If this term comes to us from the United States, it is gradually appearing in France. What is the cancel culture or the cancellation of culture?
We hear more and more about it. Cancel culture seems to be raging from the United States and is democratizing in France. But what is it ? This term, which can also be called the culture of cancellation, is a call to boycott a person, natural or legal, after the latter has had comments or acts deemed problematic. This can relate to racist, sexist or even LGBT views. The call to boycott JK Rowling after his transphobic comments on Twitter, for example, is called cancel culture. At the heart of many debates, many consider that it does not necessarily solve all the scourges of our contemporary society.
In 2019, for example, at the Obama Foundation summit in Chicago, Barack Obama explained: “There are people who think that making a difference is to constantly judge and criticize others. But that's not really activism.” So, can cancel culture be considered a form of activism to contribute to a better world or is it detrimental to certain causes? This phenomenon is expressed in many ways, but is manifested particularly en masse on social networks.
A phenomenon that goes back a long way
If the cancel culture seems more and more common lately, it goes back a long way. More precisely, it comes from the United States where it is integrated into a religious tradition, but also a political one. According to Marie-Karine Schaub, lecturer in Modern History, it is indeed a culture that has been anchored for a long time and many historical events have witnessed it: "This is not a new phenomenon. I have several examples in mind. For example, throughout history, it was common for certain places of worship to be replaced during the phases of Christianity, sometimes at the request of the people. I am thinking in particular of the cathedral of Cordoba, first a Roman temple, then a mosque then a cathedral ", she explains to HuffingtonPost. For a long time, and long before social networks, there were many cases similar to this movement, often social, trying to erase the terrible memories of the past. A practice that borders on the culture of denouncing, thus recalling these posters "WANTED" that we see in westerns.
It is a form of cultural transformation led by social movements
A democratized phenomenon on social networks
The cancel culture seems to have mainly developed on social networks with the #Metoo movement. Indeed, if it has enabled many women victims of sexual violence to break the silence around this subject, it is especially through social networks. And this is undoubtedly one of the positive points of this movement: it makes it possible to lift the veil on previously taboo subjects and to open a debate around systemic discrimination which, previously, had been overlooked. But many wonder about the methods of those who use it. Twitter seems to be, today, a major witness of cancel culture. An artist is accused of sexual assault? It is "canceled". A personality made racist remarks several years ago and his outrageous tweets are resurfacing: he is "canceled" also. This is also called being "call out". This practice is widely used by the so-called "woke" that is to say "awake " and campaigning for a more inclusive world and in the hope that justice will be done. Because, if the cancel culture is not unanimous, it exists above all in order to make the greatest number aware of social justice: sexism, racism and all forms of discrimination are denounced through this prism. This would therefore enable people to face up to their responsibilities.
Should we boycott certain works?
If cancel culture is a term that is gaining in importance, it spares no one. We saw it with several personalities recently. JK Rowling was set on fire by the Twittosphere after making comments deemed transphobic. Many are those who have decided to no longer support the British writer, to the point of clearing the Harry Potter saga. Also among the personalities who have been through this is Lea Michele who, after tweeting about the Black Lives Matter movement, was accused of racism by a former colleague of Glee back when they were touring together on the show. The consequences of this cancel culture were such that, in addition to the flood of negative comments about her, Lea Michele would have lost sponsors and other contracts.
Apart from the personalities who have had to face the cancel culture, there are also works, series and films for example, which are no longer unanimous at all. The cult series Friends, for example, is today accused of grossophobia, transphobia and lack of inclusiveness, according to public opinion. And it is not at all. With the Black Lives Matter movement, which has resurfaced since racist police violence has once again been at the heart of the debate, some broadcasters are questioning the legitimacy of their works on their streaming platforms. Faced with the popularization of denunciation on the Internet, the film Gone with the wind, for example, was temporarily removed from HBO Max. The leaders of the platform considered that this film, now considered racist and reductive, should be viewed with a mention of the social and political context in which it was produced. So, how to react to these problematic works which, today, are considered discriminatory or reductive? Taking a step back, putting them in their context and looking at them with didactic prevention would seem to be a solution for many.
A movement that contributes to online harassment?
But what happens to a personality "canceled" ? Besides the broken contracts, there is also the psychological pressure which is exerted. If the cancel culture is mostly visible on social networks, it often generates a form of nameless cyberstalking. And the thing to remember is that online harassment is rooted in the real world. It creates isolation for those who experience it, the loss of social media followers can be significant, and the backlash is considerable. Worse yet, it can impact loved ones and family and create real psychological consequences.
This phenomenon recalls the responsibility of people accused of problematic comments, but also those of people who are anchored in this cancel culture and propagate it. The idea of this movement starts from a principle of denunciation to advance social struggles and give them more visibility. Indeed, it lifts the veil on real discrimination and that's good. But it is clear that it generates such hatred that we may forget the spirit of benevolence that the fight against injustice should be.
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