By Anjali Nayak
Though cancel culture is often immaturely conducted through brash jokes on Twitter, the act of holding higher-ups accountable for their past crimes should be seen as a means of giving power back to the people. No longer are celebrities God-like figures with the God-given right to do whatever they choose, but instead they are held to the same standards and morals that we as a society have deemed important. Simply put, the common man gets to decide who they want to give their fifteen minutes of fame to, and we want someone ethical. Is that too much to ask for?
Oftentimes famed celebrities and CEOs define generations, shouldn’t we (the literal other 99%) have a say in who goes recognized?
Cancel culture represents a shift in attitude for consumers. For the first time, consumers understand the weight that their actions actually have. We decide our billionaires by consuming their products and using their goods. We decide which artists should be platformed by choosing who to give our support to. Thus, we also recognize that we have the power to STOP consuming a greedy corporation’s product, or to STOP streaming a musician’s music.
Beforehand, it felt as if higher-ups of companies and agencies had complete control over how culture is defined: what commercials for what products will run the most, what actors will get the most airtime, which musicians will be signed. But cancel culture—and honestly, the Internet as a whole—allows for the common man a haven in which they can decide what they deem is amusing, worthwhile, and overall culturally significant. First it was the media that played as a watchdog for politicians and leaders, but who is going to play watchdog for the media? Thus, cancel culture is used to create a naturally common Gen Z social climate. One that is closer to reflecting the ideals of the majority, rather than a very wealthy, very powerful 1%.
Yes, cancel culture might be spurred from the most dirty, unintelligible thoughts that have been birthed into humanity. But the main intent of accountability is important, and must not go unrecognized. As medieval as public shaming might seem, if done correctly the act can perfectly send a message from consumers to global leaders: a shouting scream that hollers “Get your act together!”