Cancelling and Depression

[Mole]

In responding to you I don't mean to single you out, but out of a growing sense of inevitability for this notion in general, imagine any person online describing themselves differently that what you have just said. People would say they consider other views, but that they are not convincing, and so their personal conclusions are only reinforced by considering the views of others. Who would actually say, "I don't really consider the views of others, because I have personal bias and an ego investment in my conclusions. No one would say it, but it could be true to varying degrees for most people. I will challenge anyone reading this to consider that a person who actually, honestly, and thoroughly considers multiple perspectives is going to: 1. Be able to state a convincing argument for or against a given topic. They will not readily see the opposing position as absurd, but be able to articulate the merit of opposing views. 2. They will be slower to draw hard conclusions and be in a state of internal ongoing debate about most issues. They will tend to have less personal certitude, less conclusive in general on topics. 3. They would naturally convey respect in debate and point out ways their opponent's position is indeed credible. And if not credible, they would at least express an empathetic understanding of how someone might come to such a conclusion. How often does that happen online? It's rare. And no, I don't think you or people in general fully consider the views of others on all topics. It would be evident in debate and it is not. I will be interested to see what Mole says about it as well.

I am familiar with Catholic apologetics. A common ploy is to give two or more alternatives for consideration, but with only one viable alternative. This is meant to persuade us with the appearance of logic.

After all, the Church teaches the doctrine of Faith and Reason, and settles for the appearance of reason to bamboozle us.

 

[Siúil a Rúin]

The truth is more interesting: I have been cancelled from McDonald's.

Cancelling began in the universities, spread to the schools, and then McDonald's.

Cancelling is a phenomenon of the Left. I know of no cancelling from the Conservatives.

In the U.S. I think cancel culture started with the Religious Right in the 80's and 90's. They boycotted the Teletubbies because Tinky Winky was considered gay by Jerry Falwell. Then the whole notion took off from there, but the Left took it up more recently. the Bible Belt Religious Right boycotts all kinds of stuff from TV shows to musicians to this day, etc. Performers are boycotted from cities etc.

 

[Red Memories]

In the U.S. I think cancel culture started with the Religious Right in the 80's and 90's. They boycotted the Teletubbies because Tinky Winky was considered gay by Jerry Falwell. Then the whole notion took off from there, but the Left took it up more recently. the Bible Belt Religious Right boycotts all kinds of stuff from TV shows to musicians to this day, etc. Performers are boycotted from cities etc.

ah I remember my grandpa making fun of that issue. "oh of course an alien with no human bits of sorts is GAY really?"

 

[Mole]

Cancel Culture, and Denial of Platform, is a tactic of the University Left.

Boycotts by the Right are a different kettle of fish.

 

[Doctor Cringelord]

In the U.S. I think cancel culture started with the Religious Right in the 80's and 90's. They boycotted the Teletubbies because Tinky Winky was considered gay by Jerry Falwell. Then the whole notion took off from there, but the Left took it up more recently. the Bible Belt Religious Right boycotts all kinds of stuff from TV shows to musicians to this day, etc. Performers are boycotted from cities etc.

I think more marginalized groups practiced a sort of cancel culture for a long time, because it was one of the few ways they could exert any real influence or power in culture. Gays boycotting companies known to discriminate against gays, that sort of thing, black people boycotting musicians documented as having made racist statements. And so on

I think the religious right has been doing it for a long time. There was that whole John Lennon controversy where he joked the Beatles were bigger than Jesus, leading many Christians to burn their LPs.


I do remember my city trying to ban certain bands in the 90s.


I’m not sure about whether depression causes it. I assumed cancel culture tended to be a result of people feeling powerless and lashing out in the only ways they could. Social media just magnified it to ridiculous extremes

 

[Mole]

He wss a high school history tescher and made the mistake of showing Charlie Hedbo catoons of Mohammed in order to teach free speech under the French Constitution.

His students pointed him out, and the parents agreed, to behead him in front of the school.

We might call this Islamic cancelling.