The Real problem with cancel culture

[DGuller]

I think the solution is to fear cancel culture more than to fear wrongthink.  Companies should be boycotted for having spineless managers wrongfully terminate employees, not for employing wrongthinking employees.  I don't know how that can be achieved except through mass enlightenment. 

Fundamentally I think what's behind the cancel culture is the desire for some people to be bullies, and the need to find socially-acceptable targets for bullying.  Sex offenders used to be the favorite punching bag, but Twitter expanded the list of acceptable bullying victims.  If we recognize the cancel culture for that it really is, then maybe that would be the first step towards dismantling it.

[Sheilbh]

Out of interest just because I've always had boycotts on the run (some I've inherited for obscure reasons), do you guys never boycott companies?

[Tonitrus]

I've been trying to boycott Zoom (because of their recent handling of the Tiananmen protestor meetings)...but official requirements for its use keep popping up. 

[The Brain]

Out of interest just because I've always had boycotts on the run (some I've inherited for obscure reasons), do you guys never boycott companies?

I have been boycotting Burger King for years. If I'm in a group and the group decides to go to BK I will come along (I don't remember if this has ever happened though), but I never go there on my own initiative.

[Barrister]

Out of interest just because I've always had boycotts on the run (some I've inherited for obscure reasons), do you guys never boycott companies?

I boycott Petro-Canada wherever I can because I thought it was stupid for Canada to have a state-owned oil company.  Even though it was partially privatized by 1991, the government still owed a 19% stake, which I still thought it was ridiculous.

Mind you the government sold off the last of its Petro-Canada in 2004 and I still avoid the company as best I can.

[Berkut]

Fundamentally I think what's behind the cancel culture is the desire for some people to be bullies, and the need to find socially-acceptable targets for bullying.  Sex offenders used to be the favorite punching bag, but Twitter expanded the list of acceptable bullying victims.  If we recognize the cancel culture for that it really is, then maybe that would be the first step towards dismantling it.

I think this is exactly right.

The problem is that well meaning progressives defend the assholes because they happen to be politically aligned, and their targets are usually targets they don't like.

But the *goal* of the mob is to satiate the mob, not achieve anything.

It's like bitching about how looters are screwing up BLM protests. "Don't they know how that looks for their cause!".

The cause of looters is looting. They could not give a shit about the cause.

[Razgovory]

Out of interest just because I've always had boycotts on the run (some I've inherited for obscure reasons), do you guys never boycott companies?

Boycott Chick-fil-a.  Anti-gay stuff.

[Zoupa]

Out of interest just because I've always had boycotts on the run (some I've inherited for obscure reasons), do you guys never boycott companies?

I boycott A LOT.

[Grey Fox]

Out of interest just because I've always had boycotts on the run (some I've inherited for obscure reasons), do you guys never boycott companies?

I avoid has much as I can the former state-owned companies. Bell, Petro-Canada, Air Canada are the main 3.

[Eddie Teach]

Out of interest just because I've always had boycotts on the run (some I've inherited for obscure reasons), do you guys never boycott companies?

Boycott Chick-fil-a.  Anti-gay stuff.

Me too, but only on Sunday.   

[The Minsky Moment]

  Companies should be boycotted for having spineless managers wrongfully terminate employees, not for employing wrongthinking employees. 

That's not really practical though since most food and necessary consumer goods are made by companies.

[Oexmelin]

I avoid has much as I can the former state-owned companies. Bell, Petro-Canada, Air Canada are the main 3.

Bell was never state-owned, afaik.

[Admiral Yi]

I boycott any show or movie with Keifer Sutherland or Charlie Sheen in it.

Exception for Lost Boys.

[11B4V]

I boycott places for poor service.

[Eddie Teach]

I boycott any show or movie with Keifer Sutherland or Charlie Sheen in it.

Exception for Lost Boys.

Emo vampires good, greedy stockbrokers bad?