Author: Nicole Tan
Cancel culture is becoming significant in our society today, affecting many who use the Internet. Many people are ‘cancelled’ for simply expressing their opinions, which can lead to suppression of opinions and cause someone to be scared to speak up.
The definition of cancel culture is widely disputed among different people. Some believe that, according to Vox, cancel culture is a way to keep those who have wronged accountable, to boycott against people who have done wrong. However, cancel culture is also considered by others, again according to Vox, to be a vicious form of mob intimidation, where many people purposely cancel people for anything and everything they do.
According to Verywell Mind, cancel culture is detrimental to mental health. It often turns into online bullying, causing those being cancelled to feel ostracized and lonely. It also refuses the person being cancelled the chance to make up their mistakes, which is detrimental to our growth as a society. “Instead of creating a dialogue to help you understand how your actions hurt others, the cancelers shut off all communication, essentially robbing you of the opportunity to learn and grow from your mistakes.” (Very Well Mind). Additionally, cancel culture has a huge affect on bystanders. Witnessing people becoming cancelled causes one to become frightened that others will cancel them when expressing their opinions. Bystanders could also be scared that past things that they have said would be used against them. In this way, these bystanders might stay silent and not express their opinions.
Although cancel culture had probably started with good intentions, it has transformed to become something vile and hurtful, putting people under a microscope and examining their every word and action, overall creating hurt and fear in our online society today.
Bibliography
Verywell Mind: Cancel Culture and Its Mental Health Effects. Verywell Mind, April 14, 2022.
https://www.verywellmind.com/the-mental-health-effects-of-cancel-culture-5119201
Vox: Why we can’t stop fighting about cancel culture. Vox, December 30, 2021.
https://www.vox.com/culture/2019/12/30/20879720/what-is-cancel-culture-explained-history-debate
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