What is cancel culture: Should it be cancelled?
It’s good, it’s bad, and it’s more complicated than just that. Learn more about this latest social media trend
Text: Shannon T
Many things were cancelled in 2020: family reunions, holidays, concerts, bras (just us?). So much, in fact, that we are now all likely to be masters in the fine art of shutting things down. But people? Cancelling whole human beings — otherwise known as “cancel culture” — is a social media trend that is not something new, but it has increasingly become part of some conversations in Singapore, and it’s likely to continue.
What is cancel culture?
Cancel culture is defined in the dictionary as the practice of mass ostracisation to show disapproval and exert social pressure. It involves a public call-out of a person for something terrible they have allegedly done, with the intention to expose, shame, and inflict penalty. According to research by Insider and reporting by Merriam-Webster and Vox, the phrase took off in 2018, particularly on Black Twitter (black identities and voices on Twitter).
Lisa Nakamura, a professor at the University of Michigan who studies the relationship between digital media and issues of race, gender, and sexuality calls it a “cultural boycott” of a celebrity, brand, company or concept.
When it comes to cancelling people, cancel culture only works on those who exist in the public consciousness, such as famous people, celebrities and politicians. It usually takes the form of retracting support for that person’s activities, though there may also be demands to have them removed from their positions or ousted from the public view.
How does it work?
It usually starts with a public figure saying or doing something that is deemed offensive. Backlash ensues across social media, with comments gaining traction as people from far and wide join in to give their two cents. Hashtags and keywords shoot to the top of Twitter’s trending list and the media picks it up. Other members of the public learn about it and a call-out snowballs into a public issue.
Whether cancel culture is good or bad thing is complicated. It can be perceived as good in that it has the power to bring celebrities and public figures down from their high podiums. In July 2019, Singaporeans called out an offensive E-Pay advertisement featuring Singaporean actor Dennis Chew, where his skin was artificially darkened to portray an Indian character. The backlash caused a swift removal of the ad, and NETS apologised for 'any hurt' caused. In 2018, Singaporean influencer Daryl Aiden Yow found himself in hot water when he was exposed for editing other people’s photos on Instagram and passing them off as his own. He was called out to acknowledge the mistake, and netizens approached his sponsorship partners to ask them to drop him.
In cases where the law comes into play, social backlash is able achieve warranted legal justice — for example, when Harvey Weinstein was cancelled and convicted for sexual misconduct after dodging lawsuits and accusations for over 25 years. In Singapore, local radio DJ and Youtuber Dee Kosh was embroiled in allegations and is currently being investigated by the police for soliciting sexual favours from underage minors after screenshots of his chats with at least five alleged victims were posted online. Public backlash was severe due to his track record of dissing others with no mercy, and brands who worked with him previously were also quick to distance themselves.
However, cancel culture is extremely debatable due to how subjective it can be and how it does not always ‘solve the problem’. Some cases are clear-cut, such is the case for Weinstein, while others are more abstruse. Take, for example, the he-say-she-say situation between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, where both are pointing accusatory fingers at each other and both are equally cancelled by supporters of the opposing side.
No end?
There is polarising debate on whether cancel culture is justified. Some people see it as glorified bullying, others think it’s the only way to demand accountability when workplace protections and judicial systems have failed. The lack of clear guidelines on social media policing and the fact that not all people share the same moral compass creates grey areas that demands every cancellation be considered on a case-by-case basis. Such a situation is difficult when hordes of people are up in arms at the same time. Some also worry that cancel culture may prevent needed conversations from happening, advocating education instead of silencing.
The most important question, whether you are for or against cancel culture, is why society has come to a point where people feel like they have no choice but to rely on it to call out prominent people in society. When the court of public opinion is perceived as the only way to demand accountability, it sheds light on problems bigger than cancel culture will ever be.
