In recent years, “canceling” celebrities and influencers has become a common occurrence. Here’s a breakdown on what it is, and why it’s so dangerous.
What is cancel culture?
A trend where celebrities are knocked from their positions of influence because of something they may have said or done. Generally, a mob of people who are quick to believe rumors band together to render said celebrity irrelevant.
Who’s been canceled?
- James Charles
Beauty vlogger James Charles lost millions of followers earlier this year after a very public feud with his former mentor Tati Westbrook. James’s former fans posted videos online throwing out their James Charles makeup palettes and memeing his apology video. 62% of teens think James Charles’s reputation will never be the same
- Millie Bobby Brown
The “Stranger Things” breakout star was condemned on Instagram for faking a skin care routine during an Instagram Live. Viewers were quick to point out that she never actually put products on her face and still had makeup on at the end of the video.
- Kendall Jenner
Kendall Jenner received backlash after starring in a Pepsi commercial that featured her handing a police officer a Pepsi in the middle of a protest to solve everything. People thought this trivialized real life issues and found it insensitive.
- Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift was briefly canceled after Kim Kardashian released footage of her giving Kanye permission to reference her in his lyrics. This occurred after Swift criticized the song and the references made about her. Kardashian’s fans then commented snake emojis all over Taylor’s social media.
- Dove Cameron
“Descendants” actress Dove Cameron received negative feedback after posting several braless selfies. The star posted the photos in support of women’s rights and took the opportunity to express her freedom. While some fans supported her, others took the opportunity to tear her down.
Why is it dangerous?
Cancel culture can not only derail a person’s career and ruin their livelihood, but also cause debilitating self esteem issues. It does not provide people the opportunity to learn from their mistakes and improve future actions. Of over 500,000 surveyed, 49% of teens say someone at their school has been canceled.
How can we avoid cancel culture?
79% of teens believe cancel culture should be canceled itself. The first step to ending cancel culture is actually conducting research before we jump onto the hate bandwagon! It’s also important to realize that everyone makes mistakes, and many people will change for the better if given the opportunity. Constructive criticism is much more impactful than canceling!
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