How Cancel Culture Influences Freedom of Speech (By Mr. E. Peter, Mr. J. Igwe and Mr. E. David)

(Philosocom's Directory on Culture)

(Philosocom's John Igwe and Co. Articles)

(Philosocom's Subcategory Directory on Freedom)

(Disclaimer: The guest posts do not necessarily align with Philosocom's manager, Mr. Tomasio Rubinshtein's beliefs, thoughts, or feelings. The point of guest posts is to allow a wide range of narratives from a wide range of people. To apply for a guest post of your own, please send your request to mrtomasio@philosocom.com)

Freedom of speech is a fundamental human right that allows individuals to express their opinions and ideas without fear of government retaliation, censorship, or legal repercussions. It's a cornerstone of democratic societies and is often protected by laws, constitutions, or international agreements. The right to free speech encompasses various forms of expression, including spoken words, written communication, artistic expression, and symbolic actions.

Culture and speech are intricately connected, with language serving as a primary vehicle for transmitting cultural values, norms, and traditions. Speech patterns, dialects, and expressions often reflect the cultural beliefs, societal hierarchies, and historical contexts of a community. Cultural norms influence not only the language used but also the non-verbal aspects of communication, like body language, gestures, and social etiquettes, which differ significantly across cultures.

Additionally, the language itself can shape the way people perceive and understand the world, affecting their thoughts, behaviors, and interactions within a particular cultural context

Meanwhile, cancel culture refers to the widespread practice of publicly shaming, boycotting, or ostracizing individuals or entities for behavior or opinions deemed offensive, controversial, or unacceptable. It often plays out on social media platforms and involves a collective effort by a group of individuals to hold others accountable for their actions or statements.

Cancel culture has complex implications for freedom of speech. While freedom of speech is a fundamental right that allows individuals to express their opinions without censorship or retaliation from the government, cancel culture operates within societal or community-driven consequences for speech or actions deemed unacceptable.

Here are some ways cancel culture can influence freedom of speech:

Chilling Effect: Cancel culture can create a chilling effect on free speech. Individuals might self-censor to avoid potential backlash, fearing that expressing certain opinions or ideas could result in public shaming, ostracization, or even loss of employment.

Diverse Perspectives: Cancel culture often targets speech or actions considered offensive or harmful to marginalized groups. While this can be a positive force for social change by holding individuals or entities accountable, it could potentially limit open discussions if controversial topics or diverse perspectives are stifled for fear of being canceled.

Mob/Herd Mentality: In some cases, cancel culture operates through mass public outcry, often on social media. This collective and at times aggressive response can swiftly and severely impact the livelihoods and reputations of individuals without due process or room for discussion and learning.

Cancel culture has prompted a heightened sense of responsibility and accountability among individuals, public figures, and organizations. While it has its drawbacks, it also plays a role in holding people accountable for their actions or statements. Here's how it influences responsibility and accountability:

Social Awareness: Cancel culture has increased awareness about the impact of words and actions. Individuals and entities are more conscious of how their behavior might affect others, particularly marginalized or underrepresented groups.

Consequences for Actions: Cancel culture often leads to consequences for behavior or statements that are deemed offensive or harmful. This serves as a form of accountability, indicating that there are repercussions for actions that negatively impact others.

Ethical Considerations: People are now more inclined to consider the ethical implications of their actions. They are forced to reflect on the potential repercussions of their behavior, statements, or decisions in a more socially conscious manner.

Accountability in Public Discourse: Cancel culture has pushed for increased accountability in public discourse. It has led to demands for transparency, honesty, and responsibility from public figures and organizations.

Cultural Shift: It's prompted a cultural shift where certain behaviors or statements that were previously normalized or overlooked are now being called out and addressed, fostering a more accountable society.

Change in Policies and Practices: Companies and institutions are reevaluating their policies and practices to ensure they align with more responsible and inclusive standards, responding to the growing accountability demands.

While responsibility and accountability are essential, there are concerns about the extreme nature of cancel culture. It's vital to strike a balance, ensuring that while individuals are held accountable, there's room for growth, education, and forgiveness. A system that allows for learning from mistakes while discouraging repeated harmful behavior can contribute to a healthier and more productive social environment.

