There has been quite a bit of conversation around our dinner table around people getting, “canceled”. Both my teenage daughters have used the word frequently as of late to characterize someone who shared something inappropriate online and is now being ostracised for the behaviour. This pop culture term isn’t constrained to the Urban dictionary however, the term has definitely gone mainstream. This post is about me working through what this means and its implications for my students and how I help them to read the world.

The New York Times recently published a headline, “Everyone is Canceled” by Jonah Engel Bromwich which provides an excellent overview of the term. Two professors weigh in with their definition:

“To me, it’s ultimately an expression of agency,” said Meredith Clark, a professor at the University of Virginia’s department of media studies. “To a certain extent: I really do think of it like a breakup and a taking back of one’s power.” Canceling, she said, is an act of withdrawing from someone whose expression — whether political, artistic or otherwise — was once welcome or at least tolerated, but no longer is.

“It’s a cultural boycott,” said Lisa Nakamura, a professor at the University of Michigan who studies the intersection of digital media and race, gender and sexuality. “It’s an agreement not to amplify, signal boost, give money to. People talk about the attention economy — when you deprive someone of your attention, you’re depriving them of a livelihood.”

The article goes on to share that celebrities are the ones getting canceled and that this is a sign of ultimate power. As Professor Nakamura suggested, it deprives people of attention or money. She says in the article:

…cancel culture was born of a desire for control. People have limited power over what is presented to them on social media platforms, which are notorious for being poorly regulated. When YouTube refused to defenestrate Logan Paul after he posted a deeply insensitive video in December, she said, individuals were compelled to take matters into their own hands, doing the work of deplatforming him instead of waiting on deliverance from YouTube.

“Socially irredeemable things are said on platforms all the time,” Ms. Nakamura said. Cancellation creates “a culture of accountability which is not centralized and is haphazard, but needed to come into being.”

While canceling stemmed from celebrities and politicians, this term has moved into the consciousness of young people as well. My kids have spoken about two separate incidents of people they know who got “canceled”. One student posted racist comments online and received a huge backlash from others including my daughters. This is where it becomes problematic for me. When someone spews hate online, there should be repercussions and the person should be held accountable. And I have every right to choose who I follow, but what happens to that canceled person? Will they change their stance because they got canceled? Can we ever just erase someone from existence?

I have so many more questions:

Where might the redemption or learning or growing happen for the person who is canceled?

If we are talking about adolescents, will their entire future be marred by one mistake?

Is canceling someone the best way to reject hatred online?

Is canceling someone virtuous or the opposite?

If a person is being racist, sexist, homophobic and has a large platform, is canceling that person justified? Is there ever a case when it isn’t?

What room is there for constructive conversation when we are quick to cancel someone?

Is there any sort of constructive dialogue happening before a person gets canceled?

Who decides who gets canceled and who doesn’t? Are those decisions motivated by altruistic or monetary intentions?

Is this just bullying by another name?

As a Catholic, I ask myself, What Would Jesus do?? I am not without fault and would not want to be judged by the worst 10 minutes of my life.

I think this concept definitely needs exploring with my students. I’m not sure how yet, so if you have any ideas, I’d love to hear them in the comments.

Featured image source: https://giphy.com/gifs/RobertEBlackmon-cancelled-canceled-you-are-5qFDrz8CE75GzT9qJW