Ah yes, “cancel culture” is still a thing. What is it? Broadly speaking, it’s when a group of people decides someone said or wrote something BAD and therefore must be canceled. That might mean getting them kicked off a platform (X/YouTube/Facebook/etc.), fired from their job, or disinvited from speaking somewhere: because, goodness forbid, they say something that might offend.
Take Dawkins. He was disinvited from speaking at a university. Why? Because of a tweet: he shared a Sye Ten Atheist video. That’s it. What was he going to speak about? Evolution. But nope, someone decided a video link was just too much, and boom: talk canceled. All the time, effort, and coordination gone.
Now, some people try to justify this by saying “there’s a time and place” to cancel someone. Because, you see, they said a bad thing about a thing, and that might hurt feelings! Or worse: they were racist. They were... fill in the blank. And so, the moral outrage machine kicks in: must. cancel. person. Send them to the shadow realm. That’ll fix everything, right?
Except: hate groups still exist. Racists still exist. People keep saying stuff you don’t like. The world keeps spinning as if none of your moral panic mattered. But hey: justice was served.
I’m against it. In full. Why? Because the ideas must be challenged, not the person. You don't win an argument by silencing someone. You win by beating their argument.
“OMG, you would platform (X) bad person?”
Yes: at least once. I’ll hear what they say.
“But they have bad ideas!”
Exactly why I want to confront them.
“But they’re evil!”
Okay: and?
“You won’t change their mind!”
Don't know if I don't try! and others are listening.
“You’re making their view look legitimate!”
Got any proof of that?
See, this all becomes about virtue signaling and feelings. It feels good to silence someone you disagree with. It feels like the right thing to do. You imagine the bigot won’t say anything ever again. But they still will. Just not here. Not in your realm.
Until, one day, you say something someone doesn’t like. Then it’s your turn. And once you’re canceled: can you ever come back? Nope. Can you be forgiven? No. Why? Because BAD THING. End of story.
Is there a valid, sound argument for canceling someone instead of engaging with their ideas? I honestly don’t know. I haven’t seen one. I’m not expecting one anytime soon.
Will I be canceled for this post? No idea. But if canceling someone is your go-to move: doesn’t that kind of suggest you don’t have a real counterargument?
The world is full of disagreement and drama. I’ll talk to whoever. Say whatever. This isn’t a safe space. You will be challenged. Your ideas will be attacked.
Because that’s reality. You might want to make the world better? Good for you, but this method?
It doesn’t work. Censorship never does in the end.
People who embrace cancel culture probably believe they hold the moral high ground. Fine.
They can believe that. My answer:
Block them. Ignore the cancel addicts. Don’t let them run your life. Simple.
Sadly, way too many people don’t have a backbone.
Well... I complained about it. No idea if it matters. But I’m not going to not complain.
