Cancel Culture: Accountability or Cruel and Unusual Punishment?

By: Samantha Swanton

What is Cancel Culture?

If there is one thing in society that has remained constant, its that people will disagree. While disputes are an unavoidable part of human nature, the ways they have been settled have evolved drastically. From throwing tomatoes at the village trickster to battles to the death, history is littered with extreme forms of punishment. Today, it seems a new form has taken root, one that plays out on the internet: cancel culture. 

In recent years, cancel culture has surged drastically, especially in the entertainment industry. But what exactly is cancel culture and how did it start? 🤔

Cancel culture is defined as “the practice or tendency of engaging in mass canceling as a way of expressing disapproval and exerting social pressure.” This form of social rejection often begins with widespread outrage on a social media platform—an old tweet, video, or interview. As these forms of media spread to more people, more serious actions are taken such as mass unfollowing, boycotts and even firing. 

According to CBS News, the term “canceled” is said to have emerged from the show Love and Hip-Hop: New York in 2014. After a character used the phrase, it spread throughout Black users on Twitter before becoming a mainstream word on the app. Now, you can’t go a few scroll without seeing someone being “canceled”. Who knew one word would be the beginning of a culture movement? 🤷‍♀️ 

Who is Impacted By Cancel Culture 

Since cancel culture takes place on the internet, not many are immune to its effects. However, it often targets those of higher notability. For instance, celebrities are particularly at risk of being targeted due to their public recognizability and influence. The acting industry places extreme pressure on a person's image—if an actor loses favorability with the public, they risk losing job offers as well. 

In addition to actors, comedians are a particularly vulnerable group. One primary feature of comedy has always been pushing the boundaries; however, in our modern culture, jokes that were acceptable years ago are no longer appropriate. This shift has put pressure on many comedians, causing them to face backlash at every turn. 

Despite this, many comedians have been trying to embrace cancel culture. Writer Saarthak Johri believes that this culture has led comedians to focus more on the controversy of their jokes, rather than creativity. In a statement piece about comedy and cancel culture, Johri points to comedian Dave Chappelle as an example of someone who tried to toe the line between creativity and controversy—and ultimately failed in the eyes of the public.  

While cancel culture can be brutal, those celebrities that have garnered a large following outside of the internet usually have more cushioning when it comes to cancellation. For instance, mega-stars like Taylor Swift have such a large and powerful following that even the biggest of scandals don’t faze their trusted fans. This shows that the degree to which cancel culture affects an individual can vary drastically based on their social standing.   

Positives of Cancel Culture 

One of the most prominent roles of cancel culture is its ability to hold individuals accountable. Since getting canceled can drastically impact a person's image, public figures do everything they can to avoid it. Entire brands or careers can be destroyed overnight if they are canceled by the public. This often occurs after information is released regarding a person's past post or behaviors resurface. 

For example, in 2020, YouTuber Shane Dawson faced extreme backlash after various racist videos of his came to light. Despite attempting to address the scandal in an apology video, YouTube responded hastily by demonetizing all of his content across multiple channels–essentially ending his career overnight. 

The incident involving Shane Dawson reflects another powerful effect of cancel culture: its influence on companies, especially in regards to who they decide to represent them. In today's society, companies are expected to cut ties with an individual after they have been cancelled by the public. Failure to do so may put the company at risk of facing backlash themselves, possibly straining their relationship with consumers. This has led modern brands to be more considerate about their image. 

In 2022, rapper Kanye West was cut from the company Balenciaga—along with many other major companies— after making a series of anti-semitic comments online. This highlights the way that cancel culture has helped to shift the balance between celebrities and the public. In the past, celebrities seemed to get away with a lot more than the average person. Now, with their lives constantly in the spotlight, one wrong move can cost them their career. Ultimately, cancel culture has become one of the most effective ways to combat discrimination in society. 

Negatives of Cancel Culture 

While cancel culture has many positive effects, it also brings with it countless downsides. Despite being an effective method at holding individuals accountable for their past actions, it is often unforgiving. Actions and norms that were acceptable at one point may not be at another. For instance, thirty years ago smoking cigarettes was not only socially acceptable, but it was heavily glamorized in the entertainment industry. Now, it is often frowned upon and seen as an unhealthy habit. In a similar sense, language and humor that were once acceptable are no longer seen that way. Due to the ever-changing nature of culture, certain actions and comments that may have been harmless in the past may not be now. While holding people accountable is a necessary part of life, punishing them relentlessly for something they have already grown from can leave little room for personal development.

In addition to the rigid guidelines that cancel culture sets, it also promotes a dangerous mob mentality. One of the most dangerous features of the internet is the ability for users to remain anonymous. This allows individuals who are deemed “cancelable” to face an onslaught of cruel, ruthless things from anonymous accounts. In more extreme cases, individuals are at risk of being sent death threats or being doxxed—having their personal information leaked to the public. This type of behavior is dangerous and unwarranted in any situation; however, it becomes especially alarming when an individual is unfairly targeted.

One notable example of a celebrity who was unfairly targeted is Janet Jackson. According to Buzzfeed's list of 21 celebrities who were unfairly canceled, Janet Jackson is one of the top contenders. In 2004, while performing at the Super Bowl, Janet Jackson caused a stir when she experienced a wardrobe malfunction on stage. As Justin Timberlake was ripping off her top for what was supposed to be a costume change, he unintentionally exposed her to the crowd. Despite this being an accident, Janet Jackson was publicly shamed and even uninvited to the Grammy’s the next week. Meanwhile, Justin Timberlake faced no repercussions or backlash for the incident. The discrepancies between the way the two of them were treated shows how brutal and unfair cancel culture can be. 

The Future of Cancel Culture 

What does the future of cancel culture look like? Due to the fluidity of the internet, this question is a hard one to answer. While cancel culture has become a primary way to counter discrimination, it comes with far too many drawbacks to be deemed successful. In an opinion piece about cancel culture, writer Yohangil Nolasco argues that “if individuals were less hyper-focused on seeking accountability through public shaming and more inclined to seeking common understanding and then accountability for actions, our society would be at a different point.” 

Cancel culture began as a way to hold individuals accountable for harmful behaviors. However, as it has evolved, it shifted from an avenue for growth into a form of punishment. For cancel culture to be successful in the future, the focus needs to be brought towards education and genuine accountability rather than extreme forms of punishment. If this change does not happen soon, then we may see further divide in our society. Two wrongs do not make a right. While it is never unjust to call someone out for discriminatory acts, if we stray too far from grace while punishing others, we risk becoming villains ourselves.