Introduced in 2015, cancel culture has been a buzz word of social media, threatening careers ever since. Cancel culture is the idea of “canceling” someone for something they did, often seen in celebrities, music artists, and influencers. When someone is “canceled” they receive backlash and lose followers rapidly, often followed by a public apology. However, there are 3 levels of cancel culture that each should be handled differently, but with this idea being thrown around, people are losing money and their reputations over simple situations that are being mishandled.
The first instance is an issue between two parties. Sometimes this is a breakup or argument, but because of the following on the people involved, the situation escalates. If the parties were not well known, this would be handled quickly and quietly, which is how it should be taken care of. Someone should not be canceled simply over a breakup or disagreement, as this happens to all of us.
The second instance is something that is larger than an argument, but not worthy of stripping someone of their career. For example, when James Charles betrayed Tati for promoting a brand that was competing with hers. In this situation, a personal apology between the two would be appropriate, and a public statement about the situation once it was handled since the initial issue happened over social media. Stripping James of his career and a massive loss of followers from this situation was not necessary.
Lastly, if someone were to do something similar to the current Travis Scott Astroworld situation, “canceling” them would be appropriate. Travis is responsible for the deaths and injuries of dozens of people and deserves to be held accountable for his actions as they are on paper, regardless of his social status.
Cancel culture can be harmful when used inappropriately, however, holding people true to what they’ve done is especially important for influencers and celebrities. Canceling cancel culture, but rather treating situations as they are would result in a less toxic, and more productive social media environment.