Today’s world is constantly buzzing with the latest celebrity tweets, the hottest new Kardashian scandal, who said what and so much more juicy drama that we all get wrapped up in from time to time. With all this conversation, it is no surprise that great online debates have taken over most of our feeds – for example, IS a hotdog a sandwich? However, as thrilling as the debates and gossip can be, every action has a consequence. With this, the internet gave birth to the term “cancel culture.”

Cancel culture is described by Urban Dictionary as “a modern internet phenomenon where a person is ejected from influence or fame by questionable actions.” 

Some of the most famous examples of cancel culture include celebrities that were once major influences online or in pop culture, such as Shane Dawson, J.K. Rowling, Jeffree Star, Chris Pratt, Taylor Swift and so many more who fell into the mouth of cancel culture.

But, here, I focus on the real questions at hand: is cancel culture beneficial, and is it something we should be concerned about?

While cancel culture’s root meaning was to make people who had gotten away with racism, sexism, homophobia and other heinous topics take responsibility for their actions, it has turned into something so much larger – and meaner – than intended.

One thing cancel culture is right about: we should hold everyone accountable for the things they have said or done. This is a pretty universal truth and one we often learn in preschool. If you make a mistake, you should own up to it, apologize to the people you have affected and try your best not to do so again. This is true.

While cancel culture tries to promote this idea of owning up, fixing your mistakes, learning a lesson and then changing your behavior, it can often have the opposite effect.

Cancel culture basically says “you messed up and now you are never allowed to change from that. This is who you are.” It upholds a very black-and-white mindset –the exact opposite of what we should be promoting.

Human behavior is just not as simple as black and white. The only word good enough to describe human behavior is complex.

Of course, some actions will never be forgiven and when they’re done, there is nothing you can do to take them back or make them right. Generally, these are the offenses punishable by law or made on a deeply personal level where relationships end in huge flames and resentment.

However, is cancel culture getting the point across to these celebrities and major influences that they messed up? Is ending their career, targeting their families and homes and making their mistakes the front page of everything really the best way to get a message across?

Personally, I am inclined to say no. On a less personal level, I think it depends.

When you sign the Hollywood contract for fame and success, you know your every move is being watched. This, however, does not change the fact that you are still a flawed, complex being who is going to say things you regret.

This means that when you made a comment 10 years ago that does NOT age well and was never okay, it is more than likely going to come back to haunt you (Shane Dawson). If you have political or religious views that oppress an entire community of people, you are probably going to lose some money in the process (Chris Pratt).

I think on some levels, we have to allow these celebrities space to mess up and regret what they say, while still holding them as accountable as possible. On another level, there is a huge space between messing up and actively being hateful. If you are using views and personal identity to hate another group of people, to take someone down or harm the people in your life, there is much more work to be done than a public apology.

Cancel culture presents this idea of letting people grow from their mistakes while still holding them accountable when they do mess up, without ever acknowledging that, overall, people are people and we have all done things we really wish we hadn’t.

Overall, cancel culture is probably not going anywhere, as humans are basically house plants with really complicated emotions, and we all see the world so differently. However, accountability is always needed and required when you do make a mistake, and with that accountability you have to accept the fact that there may be some consequences that can sometimes go way further than you, or anyone else, expected. It is important to give people the ability to change and own up to the mistakes they have made. To not let people fix their mistakes and change for the better is really the most harmful part of cancel culture.

The film industry made political headlines this past month when the Todd Phillips film, “Joker,” was released to audiences worldwide Oct. 4. Before its release the film was no stranger to media-derived fear about what it could inspire. When “The Dark Knight” came out in 2012, its villain – the Joker – inspired a man to shoot into a movie theatre full of audience members in Colorado, killing 12 and injuring 58. During trial, he pleaded not guilty on account of insanity. It’s reasonable to be cautious heading into a film dedicated to the character that apparently inspired someone to commit such an atrocity. 

This issue speaks to how pop culture has escalated into controlling the way people think, act and behave. Social Media has made it easier for people to spread pop culture, and discussing various  podcasts, albums, films and TV shows happens more and more. Look at the impact that shows like “The Office” or “Stranger Things” and films like “The Avengers” franchise, have all had on society. People dedicate their lives to these pieces of media. But who is this good for? Is it okay? Where is the line drawn? These are things I find myself wondering, and I can’t even imagine where society is going to be a couple decades down the line. Society’s approach to media is very binary. People who aren’t obsessed with something either ignore it or are completely against it.

The Avengers example is so interesting to me because of the perception of comics. Until recently, comic books have been primarily for nerds and sold to a very niche market at low prices. Iron Man, a character that would be on the 21st century pop culture Mount Rushmore, was a B-tier character, someone very low on the relevancy and power spectrum. The Marvel movies have convinced millions upon millions in country upon country to care and develop an extremely intense emotional connection with Iron Man, catapulting him into stardom.

I think a common denominator in all of this is escapism. The world is darker than ever – turning on the news on any given day is bound to depress. So instead of paying attention to that and caring about politics, the younger generations choose to invest their time and emotional energy into something made up. The Avengers and other franchises allow them to slip away from the dark dystopian hellscape that we call everyday life. It’s easier to pretend that you’re a superhero than take the time to educate yourself on the political climate in order to make an educated vote come election season. 

Jim Taylor, Ph.D. from Psychology Today sums this up perfectly in his article, “Pop Culture: Too much time on our hands.”

“We’re searching for two things that have become casualties of America’s progress and prosperity,” Taylor said. “We’re looking for meaning when life for many seems to be devoid of significance. We once found meaning by creating stable lives for our families and working to make life better for our children, but such security and opportunity are less likely now than at any time in our recent past. Meaning came from believing that America was united in its values and its vision for the future.”

There’s also a level of companionship that people find in obsessing over pop culture. Finding and developing relationships with people who like the same things becomes cathartic for some. People who feel isolated in the real world find themselves welcomed and a part of a larger community online that love the same niche things that they like. The constant innovation of technology and the means in which we communicate is what allows this to happen. 

Pop culture has inserted itself into the domain of politics and other dominant aspects of what people deem important in society. It’s highly unlikely that the entertainment industry would ever return to the role that it held in the 20th century, but with that said, it’s important that there is at least some separation between fantasy and reality.