I know History is full of comings and goings. Full of moments going forward or backwards. Things come and go and, generation after generation, I want to believe we keep learning. Hopefully by steadily improving.
Regardless of these historical trends, I have to say I was not prepared for the surprises of the past few years. I didn’t know enough to see it coming. I still don’t! If, on the one hand, we have the international movement towards hate and self-preservation, on the other hand I find myself lost for words with the generalised tendency to promote what is today defined as Cancel Culture.
What is “Cancel Culture“? Wikipedia defines it as “a term used to refer to the phenomenon of “cancelling” or no longer morally, financially, and/or digitally supporting people—usually celebrities—events, art works such as songs, films or TV shows, or things that many have deemed unacceptable or problematic.”
Are you familiar with this? As a trend, it started on Twitter and with the idea of “cancelling” people online when we don’t agree with their points of view or actions. Making them invisible. This issue raises so many others questions and it makes us think about what kind of society we want to live in.
I am sure most of us have, at one time or another, cancelled people from our lives. Deleting them on social media, blocking their phone number on our phone or simply by no longer speaking to them when we disagree with something they have done. Right?
No matter how much I reflect on the impact of this whole Cancel Culture, I can’t seem to make up my mind about what I personally believe is the right thing to do. Can you? We are all such complex creatures and I am worried that people have less and less space to make mistakes, to say the wrong thing or to make wrong decisions.
In a capitalist society or in a global world focused on profit and self-preservation, chosing not to support someone’s ideas by simply not purchasing their products is indeed a powerful tool. One that I totally agree with. Hit them where it hurts.
However, what kind of society are we heading towards if we eliminate from the public arena all the people and/or organizations that we believe to promote negative ideals? I am always concerned with anything that can do undergound because mainstream society chose to ban it. In general, the more we repress something, the bigger and darker it becomes.
At the same time, do we, as a society, believe in repentance? Do we believe that people can change and that we all make mistakes? I am 100% behind the idea of a compassionate society, where we always believe it is possible to change.
Or maybe we should have a bit of all these things. Maybe we can live in a society where people are in fact accountable for their actions but, at the same time, have the space to breathe, heal and start again?
What do you think?
