The case for cancel culture : how this democratic tool works to liberate us all

The case for cancel culture How this democratic tool works to liberate us all

Ernest Owens

Book - 2023

"The first major case for cancel culture as a fundamental means of democratic expression throughout history, and timely necessity aimed at combating systems of oppression. " is canceled." Chances are, you've heard this a lot lately. What might've once been a niche digital term has been legitimized in the discourse of presidents, politicians, and lawmakers. But what really is cancel culture? Blacklisting celebrities? Censorship? Until now, this has been the general consensus in the media. But it's time to raise the bar on our definition- to think of cancel culture less as scandal or suppression, and more as an essential means of democratic expression and accountability. The Case for Cancel Culture does just that.... This cultural critique from award-winning journalist Ernest Owens offers a fresh progressive lens in favor of cancel culture as a tool for activism and change. Using examples from politics, pop culture, and his own personal experience, Owens helps readers reflect on and learn the long history of canceling (spoiler: the Boston Tea Party was cancel culture); how the left and right uniquely equip it as part of their political toolkits; how intersections of society wield it for justice; and ultimately how it levels the playing field for the everyday person's voice to matter. Why should we care? Because in a world where protest and free speech are being challenged by the most powerful institutions, those without power deserve to understand the nuance and importance of this democratic tool available to them. Readers will walk away from this first-of-its-kind exploration not despising cancel culture but embracing it as a form of democratic expression that's always been leading the charge in liberating us all"--

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Subjects
Cancel culture > Political aspects.
Liberty.
Responsibility.
Democracy.
SOCIAL SCIENCE / Sociology / General.
Published
New York : St. Martin's Press 2023.
Language
English
Main Author
Ernest Owens (author)
Edition
First edition
Physical Description
viii, 242 pages ; 22 cm
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages 231-242).
ISBN
9781250280930
  • Introduction
  • Why I had to set the record straight on cancel culture
  • Cancel Culture Been Here
  • Before it was called cancel culture: The protests, boycotts, and enforcements of political correctness that have taken place throughout history are solid proof that this is not a new phenomenon
  • When Canceling was the Only Option
  • Cancel culture is not the spontaneous whim it's often characterized as but can serve as an intentional, final move when all hope is lost for the marginalized
  • When Progressives Cancel
  • The Left uses cancel culture to expand rights and freedoms for more people
  • When Conservatives Cancel
  • The Right uses cancel culture to retain power-and to keep others from acquiring it-by employing a myopic nostalgia for "the good ol' days"
  • Not All Cancellations are the Same
  • Status-as defined by race, gender, class, and social status-is often the deciding factor for who gets canceled and who does not
  • Cancel-Cry Me a River
  • Current arguments against cancel culture are driven by fear, misunderstanding, and sometimes an intentional mischaracterization of how power works
  • Cancel Culture is Democracy Unchained
  • Cancel culture is more than just a tool for accountability. It is a deliberate form of free speech that works to liberate us all
  • Acknowledgments
  • Notes
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

Journalist Owens debuts with an incisive defense of cancel culture. Defining cancel culture as the effort to collectively recognize and eradicate problematic behavior, he traces its links to radical protest and boycott movements of the past, including the American Revolution and the civil rights movement. He also analyzes the differences between how progressives and conservatives employ cancel culture (among others, progressives are much more likely to call out their own) and delves into individual cases, including the cancellations of R. Kelly, Harvey Weinstein, and other sexual abusers by the #MeToo movement, and the conservative backlash against the Dixie Chicks for opposing the war in Iraq in 2003. Owens also claims that "glaring double standards" exist in conservative as well as progressive circles, noting that R&B singer Chrisette Michelle "got canceled for performing at one of Trump's inaugural balls, while Kanye West, who had more nefarious ties to Trump, was treated with more nuance, grace, and empathy." Some readers may quibble at Owens's conflation of modern-day cancel culture and historical protest movements such as Gandhi's campaign against the British salt tax in India, but his arguments are thought-provoking and well supported. The result is an invigorating survey of a hot-button political issue. (Feb.)

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review

Owens, a journalist, media CEO, and podcaster, explains what "cancel culture" really means and how the left and the right use it differently. The left, Owens says, uses it to expand people's rights and freedoms, whereas the right applies it to retain power and to keep others from acquiring it. This argument is illuminated with examples, such as the 2018 March for Our Lives movement to cancel the pervasive gun culture in the United States, efforts to call out sexual predators in the public eye, and attempts to cancel voting and abortion rights and the separation of church and state. Above all, the book indicates that cancel culture is a tactic to level playing fields and to call for change, and cancellations depend on gender, race, and status. Owens argues that cancellation is not a new phenomenon and cites examples from ancient Rome, early Christianity, the American Revolution, the abolitionist movement, India's fight for independence, McCarthyism, the civil rights movement, and the counterculture movement. Distinctions between cancel culture, bullying, shaming, and social media's impact are also discussed. VERDICT This is a provocative and important book that enables readers to gain a deep appreciation for the nuanced meaning of cancel culture.--Thomas Karel

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review

A cultural commentator advocates for cancel culture as a social movement that mobilizes the weak to "speak truth to power." With the rise of social media, the ability of individuals to comment publicly on the behavior of others has increased exponentially. According to Owens, calling out people and corporations for their racism, sexism, greed, and general insensitivity toward others and pressuring them to be accountable is the essence of cancel culture, and he argues that cancel culture is a force of progressive social change for the greater good. Political to its core, cancel culture comes in two styles: conservative and progressive. Conservatives are eager to cancel critical race theory and such groups as Black Lives Matter, yet they hypocritically condemn cancel culture for stifling free speech. Progressives use it to protect the vulnerable from being oppressed and exploited even as many on the left fret about its excesses. Overall, Owens views the negative reaction to cancel culture by the rich and powerful--particularly older, White, heterosexual, elite males regardless of political persuasion--as an attempt to preserve their privilege. Further, he wants us to recognize that cancel culture is not new. Along with the Boston Tea Party, his list of historical cancellations includes the Stonewall riots of 1969, the charging of Harvey Weinstein with sexual harassment in 2020, and Representative Liz Cheney's recent ouster from Republican leadership in the House. "Once passive on Trump's racist and incompetent leadership as someone who had previously voted for him," writes the author, "Cheney was one of the few from the Right in Congress who voted to impeach the former president for wrongdoing in the January 6 insurrection." By so extending his reach, however, Owens dilutes his argument. Distinctions matter, particularly when it comes to political action. Moreover, his belief that cancel culture can turn individual complaint into collective action needs much more thought. An undercooked yet relevant reminder of the possibilities of cancel culture and how it can make the powerful accountable. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

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