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When pressed, the cancel culture crew say the main problem is people getting fired. But they also admit there are certain things that warrant firing. So basically their argument is “People shouldn’t be wrongfully fired,” which....ok.
To which they say, “No, but the point is, the lines are getting slipperier!” So what they really don’t like is the particular things that are now considered beyond the pale. But instead of just having that discussion, they pretend it’s some big meta-issue.
Of course people shouldn’t be wrongfully fired! What’s always in question so what counts as “wrongfully.” That’s a shifting question, one that is well worth discussing and with no “objective” answer. But these people refuse to acknowledge that that is the actual issue at hand.
Giving them the biggest benefit of the doubt, here's what I imagine their concern is: They see people getting yelled at, or fired, for behavior that they would not have pegged as problematic. This is scary to them because they can imagine making similar mistakes...1/
And I get that, I've been surprised to learn about things I didn't know were offensive or encountered people who were more sensitive to certain issues than I was. I understand the nagging thought of, yikes, I hope I don't say the wrong thing. 2/
So their concern is, "What if someone (or even me) gets in trouble for something that they didn't know was ba. What if they lose their job over a simple mistake!" This seems like a horrifying possibility, but it's also a possibility that exists in virtually every situation. 3/
What if someone thinks you're laughing at them and you're actually laughing at someone behind them? What if someone mishears you and thinks you said something offensive? What if you're wrongfully accused of a crime you didn't commit? There is ALWAYS the possibility of this. 4/
We don't freak out about every social interaction because people could misunderstand one another. We don't throw out laws because people can be falsely accused. We try to learn, to correct for mistakes. Crucially: We deal with each situation on a case by case basis. 5/
It's telling that every single interview from the cancel culture crew fixates on the story of David Shor. And virtually every person who disagrees with them about CC agrees that David Shor, if the details are as they seem, was wrongly fired. 6/
I think that CC people don't see how you square that circle, but it's simple: Each case is different. That's how society works. The fact that some things are offensive or fire-worthy does not mean that every single thing is, but it doesn't mean that nothing is either 7/
Finally, they might say, "OK, but people on the left are so angry and aggressive and unwilling to forgive." There may be merit there. Many people are, especially online. But then you are arguing for compassion and empathy. And the best place to start is with yourself. 8/
And I'm not being glib! I've encountered people who were rude and unforgiving and uncharitable. But rather than go on and on about them, I try to think "If I'M ever in that position, I will try to not be that way." 9/
And if you're really arguing in favor of empathy and forgiveness, you also might want to think, "What might I be missing in this encounter? Maybe there's a reason they're reacting this way that I don't immediately grasp. Maybe there are a lot of things I don't get." END/
