and look at the profiles of people leaving mean comments. It’s always funny when you go to their page and see positive quotes like “Be kind to others” or “Forgiveness is Key.” They probably felt great when they posted it and racked up likes, but when it came time to apply the message, that same energy was nowhere to be found.

It’s ironic because everyone has done or said something that could get them “canceled.” We all have dark secrets that could get us in trouble if brought to the public’s attention. Even if you scanned someone’s entire life and couldn’t find something to use against them, I guarantee you that if a transcript were made that contained every thought that crossed their mind, they would get fired from their job, arrested, and possibly given a life or death sentence.

Nobody wants to admit this, but we all know it’s true.

When people mess up, you don’t just cancel them and take away their ability to make a living. That just puts them in a desperate mental state where they might commit suicide or do other things that make them a burden to the world. Not to mention, some people have a family that depends on them. With that being said, though, you really see how ridiculous canceling someone is when you look at the definition of cancel.

I don’t know about you, but bringing someone to nothingness and destroying them sounds a little overboard to me. People can evolve over time, and giving up on them prematurely is a mistake. Some of the most revered people in history came from troubled backgrounds, and when we look back at our own lives, most of us likely had our biggest growth spurt after some sort of mishap. Taking a negative event and holding it over someone’s head for the rest of their life is straight-up cruel. Unless someone has done something terribly wicked and poses a danger to society, most people deserve a chance to redeem themselves.

Besides people’s lives being at stake, we’re also seeing freedom of speech in danger. There’s a saying, “There’s freedom of speech but not freedom of consequence,” and that’s never been truer than today. Anyone caught saying something that isn’t 100% politically correct is immediately attacked by waves of people online. They’ll even twist your words to make you look like a villain.

For example

• If you’re an artist and write a song about a bad experience you had with a woman, they’ll label you a “Misogynist.”
• If they find an old tweet where you called something retarded they’ll accuse you of making fun of people with disabilities.

They’ll create a compelling narrative and try to persuade people to believe their interpretation of events.

If you legitimately mess up and decide to apologize, they’ll say you’re only doing so because you got caught, and if you ignore them, it means you’re guilty. No matter how you respond, you can’t win.

Everything that happens online also has an impact on the real world.

Obviously, every corporation wants a perfect reputation, so they usually cave to online pressure and disassociate themselves from the person receiving bad publicity. If a CEO is under fire, you can expect them to resign shortly after the controversy breaks. If it’s an athlete or musician, you can bet their sponsors will drop them until the controversy blows over.

Very rarely will a company stand behind someone going through a public storm.

As a result of our society’s increased sensitivity, people have to think twice before saying what’s on their mind. You have to consider whether expressing your opinion or creating controversial art is worth all the blowback you’ll get. It’s unfortunate because most of the things that need to be said make people uncomfortable—making people uncomfortable in today’s world, though, can result in a loss of work, friends, and future opportunities. It’s sad to say, but these individuals wield extraordinary power online, and they can significantly alter your life if they perceive you as stepping out of line.

People have always been judgmental, but now they have a new and effective medium to do it on (Social Media). It’s scary to think we now live in a world where you can’t make mistakes or voice your opinion without people trying to ostracize you. There’s never been a time in history when people have been under more pressure to craft a perfect façade and maintain it at all costs. Individuality is getting lost as people conceal their true identity so they’re not the next person kicked off the raft.

Everyone’s morphing into the same white sheep, trying to avoid standing out and drawing attention.

To be frank, I don’t see Cancel Culture ending anytime soon. I will say, though, I’ve noticed people start to push back on the concept of “Cancel Culture.” It felt like the movement went unchecked for a while, but now, people are starting to get tired of it. Controversy can be entertaining every now & then, but when there’s a new scandal every day, it gets tiring. Even when someone dies, people go to the comment section and remind those mourning what the deceased person did while they were alive.

It’s strange that we now have an army of people online who feel they have the authority to dictate what’s acceptable & what’s not, who gets a second chance & who doesn’t, and it puts a real fear in people that what they do/say/create might result in them getting canceled. It’s really a form of bullying, and the whole movement should be recognized as a threat to humanity.

Whether it’s the fact that they don’t allow people to redeem themselves or the constant outrage over trivial matters, this new form of online policing is a hazard to all of us, and we should start taking it very seriously.