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Cancel culture leads us to anti-intellectualism. A thread—
(1) Cancel culture
It’s a loaded term. At its best, it’s holding public figures or organizations accountable for shameful behavior. At its worst, cancel culture is a disorderly mob that shuns everyone who disagrees. In practice, it falls somewhere between these two extremes.
It’s a loaded term. At its best, it’s holding public figures or organizations accountable for shameful behavior. At its worst, cancel culture is a disorderly mob that shuns everyone who disagrees. In practice, it falls somewhere between these two extremes.
(2) Cancelling & groupthink
It promotes submission to groupthink. If someone even questions what the group agrees is woke, they’re canceled for being bigoted. When we cancel everyone who broadens perspective & questions the group consensus, we arrive at anti-intellectualism.
It promotes submission to groupthink. If someone even questions what the group agrees is woke, they’re canceled for being bigoted. When we cancel everyone who broadens perspective & questions the group consensus, we arrive at anti-intellectualism.
(3) Anti-intellectualism
When the productive back-and-forth of intellectual discussion gets chopped off because we don’t allow for other perspectives and opinions, the result is disastrous. Society thrives when every reasonable viewpoint gets a seat at the table.
When the productive back-and-forth of intellectual discussion gets chopped off because we don’t allow for other perspectives and opinions, the result is disastrous. Society thrives when every reasonable viewpoint gets a seat at the table.
(4) It’s ineffective
Cancel culture is supposed to be for combating prejudice & bringing about unity. In my experience, it tends to promote “us versus them” thinking in the form of “us versus the irredeemably immoral people.” This doesn’t eliminate prejudice. It redirects it.
Cancel culture is supposed to be for combating prejudice & bringing about unity. In my experience, it tends to promote “us versus them” thinking in the form of “us versus the irredeemably immoral people.” This doesn’t eliminate prejudice. It redirects it.
(5) Accountability
Cancel culture is used interchangeably with accountability, but to me, the two are distinct. One seeks damnation & one seeks reconciliation. Cancel culture is an angry mob, and its aim is vengeance. Accountability is a critical coach, and its aim is growth.
Cancel culture is used interchangeably with accountability, but to me, the two are distinct. One seeks damnation & one seeks reconciliation. Cancel culture is an angry mob, and its aim is vengeance. Accountability is a critical coach, and its aim is growth.
Cancel culture delivers on its promises of punishment for the offender, but it falls short on bringing about progress. Opt for accountability & growth rather than canceling. As a check, always ask, “Does this get us closer to the kind of world we want to live in? How?”
