Cancel culture: what is this phenomenon and how is it recognized
Public figures are often victims of cancel culture: for something they have said or done that is unwelcome to public opinion, they are blamed and ostracized. The definition comes from the USA but in Italy it has more the meaning of eliminating all those opinions that deviate from politically correct (especially regarding racism or feminism). If you are a victim of cancel culture, you may need some exercises to regain self-esteem: you can find them all in the video!
At the origin of cancel culture
The term cancel culture was born in the USA, where it spread from 2017, when the Twitter group "Black Twitter" was invited for the first time to stop supporting some people or some economic or political realities through a sort of boycott. In 2020 it is the former American president Donald Trump who connects the word cancel culture with the issues related to the revolts of the Black Lives Matter: from here, then, this definition has extended to designate all those revisionist practices that ask to change , correct or remove monuments, historical figures or works of art guilty of conveying a social message that is not in line with the notion of dominant politically correct.
In recent years, cancel culture has become synonymous with a trend in which a large united group of people, in disagreement with the institutional choices of publishers, universities, political administrations or other, are clamoring for a character deemed "uncomfortable" to because of his politically incorrect opinions, is removed or excluded from the professional sphere in which he works. In most cases, those who find themselves at the center of a boycott episode are subject to heavy consequences both on a social and a working level. The most direct expression of this pressure exerted by a group of people against an individual is, in general, his removal. There are many cases, in fact, of academics, professors and journalists fired because of their divergent or "uncomfortable" opinions.
How cancel culture is expressed
The phenomenon of cancel culture is very evident in various aspects of our society and examples abound, especially in the world of entertainment and academia. One of the most emblematic cases concerns Woody Allen, who was the victim of a real boycott that also damaged him professionally. In this case, public opinion insisted that Amazon did not agree to distribute the director's new film and that the Hachette publishing house did not publish his autobiography; the reason would be linked to the accusations (which are already known and never verified) that Allen see. guilty of sexual harassment of his daughter.
The mechanism underlying the cancel culture differs from the traditional boycott because while the latter manifests itself in the collective (or single) decision not to buy a book, a newspaper, or not to go to the cinema to see a certain film, those who apply the cancel culture culture requires that the work is not even published or disseminated, thus making it not accessible to the community.
The cancel culture has taken on worrying contours also in the academic field, with numerous cases of professors being removed from their jobs. For this reason, in July 2020, Harper "s Bazaar magazine published an open letter signed by 150 intellectuals, artists and writers (including JK Rowling, Noam Chomsky, Salman Rushdie and Margaret Atwood) claiming freedom of speech. This letter, however, it has also been the subject of harsh criticism, especially from those who see the signatories as the expression of a privileged social and political group.
Furthermore, for the detractors of this letter, appealing to the so-called freedom of expression by intellectuals who in the past would have expressed discriminating opinions against minorities would be a way to hide and not to account for their unpopular ideas to society. .
Cancel culture in social networks and on TV
Censorship and the iconoclastic drifts of cancel culture affect all aspects of our cultural and social life. From Snow White's alleged stolen kiss and accusations to other Disney fairy tales, to the demolition of statues depicting episodes of American slavery history, to the abolition of the Greek classics in universities or the firing of journalists accused of having racist views.
Another notable victim of this phenomenon is Kevin Spacey, who, after being hit by sexual harassment allegations, was forced to re-shoot the film he was out with, with a serious economic loss for the production company. another example is the power, exercised by groups of citizens united and upset after the killing of George Floyd, over Lego. They managed to persuade the company to collect sets depicting American police stations.
The discussion on cancel culture has also landed in Italy, both on social networks and in the editorial debate relating to the show by Pio and Amedeo. The comedians have touched a nerve of collective sensibility, sparking a confrontation on what is appropriate to say, which terms are right (or not) to use, and how to deal with issues of sexual or racial discrimination. What emerges, in any case, is the need for a reflection on a more inclusive and less elitist language also in the television world.
Criticism of cancel culture
Cancel culture is often criticized by both right-wing and left-wing parties. In general, the right to be able to express one's voice is claimed and to also support - sometimes - unpopular or politically incorrect opinions. The right believes that cancel culture represents a serious violation of freedom of expression; a line shared also on the left, where the criticism of the excessive rigidity of the social debate is added. Furthermore, methods are also contested, especially when they become violent or intimidating, and the consequences on the social and professional life of those who are victims of cancel culture are highlighted.
Those who defend this phenomenon, on the other hand, see some positive traits in it. , all those voices that for centuries have been forgotten or repressed and which instead now find the space to express themselves and to claim their centrality.
These are, therefore, people and groups that for a long time have not had the opportunity to intervene in the public and cultural debate and who instead in recent years are becoming more and more influential.
