Readers’ Voice

Cancel culture becomes 
the online court

“Cancel culture” is currently a hot topic on social media. It refers to the phenomenon and practice of openly boycotting, rejecting or non-cooperation with a particular person or group because of an activity or viewpoint that is not socially acceptable.

Canceling a celebrity, political figure, party and group means opposing their ideals and activities. If the general public expresses dissatisfaction with any of their activities, then they refrain from supporting it.

Nowadays almost everyone judges each other through social media. If one dislikes another person’s actions, he or she mutters various slurs online making cancel culture a kind of online court.

The biggest impact of cancel culture is in the film industry. Cancel culture is manifested by boycotting film actors, actresses or directors from their work. Taking a break from reading and promoting an author’s book is another example. Currently, this cancel culture is much discussed in politics. If he is an oppositionist, he is given many obstacles in the field of politics.

It is also a type of cancel culture through which politics is kept out. But cancel culture has both good and bad sides. Some people think that through this culture, individuals, groups have to be accountable for their actions, while others think that it is a kind of punishment. Careers of individuals, teams and groups are threatened by cancel culture.

Many are victims of this cancel culture. For example, JK Rowling, author of the famous Harry Potter series, has been criticized and called anti-gay for opposing a transgender movement. This made people turn away from watching and reading Rowling’s Harry Potter series. Speaking out in favor of Palestine in the Western world can lead to job loss, social boycott and harassment.

Thus, cancel culture is visible in every field in Bangladesh. This culture is present in every sector from friends, educational institutions, society, politics, film arena. If your own opinions and ideas and behaviour in the circle of friends conflict with them, then you will also be canceled. Be a victim of the cancel culture. Cancel culture is spreading great influence in the politics of Bangladesh. Just like when someone expresses a dissenting opinion within the party, he is fired, similarly ignoring dissenting opinion and taking undue action against it is also one of the examples of cancel culture.

A survey by the American Pew Research Center shows that about 58% of people think that through cancel culture, individual groups and teams can be brought under accountability. As a result, they try to refrain from abnormal activities. And 38% of people think that those who are boycotted, disrespected and harassed by cancel culture do not really deserve it. They are unfairly judged online. Their careers are destroyed. In many cases, the allegations are found to be false and fabricated.

The western world is the most affected by this cancel culture. As a result of the cancel culture, most of the time, minor sins are punished severely. As a result, many are afraid to express their opinions freely. Many do not express their thoughts for fear of ruining their career by getting different tags. Such misuse of cancel culture has resulted in many celebrities opposing it. A few days ago, Elon Musk said in a tweet, “cancel cancel culture”.
It is our duty to prevent the abnormal spread of this culture.

Al Amin,
Student, Department of History
University of Dhaka