Cancel culture is a form of public shaming. Over the years, cancel culture has become popular. When a person or a celebrity does something deemed wrongful, the public is very quick to give their opinions. The justice system may be flawed, but does that mean the public should cancel out public figures?

During the #MeToo movement, many women began speaking up about being sexually assaulted by Hollywood’s elite. Harvey Weinstein was allegedly guilty of conducting wrongful acts. Many people decided to cancel him. What this means is the public will no longer be in support of Weinstein or any of his movies. Some of the women who were assaulted by Weinstein were featured in his films.

Is cancel culture good or bad? Canceling someone usually begins with a person’s opinion. Celebrities and other public figures with mass followings are the subjects of negative comments and opinions of others more often than other people are. One wrong move, and their platform can come crumbling down.

Say Barack Obama started wearing fur coats out in the public. This could immediately get someone’s attention, and they could call out Obama for wearing fur. This would create a frenzy of people saying Obama does not care for the wellbeing of animals, and so on and so forth.

It took me a while to understand cancel culture, but with the rise of the internet, I witness it more and more every day.

Youtuber Jenna Marbles was canceled due to her allegedly wearing blackface in one of her videos while she imitated Nicki Minaj. People began threatening her livelihood and sending her very hurtful comments. Later on, the accusations were seen as false, and she just had a very bronze tan. Jenna Marbles no longer felt the internet was a safe place, so she left YouTube.

This is the issue with cancel culture: It’s so hateful and toxic. Cancel culture leaves no room for a person to grow and learn from their mistakes. As humans, we are allowed to change our minds and behavior at any given moment. Canceling someone can destroy their business, wellbeing and status. Does canceling a wrongful person make you a better person?

Robert Shapiro is very opinionated when it comes to his conservative views. He is well-known in the public eye, and those who disagree with his views are quick to cancel him. More recently, with the presidential election, everyone, for the most part, wanted Trump canceled.

Lil Wayne, a well-known artist, decided to vote for Trump because he agreed with his policies. Some of Wayne’s fans were deeply disappointed, and stopped supporting his music altogether.

When did our political views begin to justify who we are? Cancel culture looks like a form of protest on the outside, but it is not considered activism. In this culture, people are choosing opinions for you. Casting stones onto others doesn’t bring on justice. Hating on Trump is not going to solve our problems. Actively speaking up on what’s right and participating in cancel culture contradict each other. Who is to say what is right and what is wrong? Since Lil Wayne voted for Trump, shall we never listen to his music again? Shall we stop giving business to those who voted for Trump, and cast them out of society?

Yes, acts that are wrong and distasteful should lead to negative consequences, but should sharing a controversial opinion mean getting stoned to death? When did the internet turn into canceling, and where is the middle ground?