Canceling culture is the act of withdrawing support from public figures or businesses after doing or saying something objectionable or offensive.
Popularly played online among Gen Z and Millennials, the truth behind the cancellation culture is that it has always been around.
Even though the term itself was coined not too long ago, public shame has been spread throughout world history and entertainment in more than one instance.
Nathaniel Hawthorne, for example, wrote one of the most famous culture novels ever. In “The Scarlet Letter,” Hester Prynn, the main character of the story, was literally paraded around town with a scarlet “A” signed across her chest for committing adultery.
The Cancel culture has always been present in history and entertainment; it was not always called “cancel culture”.
So how did he get his name?
Twitter may take some of the credit, according to Merriam-Webster.
When the #MeToo movement began, survivors sought justice by ousting their perpetrators by sharing their names in the public sphere. It is now used to justify more than just sexual assault. The list includes speaking to those who have been racially, homophobic, or simply insensitive to society as a whole.
To be canceled means to be shunned from the same company that deems you insensitive. In the days of leprosy, lepers were driven to isolated areas with other lepers to prevent the spread of the contagious and deadly disease. Likewise, those that were canceled today are socially thrown back into their own stigmatized bubble of guilt and shame.
Canceling culture ruins careers. It ruins people’s images. And, for those who have already been canceled, this is something they have a hard time getting out of. But didn’t they get there? Weren’t they canceled for reason?
Some people you may know who have been canceled
There is always a problem with putting an ordinary person, even a hero, on a pedestal. Once you’re at the top, if anything happens that society doesn’t respect, it’s a long drop to the ground.
And karma knows everything. It doesn’t matter who you are.
“The King of YouTube” also known as Shane Dawson was canceled when videos of him making racist, pedophile and bestiality-type jokes and again when people reverted to his videos before putting others down. Online creators like James Charles for real money have resurfaced. However, his cancellation never got stuck as his fans would keep returning to his series.
Award-winning author of the Harry Potter series, JK Rowling, was canceled for tweeting that she supported Maya Forstater, a researcher who used to make transphobic comments and spread nefarious rhetoric about the “T” community in LGBTQ.
TV host and comedian Ellen DeGeneres has been called off for being mean – allegations range from bad meetings with fans, firing someone for looking her in the eye and playing favorites with where she reached out to the executive producers of her racist show and to commit sexual misconduct.
As the list stretches for miles, these are just three of the biggest names canceled in modern media. The severity of why people are canceled varies depending on the crowd.
2020 has brought to light many dark and neglected areas and helped the world see where our deepest flaws lie.
Students weigh
International relations junior Jen Nardone said she first heard about cancellation culture last year when James Charles was in the process of being canceled.
“It was a little scary to see her supporters go down so quickly based on someone’s story that could absolutely have been faked,” she said.
But when she heard about the cancellation of Shane Dawson, a celebrity she admired, she said it was different to see another celebrity canceled.
“As a fan it was a whole different thing because you watch someone you love become so hated,” she says. “(Being) canceled is so aggressive”
Nardone said she thinks it is difficult to support someone who is canceled because it leaves you, the fan, unsure of whether to support that person.
“When you support someone and you are just told that you are no longer allowed to support them, it is like you are kind of in a box, and you just have to listen to what everyone wants to do. “, she says. “It’s hard.”
Undoing the crop, according to Nardone, can go too far and do more damage than repair. She said that once you get canceled it becomes really hard to offer a real apology, and even if you do, people might not believe you.
“We should just recognize that people make mistakes,” she said. “I think canceling cultivation is really toxic, but people need to be held accountable as well.”
For Teron Kinnard, an MSU junior studying anthropology, he said accountability is exactly what makes the cancellation culture beneficial.
“I don’t necessarily think that’s a negative thing, unless people are canceled who don’t need it,” he said. “I think it’s a way to empower people to a certain extent when people usually get away with things.
Kinnard said he thinks that because the entertainment industry socially elevates celebrities to statuses that can create pretentious egos, canceling culture is a good way to bring them back to earth.
“I often feel with big celebrity names, they can get away with things that most people can’t get away with,” he said. “Cancel culture and social media, it’s really up to the public to decide whether or not they still have their platform.”
While there is always a risk in laying charges, Kinnard said the culture of cancellation makes us, the public, the judge. We must therefore investigate on our side to make informed decisions.
“It’s always a danger when someone is falsely accused, but I think at the end of the day you just have to do your own research,” he said.
This article is part of our print edition on Information Overload. Show full number here.
Discussion
Share and discuss “The good, the bad and the dirty: analysis of the culture of cancellation and its effects” on social networks.
