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There's a full-blown campaign right now to cancel Seth Rogan (you can google it if you want), which reminds me that I wanted to follow up on a point @olivertraldi made here. https://arcdigital.media/cancel-clusters-77fada5d7a8a
It's a simple point, but here it is: A distinguishing feature of CC is that it involves punishment for violating a new or rapidly changing set of norms. I *think* that makes sense. But there's a problem. Or at least a complication, one that the Rogan episode illustrates.
Norms are generated and sustained by communities. Some communities are very big (e.g. the USA). Others are very small and esoteric (think YA fiction, knitting forums, your local parish or neighborhood block association, etc.).
One difficulty we're going to wind up facing a lot, if we insist on going forward with this CC critique, is that if you're not a part of a community, you're going to be very bad at judging a) What the norms are; b) What purpose they serve; and c) Whether they are new or obscure.
So what Seth Rogan said is, to most Americans, either completely inoffensive or easily forgivable. To those with one foot in the relevant community, they are cringe-worthy and might merit an apology. But if you're a full fledged member, they are a total shanda.
That's the problem/complication. What with the INTERNET and SOCIAL MEDIA, now we all get to watch every community, no matter how esoteric, have its very own meltdown. From the outside, the norms are opaque and the outrage looks like a cancellation.
But from the inside, where the norms are well known and long established, things look very different.
I don't have an answer, obviously. It's not really a problem with a solution. But I wanted to point it out now, as I expect we'll run into this issue a lot.
I don't have an answer, obviously. It's not really a problem with a solution. But I wanted to point it out now, as I expect we'll run into this issue a lot.
FWIW, I think Rogan should offer an apology, but people are definitely over-reacting.
