There are so many things, ideas and practices in this world that were created for good but have been misused by man and end up losing their true meaning and purpose.

The concept of cancel culture is one that over the years has fizzled out to what now seems like acceptable bullying.

While the idea behind cancel culture is to positively combat societal issues such as racism, misconduct and inequality, today it seems as though persons, especially celebrities, can be cancelled if they sneeze to loud.

What is cancel culture?

Cancel culture is a form of boycott. It is the exclusion or ‘canceling’ of a person, organisation, product, brand, or anything else due to an issue that a community or group disapproves of or finds offensive.

Another definition of cancel culture is “the popular practice of withdrawing support for public figures and companies after they have done or said something considered objectionable or offensive”. This canceling is often performed on social media in the form of group shaming.

In short, to be canceled means that a person or group decides to stop supporting someone or something based on a transgression that is either actual or perceived. 

Some have argued that the problem that lies with cancel culture is that it restricts freedom of speech and censors individuals for sharing their opinions.

Members of the cancel culture throng know few limitations. While social media has empowered people to speak their minds, it has also created a space that has empowered the masses to attempt to ‘cancel’ those who express controversial opinions among other things. Loss of jobs, friends and opportunities are among the fallout victims of cancel culture often have to suffer.

Those who go about canceling people for no major reason, gain nothing but empty gratification. With cancel culture, it seems as though everyone loses the ability to understand different perspectives and opinions and, so, as long as they find what is said to be offensive, they transform into full canceling mode.

Instead of having meaningful conversations with people who hold different opinions, those who practise cancel culture prefer to dehumanise individuals. Cancel culture not only harms individuals who fall victim to preying mobs, but harms all of society.

Imagine looking in from the outside with aspirations of becoming an influencer to share your opinions with the world, only to realise that your opinions can lead to your greatest downfall. It is quite a scary thought.

The phenomenon of endorsing the ‘canceling’ of people isn’t all that new, but has increased and evolved over the years amid the social media era. While some see it as holding individuals accountable, others differ, viewing it as a means of control and not true justice.

But why are so many people being ‘canceled’? What does it really mean to get the #cancel treatment? Will society ever declare it to be over?

Reasons for Canceling

Some of the top reasons cited for canceling include:

• To serve as a teaching moment
• To get the person to consider the consequences of their statements
• To expose racism or sexism
• To get people to think before they speak
• To hold someone accountable for their statements or behaviour

Here are a few ‘casualties’ of cancel culture over the years

• J.K. Rowling – The author of Harry Potter, was canceled after making a comment on Twitter in June of 2020 that offended some members of the transgender community. The tweet in question was retweeted over 95,000 times and drew more than 46,000 comments.

• Max Boyens – In January 2020, actor Max Boyens apologised when past racist tweets resurfaced. “It upsets me that the word n—a is not allowed to be said unless you are black because quite honestly it’s my favorite word,” he wrote in a 2012 online post. As a result, he was fired from reality TV show Vanderpump Rules.
• Chrissy Teigen – A model and bestselling cookbook author, was also canceled in 2021 after several people exposed her for sending “mean tweets”, ultimately causing Teigen to step away from her cleaning supplies company and be replaced by Netflix in the second season of Never Have I Ever.

Positive Influence of Cancel Culture

There is no denying that cancel culture can help combat wrongdoings and address disparities across the world. In 2016, for example, many members of the film community boycotted the Oscars because of the lack of diversity among nominees. This helped promote social change and, in 2019, the Oscars set a record for the most nominations for Black directors ever.

A community that unites for a common cause can be empowering in addressing issues that may lead to societal problems.

Effects on the Canceler

As an individual, you have the right to set your own boundaries and to decide what uplifts and what offends you. You also have the right to decide to whom and what you give your attention, money, and support.

But canceling the offending person (or brand) doesn’t always cause them to change their beliefs or lead to lasting change. It can even make them dig in their heels in an effort to defend their ego and reputation.

In some cases, canceling has the opposite effect of what was desired. One example is the docuseries Surviving R. Kelly. While this TV series prompted many to push for a sex crimes conviction against the musician, it also created a 126 per cent increase in on-demand streams of Kelly’s music the day after the premiere.

Effects on the canceled

Individuals who decide to work within the public space, especially on social media, have to now pay close attention to what they say, what they write, what they do and what they post. Those who unfortunately are unable to do so will have paid for their actions (even though in some cases the individual did not mean what was perceived by the cancelers). The canceled can lose not only their job or endorsement but also their mind, sense of purpose and drive.

Effects on the Bystander

Cancel culture doesn’t only affect the canceled and the cancelers. It can also wreak havoc on onlookers’ mental health. Chances are that, after seeing so many people being canceled, some bystanders will cower in fear. They become overwhelmed with anxiety that people will turn on them if they express themselves fully. This can cause them to keep their thoughts and ideas bottled up instead of talking about and working through their opinions and emotions.

Bystanders might also worry that others will find something in their pasts to use against them, as many people get canceled for things they have done in the past. Yes, your past can be used against you in this situation… so much for second chances.

They may also fear that every word they say or write is going to be scrutinised under a microscope and construed as offensive, even if it wasn’t meant to be.

Though the idea of cancel culture isn’t a bad one, users have taken it to a whole new level without realising that they are becoming like the people they initially set out to ‘cancel’. Edging on the line of abuse, one cannot tell how long it will take before cancel culture gets canceled or if it ever will.