Understanding Cancel Culture: A Modern Social Phenomenon

This is the modern social attitude that controversial speech or behaviour that is socially unacceptable must be punished through public shaming or withdrawing support from a person or organisation. The result is that the offender's influence and reputation is cancelled out. It has been born of the inability of an opinion to withstand the scrutiny of thoughtful debate.

What is Cancel Culture?

Cancel culture represents a contemporary social phenomenon where controversial speech or behaviour deemed socially unacceptable results in public shaming and the withdrawal of support from individuals or organisations. The consequence is that the offender's influence and reputation are effectively "cancelled out." This cultural trend emerges from an inability of certain opinions to withstand thoughtful debate and scrutiny.

The Consequences of Hasty Judgement

This rapid and spiteful judgment in retaliation against what is considered offensive or even simply controversial can lead to smeared reputations and ruined careers, even when the person has broken no laws or engaged in any nasty behaviour. There is often little or no opportunity for the alleged offender to address the issue or receive forgiveness and restoration.

Connections to Other Cultural Phenomena

Cancel culture is closely associated with political correctness—the enforcement of certain words while banning others to minimize offense—and postmodernism, which asserts that all truth claims are subjective with tolerance promoted as a supreme value.

Cancel culture runs counter to Christian culture. As believers, we should not make irrational snap judgements and slander others based on biased information. Instead, we should be slow to speak, knowing we are accountable for what we say with words having the power of life and death (Prov 18:21; Mt 12:36; Jas 1:19). Our words should be gracious, saying about others what we would they say about us (Lk 6:31; Col 4:6).

Hold to your biblical convictions

The Bible warns against self-righteous judging and fault-finding, suggesting a better approach of making allowances for each other's faults and extending forgiveness and reconciliation (Mt 7:1; 2 Cor 5:18; Col 3:13). Like Jesus, whose mission in life was to restore relationship between a holy God and lost sinful humanity, we should be known for our gracious loving interaction and speaking the truth in love (Lk 4:22; Eph 4:15; 1 Tim 6:11).

Yet, the words of Jesus were truthful and confronting, "Repent otherwise you will perish" (Mt 4:17; Lk 13:3). May we have wisdom and courage to also speak the truth of God, remembering we are to obey Him rather than submit to man if there is a conflict of directives (Act 5:29).

Reflection and Application:

Consider how quickly we judge others without seeking understanding or context before forming opinions
Reflect on whether our words build up or tear down others, especially in moments of disagreement
Examine how we can extend grace and forgiveness while still standing for biblical truth
Evaluate whether we are more concerned with pleasing people or obeying God when conflicts arise