Canceling culture is the act of withdrawing support from public figures or businesses after doing or saying something objectionable or offensive.
Popularly played online among Gen Z and Millennials, the truth behind the cancellation culture is that it has always been around.
Even though the term itself was coined not too long ago, public shame has been spread throughout world history and entertainment in more than one instance.
Nathaniel Hawthorne, for example, wrote one of the most famous culture novels ever. In “The Scarlet Letter,” Hester Prynn, the main character of the story, was literally paraded around town with a scarlet “A” signed across her chest for committing adultery.
The Cancel culture has always been present in history and entertainment; it was not always called “cancel culture”.
So how did he get his name?
Twitter may take some of the credit, according to Merriam-Webster.
When the #MeToo movement began, survivors sought justice by ousting their perpetrators by sharing their names in the public sphere. It is now used to justify more than just sexual assault. The list includes speaking to those who have been racially, homophobic, or simply insensitive to society as a whole.
To be canceled means to be shunned from the same company that deems you insensitive. In the days of leprosy, lepers were driven to isolated areas with other lepers to prevent the spread of the contagious and deadly disease. Likewise, those that were canceled today are socially thrown back into their own stigmatized bubble of guilt and shame.
Canceling culture ruins careers. It ruins people’s images. And, for those who have already been canceled, this is something they have a hard time getting out of. But didn’t they get there? Weren’t they canceled for reason?
Some people you may know who have been canceled
There is always a problem with putting an ordinary person, even a hero, on a pedestal. Once you’re at the top, if anything happens that society doesn’t respect, it’s a long drop to the ground.
And karma knows everything. It doesn’t matter who you are.
“The King of YouTube” also known as Shane Dawson was canceled when videos of him making racist, pedophile and bestiality-type jokes and again when people reverted to his videos before putting others down. Online creators like James Charles for real money have resurfaced. However, his cancellation never got stuck as his fans would keep returning to his series.
Award-winning author of the Harry Potter series, JK Rowling, was canceled for tweeting that she supported Maya Forstater, a researcher who used to make transphobic comments and spread nefarious rhetoric about the “T” community in LGBTQ.
TV host and comedian Ellen DeGeneres has been called off for being mean – allegations range from bad meetings with fans, firing someone for looking her in the eye and playing favorites with where she reached out to the executive producers of her racist show and to commit sexual misconduct.
As the list stretches for miles, these are just three of the biggest names canceled in modern media. The severity of why people are canceled varies depending on the crowd.
2020 has brought to light many dark and neglected areas and helped the world see where our deepest flaws lie.
Students weigh
International relations junior Jen Nardone said she first heard about cancellation culture last year when James Charles was in the process of being canceled.
“It was a little scary to see her supporters go down so quickly based on someone’s story that could absolutely have been faked,” she said.
But when she heard about the cancellation of Shane Dawson, a celebrity she admired, she said it was different to see another celebrity canceled.
“As a fan it was a whole different thing because you watch someone you love become so hated,” she says. “(Being) canceled is so aggressive”
Nardone said she thinks it is difficult to support someone who is canceled because it leaves you, the fan, unsure of whether to support that person.
“When you support someone and you are just told that you are no longer allowed to support them, it is like you are kind of in a box, and you just have to listen to what everyone wants to do. “, she says. “It’s hard.”
Undoing the crop, according to Nardone, can go too far and do more damage than repair. She said that once you get canceled it becomes really hard to offer a real apology, and even if you do, people might not believe you.
“We should just recognize that people make mistakes,” she said. “I think canceling cultivation is really toxic, but people need to be held accountable as well.”
For Teron Kinnard, an MSU junior studying anthropology, he said accountability is exactly what makes the cancellation culture beneficial.
“I don’t necessarily think that’s a negative thing, unless people are canceled who don’t need it,” he said. “I think it’s a way to empower people to a certain extent when people usually get away with things.
Kinnard said he thinks that because the entertainment industry socially elevates celebrities to statuses that can create pretentious egos, canceling culture is a good way to bring them back to earth.
“I often feel with big celebrity names, they can get away with things that most people can’t get away with,” he said. “Cancel culture and social media, it’s really up to the public to decide whether or not they still have their platform.”
While there is always a risk in laying charges, Kinnard said the culture of cancellation makes us, the public, the judge. We must therefore investigate on our side to make informed decisions.
“It’s always a danger when someone is falsely accused, but I think at the end of the day you just have to do your own research,” he said.
This article is part of our print edition on Information Overload. Show full number here.
Discussion
Share and discuss “The good, the bad and the dirty: analysis of the culture of cancellation and its effects” on social networks.