INTRODUCTION
Cancel culture, also known as callout culture, was first used in 2016. In the past, those in power were usually targeted. Bill Cosby was found guilty in 2018 of drugging and sexually assaulting a woman ( accusation shared by more than 50 women!) .
In modern times, people get cancelled because they tweet or share offensive jokes. A Woman shared a joke on AIDS before boarding a plane from London to South Africa. An uproar followed, and by the time her plane landed, she had been “called out”,“cancelled”, and fired from her job!
Apart from the power of memory to influence the present, there is also the power of the present to influence memory.
The marking down of history has always played an important role in human experience. From the famous to normal every-day people, the erasure of history has long been a powerful methodical tool used in the service of individuals who wish to reconstruct the past and the ideals of society.
This essay analyses how societies erased people from Roman emperors to present influencers and examines if culture is now remaking the same dangerous mistakes.Gen Z created the term ‘cancel culture’ to refer to the modern form of public shaming.
It refers to the practice of an individual or a company stopping a public organization or
figure after they have said or done something offensive or objectionable. There are positive effects of cancel culture, such as holding people accountable. However, it is a harmful and wrongful act, and people should not condone it.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
To quote, people who have been erased from history: Geta (Caracella), Hatshepsut (Kings’ list), and people erased by Stalin
Modern parallels: J.K. Rowling (taking criticism too far and responding to tweets), Kanye West (controversial statements), and Johnny Depp (Serious allegations of abuse).
But is it possible to erase someone from history – past or present? We live in a century where whatever we do, people always criticize. But sometimes it’s because of our actions; it depends on what we do, good or bad.
How does it affect our lives? Who supports it? Who doesn’t?
Cancel culture is a process whereby someone is boycotted or fired, maybe even banned for
the actions he or she commits, often on social media platforms. Cancel culture often happens to public figures. Here I ask, why is it rarely applied to those who commit serious crimes like rape ?
In contrast, on 9th August 2024, Moumitha Debnath, a 31-year-old student who just cracked one of the toughest exams, was ready to pursue her dreams. She was working in a government hospital. G KAR Medical College, Kolkata. She was on a 36-hour shift. Later on, she went to study in the seminar hall. While studying, she dozed off. A group of men
came and molested her. Does she deserve this?! And why have they closed the case by saying it was a murder? The one who was accused of this was Sanjay Roy who is now in jail. But I ask, why hasn’t anyone done cancel culture on rape? Do these victims deserve just a candle march? This is not something to be forgiven.
According to the 2021 annual report of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)in India, 31,677 rape cases were registered across the country, an average of 86 cases daily, a rise from 2020 with 28,046 cases. Taking into account how alarming these rape rates are, it’s important to take into account how movements like #MeToo have helped to expose offenders and bring up moral concerns about cancelling culture’s reach.
In addition, The #Metoo movement helps people to speak up if they are assaulted or harassed by an individual. It gives them the power to speak and stand up for themselves. It exposes the people who should be canceled. Moreover, the most important thing is, what if an innocent person is being accused? #The MeToo movement, which is on social media platforms, can get worse! Once someone is posted on social media, his or her career or life might be ruined. Is canceling culture good or bad……
History shows that Damnatio Memoriae is a classic example of the practice in ancient Rome where, if an individual commits something bad; his or her name is erased or canceled as if it never existed. The people who are targeted are usually those in positions of power. While
cancelling culture (calling people out) means condemning an individual or celebrity because of the actions he or she committed, often being racist. This often happens online.
Leaders like Stalin engaged in their own form of cultural erasure, purging individuals from historical records and even photos, erasing them from memory to suppress dissent and control public narratives.
For instance, The Pharaoh Hatshepsut, wife of Thutmose II, who defied the rules of the time and reigned for a long and prosperous period, suffered this punishment; her name was even erased from the Kings’ List.
To quote further, in 200.c.e t .Septimus Severus- An African general used his power to declare himself the adoptive son of Marcus Aurelius. When Septimus died in 211 AD, both his sons (Geta and Caracalla) had the power to rule the Roman Empire. However, they both
hated each other. At a fake meeting of peace, Caracalla assassinated Geta as he wanted to rule the Roman Empire himself. Using the military and fear psychology, he ruled the empire after Geta’s death.
Caracalla did Damnatio Memoriae against Geta. This means Geta’s name, coins, and official accounts were erased and scraped away from history. Moreover, Caracalla had the power to convince people that Geta was doing something against him, and no one could deny it as he had the power to rule. Caracalla was murdered in 217 AD, not because he assassinated Geta,
but because of his cruelty, bad leadership, and raising taxes. His greed to rule increased, more and more by the day. This resulted in him being a bad emperor. People felt he was unstable, and a cruel tyrant.
