Does the Cancel Culture Really Exist?

Former NYT columnist, Bari Weiss - canceled for defending Israel

One of the things I have noticed when reading comments from the political left and the right is that term ‘cancel culture’ is used primarily by the right. The left never seems to have heard of it. Or they just don’t buy into it.

For the uninitiated, the term ‘cancel culture’ refers to a phenomenon where someone loses their job or is in some other way ostracized.  

If I understand correctly the term was first used in the context of the electronic media.  A television news oriented show was canceled because the  host used what is considered an offensive term on the air. When enough of that kind of thing happens it becomes a culture. The question is, why does the right use the term while the left never does?

I believe it’s because the left dominates the airwaves. So that if a comment uttered goes against the political orthodoxy of the left, they will fire that person deeming his comments to be offensive. 

This culture has expanded to other areas beyond the electronic media. As a former New York Times columnist soon found out. She expressed views about Israel that did not fit with the narrative of the left – which dominates their editorial staff in that paper. She was not fired, But she was hounded by her colleagues into resigning.  Which is another way of canceling her.

I never see anyone being canceled for expressing a view that is too far to the left. You cannot be left wing enough these days calling it freedom of speech. The left, actually believes that it has the moral high ground. To the left, the right is mostly a bunch of bigots and racists.  Nothing moral about them.

So for example when it comes to comments about the Israeli Palestinian conflict - the left see big bad Israel subjugating the poor little innocent Palestinians - who suffer needlessly because of the occupation.. How can they not see things that way?! It is so obvious to them.

Who ya gonna blame? The occupiers. Right? Of course!  What about context? They never heard of it. All they see is evil triumphing over good. So that even if they might admit there is more to the story, They will sooner support the right of a politician promote BDS than they would support BDS being boycotted because it is antisemitic. 

I get the feeling that the left does not believe there is such a thing as  ‘cancel culture’. people that lose their jobs for expressing an opinion that does not fit with the morality of the left deserve to lose them. They are being ‘canceled’  for good reason. 

That is just plain wrong. No one should be ‘canceled’ for being too pro Israel for example. People should not fear being fired for being too politically incorrect. 

Instead of never ever uttering the term other than in a pejorative way, I wish my friends on the left would acknowledge that cancel culture does exist. And that it isn't fair to cancel someone because their views don't fit the current politically liberal orthodoxy.