“Within the turbulent past few years, the idea that a person can be
[“canceled”] — in other words, culturally blocked from having a prominent
public platform or career — has become a polarizing topic of debate. The rise
of “cancel culture” and the idea of canceling someone coincides with a
familiar pattern: A celebrity or other public figure does or says something
offensive. A public backlash, often fueled by politically progressive social media,
ensues.
They call it cancel culture . . . but is it?
