02/08/2020
I am a firm believer that negative behaviour should always be challenged and that the perpetrators should take full responsibility for their actions. In recent years, we have seen the growth of ‘cancel culture’ especially on social media. This is where a person, people or a business, act in a way that is deemed so offensive, it leads to significant backlash and a desire to see them pay a high price such as the loss of their career and/or business.
Now to be completely honest, when I first became aware of cancel culture, I was all for it for the simple fact that you cannot simply expect to behave how you like with no consequences. However, as time went on, I came to realise that this is not necessarily the right approach and sometimes it does more actual harm than good. There have been occasions where people have (and still do) benefit from it, whether it’s gaining more attention/opportunities or making more money. The intention behind it might be good but sadly it does not always have the desired effect. When you add social media into the mix, this simply magnifies the message and attracts more in the way of noise and criticism rather than education. Far too often, people will jump on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc… to simply be a part of the drama without having a full understanding of what has unfolded.
For me, accountability is far more valuable as it gives perpetrators the opportunity to not only be held responsible but to learn from their actions. Okay, there are some who will never learn and carry on regardless (and they should be dealt with accordingly) but if we go down the route of cancellation every single time we encounter something that goes against our values and beliefs, how will we ever make any progress? How can you expect someone to learn from the errors of their ways if you immediately write them off?
Instead of cancellation, let’s encourage conversation as part of the accountability journey. I am passionately opposed to all forms of prejudice but there have been situations where I have sat down with people who hold these kinds of beliefs, to ascertain where their views come from and why they think they are justifiable. Do I enjoy these experiences? Of course not but at the same time how can I hope to challenge their beliefs and show them that prejudice is not the way, if I am not willing to engage with them?
Accountability often requires us to make ourselves uncomfortable. The truth can be a bitter pill to swallow, especially when that truth requires us to hold a mirror up to the darker side of ourselves. However, it is a necessary step in order to get to a place of greater understanding and acceptance - two things that the world is in dire need of right now.
I’d love to hear your thoughts. Let me know what you think in the comments below.
