Cancel culture needs to be canceled.
If you speak on social media, you better choose your words carefully. Big name companies have no problem with removing you from their app or making your content hidden. Freedom of speech does not mean you are free from consequences, but it seems like the consequences today are too severe.
I’m not saying we shouldn’t hold people accountable, but we should help others learn from their mistakes rather than shutting them out and ruining their reputation.
People make mistakes, it’s part of human nature. Expecting perfection is not a reasonable goal. It’s not about the mistakes you make but about how you respond and move forward with your new understanding on the topic. To build a brighter future with people that care about their community and are understanding of the circumstances around them, we need to help teach people and be more lenient when someone makes a mistake, no matter how insensitive it may seem.
We can learn a thing or two from the professional sports leagues here in the United States. When a player does something that goes against their standards as a league, they will fine the player, maybe sit him from a couple of games, and give him lessons on what they did and how it has a negative impact on someone. Helping someone with their problem and offering a solution is how we need to react to situations like this.
How do we expect people to be better when we define them with one action? Cancel culture needs to end, and a more understanding, helpful culture needs to step up and take its place.
Michael Nielsen, Salt Lake City
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