Cancel culture or call out culture is a modern form of ostracism in which someone is thrust out of social or professional circles- where it be online, on social media, or in person.
The notion of cancel culture is a variant on the term call-out culture and constitutes a form of boycotting or shunning involving an individual (often a celebrity) who is deemed to have acted or spoken in a questionable or controversial manner.
J.K Rowling, known as the author of Harry Potter series, was also cancelled after she made a transphobic comment on Twitter. From authors to entertainers or to just common people, online platforms are ruthless when judging ones action and their past.
When children make a mistake, they are taught to correct themselves often in a polite manner and learn something from it and move on, why can’t influencers, authors or even people who make a mistake be treated the same?
The difference is that now there is a worldwide platform for the audience to speak their minds. Through a tweet or an Instagram post, a person can call out a celebrity or a person with more influence and others who agree with them follow. With a tool like social media, where a lot of people follow a herd mentality, it is easier to make a mountain out of a molehill. People are always taught to have their own opinions and stick to what they think, but when their opinion is more on the controversial side or is different from others, others tend to “invalidate” it and shame them for it.
Rowan Atkinson, an actor well known for playing Mr. bean told Radio Times that cancel culture has become a digital mob “roaming the streets looking for someone to burn”. He then continued to say that this culture has made it hard for people to be “exposed to a wide spectrum of opinion” and he was fearful for the future.
Hence, cancel culture is extremely negative and toxic and it can threaten the mental peace and stability of a person who committed a mistake or was ignorant in the past, not giving a chance to the person. The only thing that should be cancelled is the nature of denying forgiveness to those who have wronged.