Never Apologize to the Mob
What once was the start of healthy debate is now just as often a catalyst for personal and professional destruction. “The mob” is out to cancel anyone who crosses it. Paris Dennard describes the problem and offers a solution.
Niel Golightly was ‘canceled’ for writing an article about ___________________.
defunding the militarywhy he objected to women in combatthe militarization of policewhy he objected to women in the highest leadership roles in the militaryWhat is the purpose of ‘cancel culture’ cancellation?
to bring all conversation to an endto strike fear in the public so that no one else dares to speak upto destroy the career and reputation of anyone who differs from a Leftist positionall of the aboveWhy is ‘cancel culture’ such a potent weapon of the Left?
because the Alt-Right supports itbecause so many people are such easy targetsbecause they are the only group to use itbecause people and big businesses are terrified of losing their incomes‘Cancel culture’ is a free speech issue that should unite Liberals and Conservatives against the Left.
TrueFalseThe very soul of our republic depends on _______________________________.
supporting social media platforms like Twitterembracing ‘accountability culture’an open exchange of ideasvoting out Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
- Cancel culture threatens constitutionally enshrined freedom of speech and the open exchange of ideas.
The concept of "cancel culture" became a part of the national conversation around 2017. As a report on the origins of cancel culture explains, the term was initially connected to the #MeToo movement, “which coincided with the rise of the term's popularity online.”
View sourceA New York Times piece on the rise of cancel culture defines the action as a “cultural boycott” of famous figures, brands, companies or even concepts.
View sourceAlong with celebrities who violate the dictates of the cancel mob, everyday people are also frequently “cancelled” from their jobs — for everything ranging from past social media posts to support for the wrong political candidates or causes. As a result of this anti-free speech trend, the life’s work of an increasing number of people have ended abruptly.
View sourceSome people refuse to accept that cancel culture exists. Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY) famously mocked those who fear its growing influence, stating, "Odds are you're not actually cancelled. You're just being challenged, held accountable, or unliked."
View sourceRelated reading: “10 Theses About Cancel Culture” – Ross Douthat, New York Times
View source- As high-profile cases have shown again and again, apologizing to the “cancel” mob never works.
Niel Golightly had a long and distinguished career as an executive at Boeing but was targeted by the cancel mob for an article he wrote 30 years earlier in which he objected to women taking part in military combat. An employee at Boeing found it sexist, an online pressure campaign began, and Golightly quickly issued an apology. The apology did him no good; he was forced to resign anyhow.
View sourceGary Garrels had a lengthy, distinguished career as a curator at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. However, he was targeted by the outrage crowd for concluding a presentation about purchasing art from more racially diverse artists by saying that he would continue to buy art from white artists. He apologized for his alleged “insensitivity” but ultimately was forced to resign.
View sourceJames Bennett had a long career as an editor at The New York Times but made the mistake of publishing an opinion piece by Republican Senator Tom Cotton arguing that if the Black Lives Matter inspired riots continued to overwhelm local police, the federal government should send in the National Guard to restore order. Despite his profuse apologies, Bennett was forced to resign.
View sourceIn her blistering resignation letter, columnist Bari Weiss slammed her former employer for following the dictates of the cancel mob, writing, "Twitter is not on the masthead of The New York Times. But Twitter has become its ultimate editor."
View source- Cancel culture will collapse if more people refuse to apologize for exercising the constitutional right of free expression.
The key to ending cancel culture is more people, businesses and institutions refusing to bend the knee to the outrage mob. The more that people apologize for exercising constitutional rights, the more emboldened those who want to curb free speech become.
View source“The pressure to apologize in an effort to appease one’s tormentors can be tremendous, but do not give into the pressure. If you feel you did no wrong, do not apologize,” Princeton University classics Professor Joshua Katz advises. “I have watched people abase themselves before the mob in an effort to receive mercy for what should at most be a misdemeanor and be mocked for it—for there is no redemption in the new woke religion.”
View sourceSpeaking of the anti-free speech strategies of left-wing activists, Cornell law Professor William Jacobson, who was personally targeted by the cancel mob, said, “This is a power play… What we’re seeing going on, on campuses and in the culture, more broadly, is an exercise of power to prevent open debate of ideas.”
