Sometimes all it takes is one careless post on social media and your entire career is over.
When a PR executive tweeted an offensive joke about AIDS before boarding a flight to South Africa from London, her post sparked an uproar on X, with many calling her out for her remarks – especially considering that her chosen profession is about upholding a good public image. By the time her plane landed, she had been ‘cancelled’ on social media and later got fired from her job.
Months later, one of her critics reflected on the incident, saying: “I had taken its cluelessness at face value, and hundreds of thousands of people had done the same: instantly hating her because it’s easy and thrilling to hate a stranger online.”
He added: “I realised suddenly that I felt very guilty about having, I assume, destroyed another person on what was basically a whim.”
Not always justified…
Cancel culture refers to the mass withdrawal of support from brands, celebrities or ordinary people who have done or said things that are deemed socially unacceptable or perceived to be offensive. This practice of ‘cancelling’ or mass shaming often occurs on social-media platforms such as X, Instagram or Facebook. The primary means of cancelling an entity or individual is through publicly blocking, unfollowing, boycotting and/or verbally targeting them on the same platforms.
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The term ‘cancel culture’ first gained traction in the early 2010s, along with the increased use of social media (which is simply a modern tool at people’s disposal to react in the same way villagers did in the olden days, sometimes instigating a ‘witch hunt’). Since then, cancelling has gone viral, often with the use of hashtags to build momentum in the hopes of bringing ‘social justice’ to the issue.
While cancellation automatically paints a person as dodgy, bad, even evil and unreformable, there has been a strong push for a more tactful ‘calling out’ or ‘calling in’ that enables people to acknowledge their transgression, giving them a chance to repent, grow and improve going forward.
@maha.gaberBeing on the recieving end of a cancelation is not only stressful but costly! Here are the steps you take if you find yourself in the crosshair!
According to Felicity Harrison of the SA Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR), the cancel culture movement has evolved over time into a severe kind of punishment instead of adopting a more reasonable restorative strategy. “It’s not so much the fact that people are ostracised, but the degree to which it is done and the practices it engenders that are problematic,” she states.
Felicity claims that cancel culture actually contributes to the hardening of homophobic, sexist and racist views [the most common reason for cancelling], as those who are cancelled rarely recognise their flaws – and if they do, they are not given the opportunity to amend their ways.
As an alternative to individuals being cancelled, Felicity advocates for restorative justice. “In restorative justice, victims are given the opportunity to express the effects of what has happened on them personally, and offenders are given the chance to see what they have done wrong and change their behaviour.”
Effects of cancel culture
For many people, being cancelled is the most severe punishment imaginable, and being rejected by their following is their greatest fear. This explains why there is a strong link between cancel culture and mental health. According to several studies, being cancelled can lead to anxiety, depression and even result in suicidal thoughts or behaviour.
While the majority of public boycotts among adults are triggered by racist or homophobic statements, teenage cancel culture has come up with alternative justifications for the practice, such as cancelling a person for being ‘self-centred’ or for being ‘different’.
People who are cancelled experience a range of emotions, from loneliness to remorse and guilt, in addition to being taunted and ignored by their followers and society. They are also often reported and banned from using social-media platforms.
Amanda Koontz, a professor of sociology at the University of Central Florida, argues that those who cancel others may do so because they believe they have strong moral beliefs. This behaviour, however, enables them to overlook the moral actions of empathy and forgiveness in favour of being right. Instead of learning to discuss issues they disagree with, cancellers just eliminate those they think are incorrect, she says.
As a result, people who are on the sidelines sometimes feel guilt for not standing up for someone else who was cruelly cancelled, fearing that they might be next. There is a dark undercurrent of power relations at work here, similar to peer pressure.
According to the Pew Research Center in Washington DC, 58% of Americans believe that calling someone out on social media holds that person accountable for their actions, while 38% believe it punishes those who do not deserve it.
Research by Mainstreet Insights discovered that nearly seven in 10 (68%) Australians oppose cancel culture, highlighting that people can choose to show compassion to others regardless of their online behaviour.
How to deal with cancel culture
- Be a decent digital citizen
Consider your posts carefully before sharing them and refrain from participating in conversations when you’re upset or feeling emotional.
- Recognise the negative effects of cancel culture
It is called ‘cyberbullying’ when social media is used to isolate and humiliate others. Therefore, if you are offended by someone’s views, opinions or posts, report them for publishing offensive posts rather than lowering yourself to their level. - Go somewhere else to vent
Look for more efficient ways to express your ideas and opinions instead of ranting online. You can also have candid conversations with peers to learn about their perspectives and obtain a variety of viewpoints. - Get mental support to move forward
If you are ‘cancelled’, assess your mental health and explore new ways to manage conflict and disputes. Consider apologising to those you have offended.
A call for better resolutions
Unfollowed is a local docu-series on Showmax that explores cancel culture through the accounts of celebrities who lost followers, brand endorsements and sometimes even served prison time as a result.
Vanessa Tloubatla, the producer of the series, says that she hopes that viewers will stop and think before they judge, criticise, blame or post hurtful messages about others online.
For those attempting to repair their reputation after being cancelled, she says: “My advice would be to take the time to deal with the reason they were cancelled, introspect and heal, and take accountability within themselves where it is needed. But most importantly, they should decide for themselves whether social media is a safe space for them before diving back in.”
By: Gezzy S. Sibisi
Text courtesy of Club X magazine
Photography by: Gallo/Getty Images
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