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Orlando Romero

12/1/23

Carey Perkins

ENG 101

Cancel Culture and Its Effects.

Although some people love to support cancel culture because of the sense that justice is

being fulfilled, cancel culture is a bad thing because it can ruin careers, cyberbully people and

take away people’s voices.

While the intention behind cancel culture may be rooted in the pursuit of justice, its

execution often leads to unintended consequences. Cancel culture, in practice, tends to go

beyond holding individuals accountable and can escalate into a harmful and disproportionate

response. The online environment, where cancel culture is predominantly manifested, lacks the

nuance required for a fair and just evaluation of someone's actions. Swift and severe

consequences, such as public shaming and career repercussions, may occur without allowing

individuals the opportunity for redemption or growth. Therefore, the argument that cancel culture

is a purely just mechanism is undermined by its potential to overreach, resulting in negative

consequences for individuals that may outweigh the perceived justice it seeks to achieve.

According to the piece “How Counselors Are Dealing with The Impact of Cancel Culture

on Mental Health” from Carlow University, "Cancel culture, with its roots in online shaming and

social isolation, poses significant threats to individuals' mental health, fostering feelings of
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shame, anxiety, and depression” (Carlow University). Therefore, it proves a negative effect of

cancel culture on today’s society statistically.

Cancel culture, in some instances, may escalate into online bullying, resulting in threats

and violence worse than the original offense. This raises concerns about the effectiveness of

cancel culture and its potential harm to both the accuser and the accused. In the article It states,

"Toward the end of his life he had told me when he was essentially pushed out of the university,

he said, 'Mike, my career is over." (Efrem Graham). This shows how someone’s career or

reputation can be ruined over false accusations. There needs to be a change where we don’t

immediately target someone, whatever happened to be innocent until proven guilty.

Critics of cancel culture argue that it poses a significant threat to intellectual freedom and

open discourse. According to Jonathan Chait in New York Magazine, "One professor at a

prestigious university told me that, just in the last few years, she has noticed a dramatic upsurge

in her students' sensitivity toward even the mildest social or ideological slights; she and her

fellow faculty members are terrified of facing accusations of triggering trauma—or more

consequentially, violating her school's new sexual-harassment policy—merely by carrying out

the traditional academic work of intellectual exploration." This quote highlights the concern that

cancel culture, by fostering fear of potential consequences, inhibits educators and students from

freely exchanging ideas, hindering the essential academic pursuit of diverse perspectives and

stopping their voices. (Chait, New York Magazine).

In conclusion, while canceling culture may initially seem like a righteous tool for justice,

its negative impact on individuals' lives and mental health cannot be ignored. The well-

intentioned pursuit of accountability often transforms into a disproportionate and damaging

force, lacking the nuance required for a fair evaluation of one's actions. The potential for online
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shaming and social isolation to inflict severe harm on mental health is a stark reminder that the

consequences of cancel culture extend far beyond its intended purpose. Moreover, the risk of

false accusations leading to ruined careers and reputations highlights the need for a more

balanced and measured approach to addressing wrongdoing. As society navigates the

complexities of online interactions, fostering an environment that encourages growth,

redemption, and due process is crucial for achieving a more just and equitable outcome.

Works Cited:

Efrem Graham. "How America's Toxic 'Cancel Culture' Ruins Lives and Ends Careers." CBN,

Christian Broadcasting Network, 10 Dec. 2022, www2.cbn.com/news/us/how-americas-

toxic-cancel-culture-ruins-lives-and-ends-careers.

"How Counselors Are Dealing with the Impact of Cancel Culture on Mental Health." Carlow

Today & Tomorrow | Creating a More Just and Merciful World, Carlow University, 23

Mar. 2023, blog.carlow.edu/2022/12/08/how-counselors-are-dealing-with-an-impact-of-

cancel-culture-on-mental-health/#:~:text=Canceling%20often%20becomes

%20bullying.,justice%20or%20better%20social%20status.

"Political Correctness on College Campuses." Issues & Controversies, Infobase, 16 June 2015,

icof.infobase.com/articles/QXJ0aWNsZVRleHQ6MTY0MzQ=?aid=96915. Accessed 2

Dec. 2023.