Free Cancel Culture Essay Example

Social media influencers and public figures have recently been victims of a new trend called “cancel culture.” Which can potentially make them lose their careers and lives; should society let this continue? Cancel culture is a movement to get immense public influences de-platformed and held accountable for their offensive remarks like racism, sexism, homophobia, and other actions such as sexual assault (“Cancel Culture” 1). Although many personally believe that this cancel culture sensation has been taken too far. ​​If these influencers keep getting passes for their offensive mannerisms, it will lead them to negatively influence those who look up to them, which is why they should be held accountable for their actions.

Social media stars have such a large audience that looks up to them and lets them have such a strong impact on how they can make their audience think and act. Due to these influencers having such a strong power over their audience, they should be held accountable for any bigoted behavior which can affect their audience into thinking this type of behavior is acceptable. In Alyssa Endres's article, "Do influencers get a free pass?" Endres clearly shows that social media influencers' main purpose of having a large platform is to influence people in a positive light. If these social influencers engage in inappropriate behavior, the repercussions they have to pay shouldn't be controversial (8). What Endres is trying to convey in their article is; Due to social media stars having such influential power on their impressionable audience, they should have that big platform to spread a positive message. Additionally, if influencers start displaying behaviors that are: toxic or bigoted, they should face repercussions and get their publicity taken away from them. As if they keep displaying these offensive actions they could influence their audience to do the same things. This heavily supports my thesis that social influencers that persuade how the public: feels, thinks, or acts should be held responsible for their actions, which could give the public a negative perception. If given a pass, this could give an impression that highly offensive and bigoted behavior is okay, which should not be acceptable.

Although a pass for this behavior might sound unprecedented, it is not impossible; Many figures throughout time have been given this type of pass without having to hold any accountability. This is the central basis of Crouse's argument. Crouse argues that although many believe that cancel culture is a huge issue, the reason for this issue is ok culture which allows bigoted behavior to stay prevalent (1). Throughout Crouse's article, she refers to ok culture as the idea of letting offensive ideals get a pass, making many of these ideas long-term and problematic. Crouse shows that the main reason cancel culture is prevalent; is because these offensive ideas don't get shut down quickly enough. Due to these ideas becoming ingrained into society due to ok culture. It makes this the actual problem persisting. This heavily relates to how letting these influential individuals get a pass on their bigotry is the bigger issue than cancel culture. Cancel culture is to hold people accountable for their actions, and if not held responsible more complications will occur.

As said previously, cancel culture is a direct result of the main issue known as ok culture, but there is a problem that cancel culture has. Cancel culture has done little to nothing about holding huge figures accountable for their actions. Dastagir argues that cancel culture has only shown peoples patterns of abuse throughout Hollywood. And even when they are so-called canceled, they remain to have a large following that defends them, and they continue to have a large platform (1). Dastagir makes a great point throughout her argument, abusers in Hollywood who were canceled continue to have a large following even though they are horrible people. When Harvey Weinstein was accused, as a sex offender, many people defended him as they couldn't believe someone so inspirational could do such a thing (Dastagir 1). Not only is this some reason why cancel culture is looked down upon by many. But also why these huge celebrities must be held accountable for their horrible behavior. If these patterns of abuse and bigoted behavior are prevalent, it will influence people and think these actions should be acceptable.

 It has been argued by many critics that cancel culture is unethical to people's freedom of speech and freedom of expression. One claim is by Alexandra DeSanctis, who believes that cancel culture treats members of minority groups as being unable to handle offensive comments and that they require assistance at all times (3). What DeSanctis is trying to say is that if culture keeps removing offensive content from all sources of media, these minority groups won't be able to think for themselves or think about what is offensive or not. Although this is a valid point made by the opposing side, such as minority groups not needing to be handheld on what is offensive or not, they fail to realize that these offensive comments should not even be common. The main point that cancel culture tries to get across is that it wants to make influential figures accountable for their offensive remarks. These remarks made by influencers can impact many of their impressionable fans into thinking this type of behavior is acceptable. For a long time many racial stereotypes used to be acceptable in society due to likable figures allowing this behavior, which in turn made their audience believe these types of actions were okay for them to do likewise. Once these influential people were held accountable for their actions it made their audience realize that these bigoted remarks should not be accepted into a widespread social norm and should be finally known as unacceptable behavior.

Although cancel culture's main goal is to hold influential figures accountable for their bigoted behavior and stop their influence from reaching other people's personal beliefs. Many things can stop this such as ok culture which is an issue that lets tons of influential figures have a pass on their behavior. Due to ok culture being prevalent in today's world, cancel culture fails to hold public figures accountable for their actions and only shows tons of patterns that are also excused. This is the main reason why huge influencers with bigoted views should be stopped, as they can lead their impressionable audience to believe their same bigoted views. Now should society let these influential people spread their offensive behavior to people without having any repercussions? 

Works Cited

"Cancel Culture." Gale Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2022. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/UHLPSW240013521/OVIC?u=elgi76023&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=5600d04c. Accessed 22 Mar. 2022.

Crouse, Lindsay. "Cancel Culture Isn't the Problem. OK Culture Is." New York Times, 20 Oct. 2021, p. A21(L). Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A679537226/OVIC?u=elgi76023&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=3f8c20f4. Accessed 23 Mar. 2022.

Dastagir, Alia E. "Cancel culture is a cop-out to victims." USA Today, 3 Mar. 2021, p. 05B. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A653666997/OVIC?u=elgi76023&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=648fb097. Accessed 24 Mar. 2022.

DeSanctis, Alexandra. "Cancel Culture Is Antithetical to Human Freedom." Gale Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2022. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/XOORPY044556673/OVIC?u=elgi76023&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=66966add. Accessed 24 Mar. 2022. Originally published as "Cancel Culture's Condescension Problem," National Review, 5 Mar. 2021.

Endres, Alyssa, 2022. Op-ed: Do influencers get a free pass? - The Huntington News. [online] The Huntington News. Available at: <https://huntnewsnu.com/66390/editorial/op-ed-do-influencers-get-a-free-pass/#:~:text=The%20notoriety%20and%20wealth%20that,they%20engage%20in%20inappropriate%20behavior.> [Accessed 25 March 2022].