Cancel culture Facts for Kids

Cancel culture is a cultural phenomenon in which an individual deemed to have acted or spoken in an unacceptable manner is ostracized, boycotted, shunned, fired or assaulted, often aided by social media. This shunning may extend to social or professional circles—whether on social media or in person—with most high-profile incidents involving celebrities. Those subject to this ostracism are said to have been "canceled".

The term "cancel culture" came into circulation in the late 2010s and early 2020s and has mostly negative connotations. The term "call-out culture" is used by some for the same concept.

Some critics argue that cancel culture has a chilling effect on public discourse, is unproductive, does not bring real social change, causes intolerance, and amounts to cyberbullying. Others argue that the term is used to attack efforts to promote accountability, to give disenfranchised people a voice, and attacks language that is itself free speech. Still others question whether cancel culture is an actual phenomenon, arguing that similar forms of boycotting have existed long before the origin of the term "cancel culture."

While the careers of some public figures have been impacted by boycotts that have been widely described as "cancellation", others who have complained of cancellation have successfully continued their careers.

Origins

The 1981 Chic album Take It Off includes the song "Your Love Is Cancelled," which compares a breakup to the cancellation of TV shows. "Your Love Is Cancelled" inspired screenwriter Barry Michael Cooper to include a reference to a woman being canceled in the 1991 film New Jack City. This usage introduced the term to African-American Vernacular English, where it eventually became more common.

Conversations about "cancel culture" started to increase in late 2019. In the 2020s, the phrase became a shorthand employed by conservatives in the United States to refer to what they perceived to be disproportionate reactions to politically incorrect speech.

Consequence culture

Some media commentators including LeVar Burton and Sunny Hostin have stated that "cancel culture" should be renamed "consequence culture." The terms have different connotations: "cancel culture" focusing on the effect whereby discussion is limited by a desire to maintain one certain viewpoint, whereas "consequence culture" focuses on the idea that those who write or publish opinions or make statements should bear some responsibility for the effects of these on people.

Cancel culture facts for kids

Origins

Consequence culture

See also