Limits on Innovation and Creativity: Fear of being canceled might dissuade artists, creators, and innovators from pushing boundaries or exploring controversial or challenging themes. This self-censorship can stifle creativity and limit the exploration of new ideas.

(Mr Rubinshtein's Note: This may apply in philosophy as well)

Cancel culture's impact on innovation and creativity can be multifaceted. While it's important to hold individuals and entities accountable for their actions and encourage responsible behavior, the fear of being "canceled" can potentially limit the freedom and boldness necessary for true innovation and creative exploration in the following ways:

Risk-Aversion: Creativity often thrives on pushing boundaries and exploring new ideas, even if they're controversial or challenge societal norms. Fear of backlash might make artists, writers, or innovators more risk-averse, leading them to stick to safer, more conventional topics and approaches. This avoidance of risk could stifle groundbreaking or provocative ideas.

(Mr. Rubinshtein's note: Risk-Aversion exists in many areas of our lives. That is because we have things to lose).

Self-Censorship: The fear of being ostracized or facing severe consequences for expressing unconventional or controversial thoughts can lead individuals to self-censor. This self-imposed limitation might prevent the exploration of ideas that could potentially lead to groundbreaking innovations or paradigm shifts.

Artistic and Cultural Expression: Creativity in art, literature, film, and other cultural expressions often involves delving into sensitive or contentious topics. Cancel culture's impact might discourage artists from exploring these themes, leading to a lack of thought-provoking or boundary-pushing work.

Stifling Dialogue and Critique: Constructive criticism and open dialogue are crucial for growth in creative fields. Cancel culture's swift and sometimes harsh repercussions can hinder constructive critique, potentially leading to an environment where genuine learning and improvement are sacrificed in favor of avoiding public outrage.

Compliance over Authenticity: Some individuals may opt for conformity over authenticity to avoid the risks associated with expressing unconventional or controversial ideas. This prioritization of avoiding backlash may limit the authenticity and uniqueness of creative expressions.

However, Innovation and creativity often thrive in environments that encourage risk-taking, exploration, and the expression of diverse ideas.

Final Words

Striking a balance between accountability and preserving the freedom necessary for innovative thinking remains a significant challenge in such environments.

It pushes individuals and organizations to be more thoughtful and responsible in their actions, considering the potential impact on others. While this can be positive, it might also deter necessary conversations about challenging or controversial topics, although such conversations may be necessary.

It can influence the nature of public discourse. It could potentially polarize discussions by shutting down opposing viewpoints rather than engaging in constructive debate, thereby hindering opportunities for education, understanding, and growth.

In summary, while cancel culture can hold individuals accountable for their actions and statements, there are concerns about how it might stifle open dialogue, limit diverse viewpoints, and discourage the free exchange of ideas. It's a complex balance between accountability and freedom of expression, and the challenge lies in finding a middle ground that promotes responsibility without suppressing essential freedoms.

Extra Source:

https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2021/05/19/americans-and-cancel-culture-where-some-see-calls-for-accountability-others-see-censorship-punishment/

Mr. Nathan Lasher's Feedback:

Cancel culture should really do nothing more than helping people how to frame stuff better. If someone can take offense by what you say then there must be a better way to get your thoughts across. Fear of cancel culture should only make us more conscious of our actions. You can do great things if you don’t live in fear of it. Just make sure the resulting expressions are examples of something rather than stand alone problems.

Easiest way to avoid cancel culture is to have individuals, random people, peer review your work before it is released to the public. In art this can be done in the form of a private soft opening to a gallery.

Your own cognitive reality might make you blind to certain things, so it’s important to confide with people who don’t have this blindness. Just because you yourself think something is great can blind you to any parts that may be problematic. Humans are nit-picking creatures so would you rather have the public do it or close friends?

Another suggested fix to cancel culture would be to push the boundaries but be introverted while doing it, get friends and family members opinions on how to best present it to the world.

Cancel culture really boils down to people who fail to frame things properly. Too many people fall victim to the “look what I did” fallacy. Yes, it's not a known one. People do or learn amazing things and instinctively want to run out and tell the world about it. Thus, they open the pandora's box of cancel culture. If you don’t want to worry about people framing what you are presenting in the wrong way then make sure you are the one who controls the way that it is seen.