Cancel Culture has grown into a huge thing on social media in recent days, The Channels asked two writers to discuss if cancel culture is a necessary form of social justice in today’s society or an over rushed reaction.
Djamila Rodeck, Opinion Editor
In today’s society, social media scandals and rumors are spreading quicker than ever. This causes people online, especially celebrities, to be “cancelled” quickly. But is cancel culture actually a good way to hold people accountable for misbehavior and harmful speech or is it an overrushed reaction, causing those affected to have some serious consequences in their online as well as personal life?
Over the last decades, numerous celebrities such as Sean “Diddy” Comb, Kanye West (Ye), Elon Musk, Lizzo, Ariana Grande and even Kevin Hart were caught in scandals and got cancelled online. But not just celebrities got cancelled online for political topics, morally wrong things, or hate speech, but also authorities such as the police were held accountable for mistreatment.
Many examples of that can be found in movements like the Black Lives Matter movement. Due to the online spreading of the movement, many people started to speak up and took action online and in real life to hold the police accountable and get justice for victims of police brutality and racism. Masses of people went on the streets to protest and let their voices be heard.
One case that sparked huge conversations was George Floyd’s case. In that case, the outcry of society held the authorities accountable and was able to get justice for the victim’s family.
Cancel culture allows the society to change cultural norms, demand justice for themselves or others, and force people in power to face consequences. It can also help those being canceled reflect on their actions and grow as a person. Besides that, it can warn people about certain people and what they do, and help oppressed communities go against things like sexism or racism.
Celebrities like Kanye West (Ye) got canceled numerous times for things like his political views, anti-semitic comments and hate speech or even his marriages to ex-wife Kim Kardashian or current wife Bianca Censori, causing him to lose millions of followers and a decrease in sales. Holding people accountable for things like anti-semitic comments is important to show that it’s not socially accepted and wrong. It’s important to show people that they hurt others and give them consequences that make them change their behavior. As a society, it’s important for us to use our voice and go against injustices.
Amanda Cloninger, Staff Writer
Cancel Culture is a sole online hyper fixation that helps the time go by. Starting off with COVID-19, people cooped up in their homes with literally nothing to do and nowhere to go. Having a heavy co-dependency on social media, people became extremely out of touch with reality. Finding the smallest things about influencers and celebrities that they could “cancel”.
Scandal would corrupt TikTok in thinking it would actually do something. In fact, people would confuse cancellable with illegal. Cancel culture really doesn’t do much other than pass time and create scandals for people to tune in on and talk about.
I’m against cancel culture because it’s dangerous. There have been many instances and situations that have only been seen as cancelable, but in reality, a ton of illegal activity. Many examples stem from pedophilia and grooming.
A lot of people were distraught that their favorite content creators were accused and ‘canceled’ because of their illegal behaviors. Cancel culture is nothing but a slap on the wrist. There are no real consequences, a light slap on the wrist, and cyber bullying, but all you have to do is turn off your device or social media, and let time have people forget.
Cancel culture was at its all-time high during COVID, having nothing to do with any actual problems or solutions, the only reason cancel culture was a thing was to help with people’s boredom. Scandals for people who think they have important opinions to share and think they are intelligent because they have the right to an opinion.
