[Craic] Ongoing Craic discussion...BBC News: Cancel culture: Have any two words become more weaponised?

[John Dickie]

One might argue however that  when symbols are put in place as a form of intimidation to instil fear , or to underscore some mythological status it is time to step off.

 Bullshit is still bullshit and the less the better. Things don’t need to be cancelled but they need to be named and identified for what they are.    John

> On Feb 19, 2021, at 9:04 AM, Rob Anderson via craic <craic at lists.integralshift.ca> wrote:
> 
> Craicmeisters,
> 
> Adding to our ongoing discussion of the social media, you may be interested on these excerpts from BBC article. Link to the full article attached.
> 
> 
>  1. A US president is banned from social media. A long-time national science reporter resigns in disgrace after repeating a racial slur. A school district drops the names of famous Americans from its buildings. A congresswoman is punished for spreading conspiracy theories.
> Each one of these episodes has been cited as evidence of "cancel culture" - the idea that zealous activists, mostly on the left, are seeking to suppress disfavoured free expression by permanently shaming and ostracising individuals who have been deemed to transgressed.
> 
> 
> In reference to a dismissal of an official:
>  2. That prompted author Glenn Greenwald to lash out at what he saw as an "intent is irrelevant" standard <https://greenwald.substack.com/p/the-journalistic-tattletale-and-censorship> for off-limits words.
> "The overarching rule of liberal media circles and liberal politics is that you are free to accuse anyone who deviates from liberal orthodoxy of any kind of bigotry that casually crosses your mind," he wrote. "Just smear them as a racist, misogynist, homophobe, transphobe, etc without the slightest need for evidence — and it will be regarded as completely acceptable."
> 
> In reference to removal of the name of Lincoln and others from San Francisco schools:                                                                                                             3.  The possibility that judging past figures by the standards of the present is both untenable and ethically suspect did not, apparently, occur to the committee," he wrote. "Nor did the committee decide that the towering achievements of Lincoln or Washington or Jefferson might just outweigh their shortcomings."
> 
> 
> 
> 4. One of the warnings lobbed by those who rail against "cancel culture" is that it will eventually know no boundaries. The living and the dead will all be subject to judgement by the contemporary standards of the day - standards that can change according to political whim.
> 
> 
> 
> Free speech and accountability
> 
> 5. An open letter from 153 public figures published in Harper's Weekly last July <https://harpers.org/a-letter-on-justice-and-open-debate/>, at the height of the Black Lives Matters protests, warned of the "forces of illiberalness" whose "censorious" nature would threaten the free and open discussion of ideas.
> 
> "The restriction of debate, whether by a repressive government or an intolerant society, invariably hurts those who lack power and makes everyone less capable of democratic participation," signatories like JK Rowling, Malcolm Gladwell and Noam Chomsky write in the letter. "The way to defeat bad ideas is by exposure, argument, and persuasion, not by trying to silence or wish them away."
> 
> 
> 
> 6. At the centre of the debate over "cancel culture" is one of action and consequence. When do words merit punishment? And what form - and permanence - does that punishment take?
> 
> 
> Cancel culture: Have any two words become more weaponised?
>  <https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-55959135>
> What do a series of recent controversies tell us about the politics around "cancel culture"?
> Disclaimer: The BBC is not responsible for the content of this email, and anything written in this email does not necessarily reflect the BBC's views or opinions. Please note that neither the email address nor name of the sender have been verified.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad
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