Had a coffee with my old high school teacher and he made me rethink cancel culture

Ran into Mr. Peterson at a diner last Saturday. He was my history teacher back in 2005. We got to talking about that whole thing where a local baker got canceled for a political sign in her window. He said something that hit me - he told me 'we used to just talk to people we disagreed with, now we just try to get them fired.' I've been on the side of calling people out for years, but he made a good point about how fast things escalate now. Has anyone else had a conversation with someone older that made you pause on cancel culture?

3 comments

3 Comments

olivia_bailey14d ago

That's a good point from your teacher, but I'd gently push back on one thing. Cancel culture isn't really a new thing, it's more like it moved online. People have always gotten shunned or lost jobs over saying the wrong thing, it just used to stay in your town or your church. The baker example is a tough one because a political sign in a window isn't the same as yelling at a customer, but both can get you in trouble with the community. Your teacher is right that we skip the talking part now, but we've always had consequences for public opinions just the rules were slower and quieter.

charlienelson14d ago

Oh come on, I have to respectfully disagree here. Just because something similar happened in a small town fifty years ago doesn't mean what's happening now is the same thing at all. The difference is scale and speed - back then, a baker could lose a few customers over a political sign, but now a national mob can cost them their entire business in 48 hours. Remember that florist who didn't want to do an arrangement for a same-sex wedding? She lost her shop, got death threats, and couldn't work in her field again. That's not the same as a church gossip circle talking behind your back. Your local reputation and your national reputation are totally different beasts, and the internet makes the punishment permanent and endless. So I think people are right to be scared of saying anything slightly off these days, because the consequences are way bigger than they used to be.

paige42712d ago

Best thing my dad ever told me about this is to wait 24 hours before posting anything heated. If you still feel the same way the next day, then say it to their face not their boss.