3 ms·
when cancel culture first became a thing, I too found it very worrying. surely there is a better way of accomplishing these goals, I thought. eventually, I came
by leetcrew 6y ago
when cancel culture first became a thing, I too found it very worrying. surely there is a better way of accomplishing these goals, I thought. eventually, I came to the conclusion that this is probably the best way for these people to express their frustration. it's basically just a boycott. the only reason it has any real power is because a bunch of people are getting together and threatening to vote with their wallet. they are using the tools provided by capitalism the way they are meant to be used. I might not always like the outcome, but of the available options, this is probably my favorite technique for forcing organizations to make changes. when people are this upset, the alternatives are much worse: enforcement action from the government, civil unrest, direct violence, etc.
if you still believe in the values of liberalism, you have to consider methods and goals separately. while I might not always agree with the goals, I can't really fault the method. even if you do think cancel culture is terrible, how would you stop it? you can't make it illegal for people to take their business elsewhere.
- ssklash 6y agoAbsolutely this. Any single instance of cancel culture is an individual exercising their right to free speech and association, as well as the so frequently touted primary method of individuals to voice their opinion within capitalism, voting with one's wallet. Somehow when many people all with the same opinion do it in concert it becomes cancel culture. Both sides of the political divide do it, and both seem to have a problem with it only when the other side does it. Decrying a fundamental mechanism of democratic speech because it goes against what you agree with seems to me rather undemocratic. And I think the view that it is disliked by those in power as it gives normal people an unusually powerful weapon is spot on.
- jimbokun 6y agoI think your mistake is assuming “cancellation” is only applied to the rich and powerful, but it has become used more and more against non public persons, who often have not even done what they are accused of, or at the very least the accusations against them are greatly exaggerated.