View sourceWhile holding people accountable is good and necessary, cancellation is not actually about accountability—it’s about making people afraid to speak up. As social critic Douglas Murray put it, “The bullies want to stop the rest of us talking or thinking.”
View source
Niel Golightly had a long and distinguished career as an executive at Boeing.
Until he didn't.
Gary Garrels had a long and distinguished career as a curator of painting and sculpture at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
Until he didn't.
James Bennett had a long and distinguished career as an editor at the New York Times.
Until he didn't.
All three were cancelled, their careers, their life's work ended in a virtual instant.
Golightly wrote an article thirty years ago, objecting to women taking part in military combat. It was published in Proceedings, the magazine of the U.S. Naval Institute which is about as far from the popular press as you can get. Somehow it came to the attention of an employee at Boeing who found it sexist. The social media mob got riled up. Golightly apologized, of course. His views had changed in the intervening decades. But it didn't matter. He was forced to resign.
Garrels concluded a presentation about purchasing art from more racially diverse artists by saying that he would still continue to buy art from white artists. This outraged the staff at the museum who found his remarks smacking of white supremacy. Garrels apologized, of course. He should have been more sensitive to his colleagues' feelings, he said. But it didn't matter. He was forced to resign.
Bennett published an opinion piece by Republican Senator Tom Cotton, arguing that if the Black Lives Matter inspired riots continued to overwhelm local police, the federal government should send in the National Guard to restore order.
New York Times staff claimed that Cotton's words were threatening. They personally felt endangered by them. They demanded Bennett's head. Bennett apologized, of course. He just thought the Times readers should be exposed to a different point of view. But it didn't matter. He was forced to resign.
Former Times columnist Bari Weiss perfectly described the situation in her resignation letter shortly after Bennet's banishment.
"Twitter is not on the masthead of The New York Times. But Twitter has become its ultimate editor."
This is the "cancel culture" that now pervades America. Yet, people on the left, the very people responsible for it, claim it doesn't exist. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez mocks those who fear its growing influence: "Odds are you're not actually cancelled," she tweeted. "You're just being challenged, held accountable, or unliked."
The representative's claim that this is merely "accountability culture" is common on the Left.
Don't believe it.
"Accountability" means "a duty to explain." Accountability involves confronting a person with their actions in a way that allows them to explain themselves or ask for forgiveness—and otherwise continue the dialogue.
The purpose of cancellation is very different. It seeks to bring all conversation to an end—to strike fear in the public so that no one else dares to speak up.
That is cancellation—and it extends far beyond criticism. Cancellation involves social media mobs engaged in public shaming and the creation of blacklists. It seeks the destruction of the career and reputation of anyone who differs with a leftist position.
“The bullies,” says social critic Douglas Murray, “want to stop the rest of us talking or thinking.”
Virtually no one is immune. Not Kevin Hart, not JK Rowling, not Woodrow Wilson, not Drew Brees.
Not the famous or the unknown; not the living or the dead.
So many have been burned at the social media stake, one has to wonder if the mob is going to run out of victims.
But this fire will not burn itself out. We have to stop it.
How?
First, if you ever find yourself in the cancel culture crosshairs, don't apologize to the mob. Apologize when you've done something wrong, not when you've exercised a Constitutional right. And furthermore, your apology won't save you. It merely hands the bullies another victory. Stand firm. The storm will pass. The mob always moves on.
Second, find allies among reasonable people — not necessarily people who vote the way you do or agree with you on every issue — just people who still believe in free speech and are committed to open dialogue.
Third, the rest of us must only support institutions and businesses that value free expression. Money talks (which is why cancel culture is such a potent weapon: people and even big businesses are terrified of losing their incomes).
Finally, defend targets of the mob, wherever they fall on the political spectrum. This is a free speech issue. It should unite liberals and conservatives against the left.
The very soul of our republic depends on an open exchange of ideas. We must take on and defeat a cancel culture that would hold a free people hostage in their own society.
I'm Paris Dennard for Prager University.
Stay up to date on our latest releases
PragerU is changing the minds of millions worldwide. Help us keep our videos FREE!
Help support our mission
To make a donation over the phone, call (833) PragerU
At $35 or more you’ll be a PragerUnited Member
- Free merch every quarter
- Insider updates
- Free Annual Membership Sticker
Prager University is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Tax ID: 27-1763901. Your contribution is fully tax-deductible in the USA.