Cancel culture, or call-out culture. I have opinions on it.
If you don’t know what cancel culture is, here is a basic definition: a form of boycott in which someone (usually a celebrity) who has shared an unpopular or questionable opinion is ‘cancelled’, mostly on social media.
These days, it seems everyone is ‘cancelled’ or ‘problematic’. Sometimes it’s very warranted. Sometimes people are truly awful and are therefore ‘cancelled’. But sometimes it’s a mistake or a misstep that they try to correct, too late as they are already bombarded with ‘cancelled’ remarks.
I understand this may be an unpopular opinion, but we don’t have to cancel every tiny thing.
Let me give some examples of something I like that is seen as problematic.
Benedict Cumberbatch. Known for his ridiculous name and the fact that he can’t say penguins. Oh, and he also referred to people of color as “colored people”. Oops. It was antiquated and possibly racist. But the issue is he misspoke. If you look at the full quote, he is saying that opportunities for actors of color need to increase. He’s trying to support them. Benedict is an amazing actor, feminist, and charitable. That’s why I like him.
The movie No Escape. An action movie about a family trying to escape from a rebellion happening around them. Oh, and it’s xenophobic. Whoops. The movie does follow a white family in an unnamed Asian country when protesters take over. The protesters don’t want the American company taking over (I get it), so they attack all involved. Unfortunately, that also includes the innocent people sent to work there. It’s not about Asians being awful, it’s about surviving in an unknown place with hostility. Olympus Has Fallen, if that is the case, can be xenophobic too. It just isn’t.
Markiplier. Somehow. He is a YouTuber who does let’s plays, short films, and random-ass vlogs. Oh, and he’s transphobic. Welp. Some time ago, Mark did a series call Huniepop. When you start the game (and I’ve played the game too, so yeah), it asks if you’re a girl or a boy. He proclaims he’s going to play as a male because he is a male because he has a penis. It was a poor joke, and if you watch he knows it’s a bad joke. He does not give two flying figs what junk you got under your kilt, he believes in respect and charity.
Now, I know that I’m going to get some angry comments (if not from readers than from my little sister). I keep up with cancel culture, but I also do my own research and form my own opinions. The internet exists for us to use it. Most of the time, yes, cancelled. Unfollow, block, goodbye. But there are times when we don’t look at the full picture and someone’s career was just severely damaged for no reason. Form your own opinions and do your research.
Thank you for putting up with my venting.
Hugs
Alexandra
Alexandra TG 