PERSONAL NARRATIVE
Recalling, “cancel culture” came into circulation in 2018. Cancel culture is unavoidable in today’s society, but people should make a more positive culture with fair criticism.. Let’s say you’re going through a hard time or struggling with an internal conflict, one of the best ways to feel understood is to get involved in a community. This is basically how cancel culture works.When people with similar values and hardships stand against harmful behavior, it
fosters solidarity. For example, think about the #MeToo movement. People all over the world who suffered sexual abuse, harassment, and assault came together, not just to spark change
but to feel heard by people who understand and relate to them.. canceling is a culture derived and nurtured through social media.
Subsequently, canceling someone out can ruin their career, especially in business matters. An employee can get rid of it, but when it comes to a business company, the reputation of a whole business gets affected.
Keeping in mind that culture has many benefits, including shaping an individual or any organization to make them accountable for what they commit. However, when people get off-limits even after being given a warning or a second chance, they should be canceled.
Supporters of cancellation culture often view it as a “way to hold individuals accountable, particularly those with significant influence or power”.
Taking everything into consideration, I strongly believe we should learn from history, how people in the ancient times were treated and think what would happen if “the present” had been done in the Damnatio Memoriae? Suppose an individual or a celebrity were cancelled, would there be any legacy remaining?
We in the 21st century have to know of real-life examples to learn from and not cancel people. We should learn from history rather than repeat the same mistakes. If you cancel people for the actions they take, how will the present generation get to know about them?
What if they make a mistake or do anything bad now? They should know and understand the consequences of committing questionable actions. The earlier, the better!
Subsequently, we all know that canceling does not take time, especially on platforms like social media, so if societies cancel people too quickly, how will people learn and reflect on their mistakes? What are people who have been cancelled doing now? Who are they now?… Perhaps A hero?
Galileo Galilei was born on 15 February 1564; in Pisa, Italy. Galileo studied speed and velocity, gravity and free fall, the principle of relativity, inertia, and projectile motion, and worked in applied science and technology. Galileo Galilei was canceled because he went against the teaching of the Catholic Church by observing space and the solar system. He concluded that the sun is at the center, not the earth. He got punished for saying it as the catholic church believed that the earth was at the center – sentenced to house arrest for life!
Surprisingly, today he is a father of modern science. Deeply concerned, Who is responsible for canceling people? Government? The public? Social media platforms? Deeply disturbing. How can we let these people decide our lives? Is it fair? Especially for the innocent ones?
Who controls cancel culture?
People across the world get canceled because of the criteria they meet. Should all these
people treated the same way? There is something called trial media where you lose friends and colleagues before even getting a chance to explain yourself, so is it legit? The damage is still going to be there, even if you are innocent.
Alarmingly, we judge people too quickly. It is human nature to have heard one side but I am truly convinced that not all people who were canceled were bad; there might have been jealousy, hatred, or even politics. Acknowledging that some people who were canceled turned out to be famous this illustrates that cancel culture can backfire. There is something called privacy and publicity; it’s not fair to expose private mistakes. What do you think? Is it legit to cancel people for their private mistakes?
CONCLUSION
To sum up everything that has been stated, erasing everything is not a game to play!. If we cancel every mistake we erase the opportunity to acquire new knowledge from real-life examples. Ancient times must not be sanitized; they must be remembered, accepted, and understood. It’s time to turn ‘cancel’ to ‘connected’, avoid arguing on social platforms, unite together and contemplate before correcting. In a world where everything can turn into a debate, it’s important to know when a cancellation is necessary and when it’s down-right overrated. In times when someone does something genuinely inappropriate and unforgivable, hold them accountable.
Cancel culture has become uncontrollable and has allowed other individuals to invade people’s privacy, leading to senseless apologies while encouraging lawlessness. Moreover, cancel culture should not be allowed. Most individuals think it is an essential social justice too. Therefore, We need to communicate, listen and understand the different views people have. Not only this, but also there should be a chance of ‘free speech’ where individuals can express themselves on how they feel. Their opinions on various topics avoid hominem attack
-avoid bombarding an individual, get straight to the argument and solve the issue. The act of
cancelling culture stops people from sharing their opinions, even though that is the appropriate or necessary action.
References:
Merriam-Webster editors, “What It Means to Get ‘Canceled,’” merriam-webster.com (accessed July 14, 2020)
Audrey Carlsen, et al., “#MeToo Brought Down 201 Powerful Men. Nearly Half of Their Replacements Are Women.,” nytimes.com, Oct. 29, 2018
Brandon Tensley, “Cancel Culture Is About Power—Who Has It and Who Wants to Be Heard,” cnn.com, July 10, 2020
Kanye West canceled? Here’s why it probably won’t happen Galileo Galilei: Father of Modern Science
What are the reasons why Disney canceled the contract with Johnny Depp? – AS USA Me Too movement Definition, History, Purpose, & Societal Impact Britannica Damnatio Memoriae: Erasing History in Ancient Rome
Author Bio:
I (Aafreen Ismail) loves exploring how the past connects with the present and how society shapes the stories we tell about people. With a curiosity for history and today’s culture, I write to spark conversations about justice, mistakes, and second chances. Through this article, I hopes readers will reflect on cancel culture and whether erasing people is really the answer — or if we can learn more by remembering.
About the Author
