An Inclusive Environment - Cancel Culture

There is too much information available on everything and too little time to form an educated opinion - Maheep Singh

The age of social media and the world of internet has given a platform for millions who have a knack to excel. Apps like TikTok and Instagram have provided a social platform for plenty. I think it's safe to say that a handful of artists have been able to pursue their passion via such networks and build a community. I have found artists, whose music (mostly) is extremely good and yet so underrated. While weighing the pros and cons of social media can be an endless debate, one such term used of ostracism is 'Cancel culture'.

Cancel culture often refers to a term, more widely used nowadays, to "cancel" someone who typically offends another individual or a group.

I'm sure we all have heard of the recent backlash the British author JK Rowling (widely known for her Harry Potter series) had faced on Twitter, with her row of anti-trans tweets. The fandom was extremely upset and offended by her averments. The Harry Potter crew responded on social media, apologizing to the resentment of the public.

On the flip side, Canadian actor Elliot Page's support boomed when they recently came out as transgender. The immediate support they received from their peers and fans was immaculate. This in some sense also illustrates how the society is becoming more accepting.

These are two instances of how tone plays a huge role in the perception of a message.

Another recent instance of ostracism, a rather melancholic one, is the death of the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput. The scandal caused a lot of criticism, leaving other Bollywood celebrities like Karan Johar and Alia Bhatt on the receiving side.

I like the way Maheep Singh put it, “There is too much information available on everything and too little time to form an educated opinion. The cancel culture or call-out culture is the latest example of that.” This simply states how easy it is to form an opinion of any sort, with or without knowing all aspects of the story. Let's take an example of the speculation around this year's board examinations. Making money out of this situation, various media houses click-baited anxious students and parents by flashing "breaking news", which were far from official. This received blatant backlash from students, parents and teachers. Lo and behold, boards ended up getting cancelled (no pun intended).

Image source: Michael Dziedzic, Unsplash

It is extremely vital that one takes responsibility for the content displayed in public, while also ensuring sentiments are not hurt intentionally. An objectionable statement can cause chaos, ranging from an ignorant to a fair opinion. It's okay to sit back and see how things play out before forming a solid opinion on a situation.