Cancel Culture

Cancel Culture is a term that is used by propagandists to dismiss any change in the current cultural narrative they don't agree with.

Those propagandists and people who either choose to ignore others or are unaware, tend to state that concerns raised about cultural issues are just groups or individuals being offended, unreasonably or are taking advantage of outrage for personal recognition or gain.

But what using a term - a label like "Cancel Culture" or "Woke" does is ignore the reason people are asking for help, removal, apology, or retraction. It generally isn't just because they find something offensive. It's because it perpetuates a cultural "norm" that is harmful to members of our mutual culture.

Beyond being dismissive - labels like this moves the focus from the issue at hand to the opposite of your requested action, skipping the issue altogether.

A person of color asking the state they live in to remove the confederate flag from their statehouse brings cries of cancellation. Of "Woke" culture trying to cancel (erase) history. It shifts the emphasis from the person who has called out the inappropriate and makes the offender appear to be a victim. Which they clearly are not. It's used to emphasize a divide, to fight change.

The idea doesn't even have to be ethnic, sexual preference, religion, age or gender oriented - that I want others to wear masks in public places or get vaccinated until determined by the CDC they are not needed is not centered in my wish to take away someone's "Freedom" or cancel them. It's rooted in the idea that the science shows it reduces the danger and mortality rate of this disease.

Some pundits are saying that we are trying to change to fast - that "woke culture" (I hate this term too) will result in the alienation of half of the country. But guess what…

… this has been a tune that's been played for 100 years or more. Labels have been used to propagandize change points and make the offenders look like victims for a long time.

White people, being called racists because they are racists, hide behind the label of victim because immigrants and people of color are generalized as violent criminals.

Straight people persecuting LGBTQ+ persons hide behind the label of religious freedom, claiming to be victims, having to accept these people as human and equal.

The terms Cancel Culture and Woke Culture generalize and twist in this same way. They make sure the issue itself isn't dealt with. They promote stagnation. And this is where freedom actually gets subjugated. This is where it gets lost. When we fail to recognize real boundaries and infringe upon others we fail to recognize "me first" as the tool of hate and oppression it is.

This is the Orwellian truth from 1984. Not someone forcing you to wear a mask. But someone getting you to think you're a victim and actively hate those asking for change. This is drinking victory gin and ignoring the dreams and ambitions of whole groups of people, because they threaten to change us.

The only way we become better is to recognize our differences and acknowledge that some things we do might not be good for others - and that in agreeing to live in society. our freedoms are limited to the exact point before we infringe upon others freedoms. When we choose to acknowledge each other, we are all free.