Cancel Culture
In today’s age, we are very often coming across the social phenomena called ‘Cancel Culture’.
Like a teacher in a classroom who gets triggered by a bad behaviour of a student or a behaviour that she feels is inappropriate and decides to give the student a detention to hold them accountable… Similarly, ‘Cancel Culture’ calls people out on their behaviour, beliefs or practices that is seen as harmful or unacceptable by the society.
Cancel culture has emerged in response to a number of societal issues, including racism, sexism, homophobia, and other forms of discrimination. The aim is to create a more just and equitable society where everyone is treated fairly.
While ‘Cancel Culture’ can serve as a powerful tool for holding people accountable, it can also have negative consequences. Some people argue that cancel culture can stifle free speech, create a culture of fear and intolerance, and lead to mob mentality. It's important to approach these issues with empathy, understanding, and an open mind, and to think critically about the best way to create a more just and equitable society.
But first let us look at some of the reasons why Cancel Culture can have a negative impact on teens and young adults -
Lack of Forgiveness and exploration and curiosity: Cancel culture promotes a zero-tolerance approach to mistakes and errors in judgment, leaving little room for forgiveness or redemption. This can be especially difficult for young people who are still learning and growing and are more likely to make mistakes. This can discourage teens and adults to explore and promotes a mindset of "one strike and you're out,” leaving absolutely no space for learning from mistakes, and genuine apologies.
Fear of Speaking Out or Sharing Your Voice: When an individual is encouraged to share their voice or opinion, that makes them feel heard. This encourages them further to use their voice as a tool for change and innovation. But when Cancel Culture spreads its wings, individuals may feel hesitant to explore new ideas, challenge their own beliefs, or ask questions that may be perceived as controversial or unpopular. Fear fills them up and the fear of not being acceptable in the social setting makes them confused about their sense of identity, and leads them to suppress their expressions.
Mob Mentality or Loss of ‘Own Agency’: Cancel culture fosters a culture of ‘groupthink’, where individuals may feel pressured to conform to popular opinions or ideologies to avoid being canceled themselves. Independent thinking and critical decision making ability gets removed out of the equation. The individual may feel compelled to align with the prevailing narrative rather than exploring diverse perspectives or engaging in nuanced discussions. And we have seen how destrutive this can be. For example, the occurrence of ‘riots’ in a society.
Online backlash and public shaming: Cancel culture often plays out on social media, where teens and young adults may face public shaming, harassment, and backlash for activities for their views. This type of ‘labelling’ and ‘categorizing’ can negatively affect the self-worth and confidence of a young adult and leads to conformity to certain action to avoid negative consequences. For example cyberbullying or reputational damage.
Narrow-mindedness or Lack of Growth Mindset: Cancel culture often focuses on a single issue or incident, without taking into account the full context or the complexity of the situation. This can lead to a narrow-minded and simplistic view of the world, which can be harmful to young people who are still learning to think critically and consider different perspectives.
Here are some practical tips that young adults, their teachers and parents can keep in mind to deal with cancel culture in a healthy and constructive way -
Be open to forgiving and learning from mistakes. When a mistake is made, understand that it is important to take responsibility, and make amends.
Promote curiosity and critical thinking by exploring diverse perspectives, asking questions, and challenging one's own beliefs. No belief is right or wrong. It is complex and important for guidance while leaning towards one.
Practicing empathy and compassion towards others by trying to understand their viewpoints and knowing that it is okay for two people to not agree on something always. And still can work together collaboratively by working out the differences.
One should not encourage or become a part of public shaming - if there’s a disagreement, solve it amongst yourself and not spread it wide.
A safe environment for open discourse at home is a must for parents, where differing viewpoints are welcomed and discussed in a respectful manner.
Encourage offline engagement in positive activities such as volunteering, participating in community events, or advocating for causes in a respectful manner.
If facing a difficult situation related to ‘Cancel Culture’ do not deal with it alone. Seek support from trusted adults, such as parents, teachers, or mentors, and know that the best resources will be aligned to you for your best interests.
Know that it's important to approach these topics with empathy, understanding, and open-mindedness. Encouraging healthy and constructive ways of navigating cancel culture and open discussions around it at home, school as well as community level can help young people develop critical thinking skills, empathy, and resilience in the face of societal challenges.
So, dear teens and young adults, go out into the world with an open heart, an open mind, and a desire to make a positive impact.
Remember: You are capable of shaping the future in a meaningful way. Yes, believe in it!