One Anti-Racist Action You Can Take Today: Know The Difference Between Cancel Culture & Public Accountability
By Guimel DeCarvalho
Vice President of People & Culture
Yesterday Representative Jim Jordan called the second impeachment of President Trump an extension of “cancel culture” and then he called for unity. Calling an impeachment of a president for inciting an insurrection cancel culture is a bit like calling the insurrection itself a disagreement. At minimum it’s the wrong word.
As stated in the article below, “the term ‘cancel culture’ is being used as a shield” as people try to evade responsibility for their actions and decry any kind of public accountability.” At Wayside we encourage calling in others and ourselves, learning from mistakes and accountability. Some might call that “cancel culture.” I’d posit that, like with many things, there is more nuance than that and a matter of scale. Read the below articles to see some of the history behind the term and how it has been used and misused.
In particular note, “What actual damage is cancel culture inflicting? No one is being silenced. No one is being denied services or basic rights. People feeling embarrassed are personally injured. Egos are bruised. Careers are impacted. Boycotting is our right as citizens of this capitalist society – we spend our money where we want to share our support. That is hardly an infringement on anyone’s rights when they lose customers, fans, etc.” And as Massachusetts Representative Ayanna Pressley stated yesterday “unity at the cost of my very existence? Never.”
https://www.insider.com/cancel-culture-meaning-history-origin-phrase-used-negatively-2020-7
