Written by: Amanda Rose, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
What is cancel culture? Essentially, it is a new type of ostracism, with the idea of “canceling” out an individual for existence, banishing them out of the social, community, and/or professional circles.
Let us explore the good, the bad, and the ugly that come with cancel culture.
The Good
Let’s start with the positive, which can be summed up with one word: Accountability.
No longer are people getting away with truly horrible acts. People find their voices and be heard instead of dismissed when they share their stories about what they’ve experienced.
There’s power in numbers. The “Me Too” movement proved that the days of staying silent are long gone and that abuse and mistreatment of any kind will no longer go unseen.
It makes us redefine what’s acceptable, what behaviors will no longer be tolerated, and how we can progressively move forward.
As renowned Toxic Relationship coach Jenn Rose puts it, "Cancel culture is actually Accountability Culture. This is why so many people hate it. It looks like they'll all have to start being accountable if they actually acknowledge the accountability part... so instead, they label it cancel culture so they can cancel their own accountability too."
The Bad
The real trap is that we are human, and we all mess up. There are also two sides to every story. We also know that “truth” is elusive and varies based on perspective. Life is not black & white or cut & dry. It is simply mottled shades of grey.
In the recent high-profile “wife beater” libel case involving Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, we see a good example of blurred lines. As British Television personality, Sharon Osbourne, commented on the case, "Do you know what I think," she began, "It takes two to tango. I think that they had a very vulnerable relationship. I think they're both as bad as each other. She gave him as well as she got — it wasn't just like a little mouse in the corner being battered. She gave him back, and I think that they were both drinking." Sharon continued, "I don't know what they were using. I have no idea who was doing what, but I know they were both drinking, and it's a volatile relationship. I had a relationship like that with my husband at one time. I would give him what he gave me."
The court ultimately ruled in favor of Amber Heard, and subsequently, Johnny Depp was “canceled.” He was dropped from current film projects, and his career is essentially in an indefinite limbo.
We are essentially creating a world through cancel culture where, if you mess up (whether you are really guilty or not), you’re done, finished, and may as well check-out from living because there’s no second chance or opportunity to grow or atone for past mistakes. All-or-nothing idealism is totalitarianism rearing its ugly head.
The Ugly
The real problem with cancel culture is that you are no longer “innocent until proven guilty,” and because of that, it is shockingly and frighteningly similar to a witch hunt. All that must happen is that you are accused of something, and suddenly, you are an outcast, banned from the life you knew. It is extremely scary because it destroys the lives of innocent people and doesn’t offer any path to redemption for offenders.
Piss off the wrong person? Boom, they pop out an accusation, and bam, you are banished. You are a social outcast, your career opportunities dry up, and no one wants to be near you for fear of association.
CEO of The Present You Inc., Tony Babcock, said on the subject, "In this fast-paced, instant gratification world, we are way too quick to categorize circumstances and now people. I’m all for accountability where it’s due, but I’m also all for perspective, patience, and taking the time to understand a person before villainizing. People often jump on the bandwagon before discovering facts. I long for a world where we take the time to use empathy first instead of Judgement."
Conclusion
Accountability, empowering the voices of those who have been mistreated, and awareness are all great qualities for us to embrace as a society. But cancel culture itself needs to be phased out. Canceling out anyone, guilty or not, leads to a frightening world to live in, and it stops us from growing from our mistakes.
Words matter, and “cancel culture” in and of itself is toxic. Taking a page from Jenn Rose, we should rename it “Accountability Culture,” a way of living we can all aspire to, making personal, corporate, and societal responsibility the norm.
Amanda Rose, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Amanda Rose is the founder & director of The Infinite Power of You Inc. It is a multi-published multi-genre author, business, wealth, & mindset coach, actor, motivational speaker, and online course creator. She is a multi-passionate entrepreneur who has been in the online space since 2013 and a sales expert for over 10 years. It's her passion to help her clients build lives of freedom and joy and thriving businesses with multiple revenue sources through strategies combined with mindset mastery — Amanda's mission to shift human consciousness to create soulful abundance through mindset practices.
