Cancel culture isn’t a new concept and has been the talk of the town for quite a while now. It has been explained, reflected upon, as well as addressed by prominent figures such as Barack Obama himself. Weeks ago, local influencer Xiaxue found herself caught in the crossfire of cancel culture, and a victim of petitions to “punish Xiaxue for seditious content”—in reference to certain unsavoury remarks she had made in the past.
Xiaxue defines “cancel culture” as “when a mob forms to punish transgressors when they are perceived to have committed some kind of unacceptable social behaviour”.
She asks viewers not to mistake cancel culture for boycotting. Boycotting is the passive act of staying clear of certain celebrities or brands one disagrees with. Cancel culture, on the other hand, involves a select group of people who are “actively obsessed with causing harm,” she says.
To sum up, it is one’s right to boycott something or someone that is misaligned with their personal views. But the danger comes when this disdain is pegged with malicious intent. When people actively set out to rid an entity of their livelihood, friends, and anything else positive in their lives, it becomes a little more vindictive than just boycotting.
Xiaxue shares her 7 key reasons as to why cancel culture is toxic to her.
1. The mob never stops expanding on what they consider to be unacceptable behaviour.
“The cliff to what is considered a hate crime erodes away,” laments Xaixue, “and if you don’t echo their sentiments, that to them means that you’re complicit”.
2. What is considered unacceptable social behaviour is undefined
By not setting clear boundaries or definitions of what is considered to be “acceptable social behaviour”, the “woke mob”, according to Xiaxue, have “God complexes who think that only they know what’s right and what isn’t”.
We are expected to behave in accordance with these “social rules”, but we don’t yet know what they exactly entail. To her, it seems as though the rules are different for everyone based on their skin colour, gender identity, and other factors.
3. Cancel culture means you are guilty until proven innocent
The mindless lynching of victims needs to stop.
4. But, humans are complex
Cancel culture puts people into absolutes. “You are either a bigot, or you aren’t”, says Xiaxue. When anyone violates this set of “social rules”, the worst if usually assumed of them, and in turn, are oftentimes treated tastefully.
Xiaxue quotes ignorance and having bad ideas that they have since grown out of as some reasons why people might’ve made past mistakes. It is simply unfair to judge someone based on a snapshot in time without considering the many other factors that come into play due to the very fact of being human.
She also points out that context tends to be overlooked and that the “woke mob” will punish you regardless.
5. The sentence should fit the crime
This point posits that instead of letting natural justice happen, the “cult” demands to decide what an “appropriate punishment” is for perpetrators.
6. Cancel culture is wide open to abuse
Cancel culture, according to Xiaxue, can now easily be used to attack anyone by their enemies with a personal agenda.
7. Cancel culture promotes a hostile environment, where all intellectual discourse goes to die
The way to defeat bad ideas, says Xiaxue, is by persuasion and discussion, and not by trying to silence or wish them away.
Ultimately, Xiaxue urges her viewers not to partake in cancel culture, and to be brave and stand up to those promoting unhealthy, extreme behaviour. Whether you agree with cancel culture or not, give Xiaxue’s 19-minute long video a watch and then decide which camp you belong in.
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