Imagine you are an influencer with a large following. Have you done anything you could easily get canceled for if the merciless Gen-Z gained knowledge of it? Chances are, you have, and don’t even realize it. Cancel culture is an aspect of today’s society that is extremely ineffective in its efforts. The concept behind it has good intentions, however, we have overused the word to such an extent that it bears no meaning. 

Don’t get me wrong. Gen-Z has done a lot right and consistently challenges the thinking of the world our parents grew up in, asking those difficult questions and generating conversations. However, this is taken to a whole new level, especially with the popular social media app, TikTok. It is not our duty to prosecute someone at the sight of them making a mistake; we’re all human beings. The celebrities and influencers we idolize through our phones have altered thinking to the point where we do not see them for what they are, which is regular people like you and me who simply got lucky. Through this, we hold them to impossible standards and only want to see the polished, smiling version in the fabricated lifestyle we are constantly reminded of. When we don’t anymore, and we see the more human and relatable side of them (that may mess up from time to time) we view them in a different light and deem it our responsibility to chastise them.

 While, yes, with phones at the fingertips of impressionable children who seem to be younger and younger as time goes on, those influencers you constantly see should take their job seriously being in the public eye.

Let’s look at the widely known TikToker, Nessa Barrett. On April 9, 2020, she uploaded a video dancing with audio in the background of someone reciting a verse from the Quran with the caption underneath stating, “fav sound” as reported by Centennial Beauty. Granted, it’s not smart to upload a video of you dancing and not be aware of the meaning behind the audio, but this was a simple mishap on her end. Her intent was not to be insensitive towards other cultures. She was doing a dance in her room that she enjoyed (like regular teenagers do) and people were so infuriated that she received death threats and was even encouraged to commit suicide. She went on the record to apologize and reassured the public that by no means did she mean to offend anyone or any religion/culture. She then took a break from social media for her mental health due to worsening hate every day. When she returned, it was as if nothing had happened and her fan base was back to the way it was originally, with positive affirmations filling her comment section once again. This only proves the insufficient efforts of these new societal norms. People today let emotions get the most of them and say such cruel and vile things to try to teach someone a lesson. It makes you wonder: when going to such extremes, did she truly learn from that experience or did she lose respect in it all after the way she was being treated and seeing the endless list of others who have been cancelled?

If someone is doing something repeatedly, that is morally wrong, yes, the public has every right to make them aware of it. After taking heed to it, if nothing changes, then that is unacceptable. At that point, canceling them is necessary. However, there is a more constructive approach: education. Instead of berating someone so viciously, educate them on what they did wrong and how that may upset or offend someone. Or, you could do what really hurts them, and that is through an unfollow. When people are in the process of getting canceled, they are the face of more news articles, posts, videos, etc. than they ever have before. If you truly don’t believe in something someone did, stop giving them attention on their platform that they arguably do not deserve. Social media has become a very toxic place, and we can all work together to use it for its true meaning, which is light content simply to brighten your day.