By Evelynn Schoenthal
Public shaming is nothing new. In the medieval times it took the form of public restraints, in colonial America it could be seen through tarring and feathering; all of these methods were meant to punish an individual for committing a crime. However, as society modernized, these practices developed beyond their physical forms, instead utilizing social media platforms that psychologically impact an individual through “cancel culture.” The purpose of cancel culture is to hold one accountable for their hateful behavior. In reality, ethics professionals assert that this counterintuitively perpetuates shame and oppression rather than accountability.
Social media platforms have significant power in disseminating information. In the case of the Black Lives Matter movement, the BLM hashtag spread awareness and knowledge on a global scale about how to contribute to the cause. But social media’s fault lies in its ability to condense complicated social issues into a single infographic or a one-minute TikTok video. Social media leaves gaps, skewed interpretations, and discourages nuanced discussions by perpetuating a black-and-white thought process.
This black-and-white thought process is the foundation of cancel culture; an individual is either “right” or “wrong” and it creates psychological strain on those who are targeted. In 2016, #TaylorSwiftIsCanceled and #TaylorSwiftIsaSnake began trending after Kim Kardashian released a clip of Kanye West reciting lyrics from his song “Famous.” This video depicted popular singer, songwriter, and director Taylor Swift approving of the use of the lyric “I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex/Why? I made that b—h famous.” While Swift asserted that West never informed her of the last line, she endured relentless harassment ranging from simple name-calling all the way to death threats as a result.
Swift opened up about how these comments had affected her in a 2019 Vogue interview. She described the experience as “isolating” and “humiliating.” She stated that she had gone through a grieving process of losing the “America’s sweetheart” title she previously held; a title that was replaced with the word “snake.” Swift went on to say that those days were some of the darkest of her life.
Although we’ll never know for sure if Swift knew of Kanye’s lyrics, her experience isn’t unique. It’s all too common for individuals to spiral into mental health struggles in response to the shame they receive from being canceled. Rather than learn from their actions, individuals become ostracized.
There are two types of cancel culture: criminal offenses and isolated incidences of unsavory expressions of behavior. An example of a criminal offense can be seen through the U.S. District Court in Chicago’s ruling that found R. Kelly guilty of sexual assault allegations. However, oftentimes canceling occurs in response to an isolated “unsavory expression of behavior” like a comment deemed insensitive to a group or population. In these instances, the solution isn’t to oust someone, rather, it’s to invite the individual into a conversation on why their behavior was hurtful, educate them on how to address the topic, and discuss ways to move forward. This approach is much more effective than using social media as a tool to shame the individual.
Cancel culture utilizes call-outs which creates fear. Ideally, we should use a call-in tactic to foster growth and promote accountability. Calling-out creates an uneven power dynamic that attracts public attention to the situation. On the other hand, calling-in creates a safe, compassionate environment to better understand one another. Being on an even playing field doesn’t ostracize the offender, however, it does make them more likely to be receptive to learning from their mistakes.
Questions like “how might the impact of your words or actions differ from your intent?” or “how might your words have been interpreted by others?” work wonders. These skills are especially invaluable for students attending an institution as politically-fueled as GW, where people from all backgrounds converge. We’re all human and we all make mistakes. The key is to prioritize active efforts to take accountability, learn, and grow from them.
