Op-Ed: What the Chris Brown Situation Has Taught Us About Cancel Culture (2024)
SJohnson
·4 min read
Chris Brown has had enough of being “cancel culture’s” favorite target because of his past mistakes. Everyone remembers the domestic incident that occurred between Brown and his ex-girlfriend Rihanna, but will he ever be able to move beyond that dark shadow?
The R&B sensation began trending on Twitter after Chloe Bailey announced their collaboration for their new single “How Does It Feel,” and of course, everyone had to share their opinions on her decision to work with him. Kiely Williams of 3LW voiced her opinion which sparked Brown’s unfiltered Instagram rant tweeting:
Let him come out with his own record—so genius, so captivating that it makes us all forget HE BEATS WOMEN. He can’t so he wont. So what does he do?
He slowly creeps back into the mainstream by getting small nods for features on Black Women’s merit. Black women who are more… https://t.co/EsJAHsKSNx
Although Chris Brown is currently on tour overseas he decided to address this ongoing issue on his Instagram story.
“If y’all still hate me for a mistake I made as a 17-year-old, please kiss my whole entire a**. I’m f*cking 33. I’m so tired of y’all running with this narrative.” Brown wrote. “You weird a** n*ggas are the same ones that tune in every week to see Blueface and Chrisean beat the f**k out each other in front of the world. But that’s ok? It’s entertainment?”
Chris Brown’s Instagram Story
As a human being, it is not hard to understand his frustration. To be ridiculed for your past mistakes while others openly receive praise and success for doing the same things. This is where the major discrepancy with cancel culture occurs. Everyone isn’t privy to the same rules and outcomes of being “canceled” which makes it quite ineffective. Chris Brown spoke about this in his rant as well.
“Where are the cancel culture with these white artists that date underage women, beat the f**k out their wives, giving b*tches AIDS?” Brown went on. “Oh, that’s right. They are your buddies. No more fake love from me. Stay out my way or get ran over. Simple as that. None of you, and I mean none of you n*ggas, can f**k wit me.”
Chris Brown’s Instagram Story
Although his delivery wasn’t the best, there is much truth to this statement. Countless public figures have engaged in wrongdoing, including domestic violence, and yet we continue to support their art without hesitation. Why is that?
After the assault case with Rihanna in 2009, Chris Brown undoubtedly suffered the strongest type of cancellation possible. Being expelled from various countries and mocked throughout all forms of media. Even though social media hadn’t yet reached the heights of popularity that would soon appear. Making it almost impossible for him to reach the heights that we know his talents deserve to see.
In his Netflix documentary, “Welcome to My Life,” he was very transparent about the incident. He also was not too proud to take full accountability for his actions. This speaks volumes about his understanding of the damage done and his growth as a man.
Despite the backlash and negative energy Chris Brown has received since the incident occurred, he continues to push forward and make music for the fans who have forgiven him. Despite the negativity, we can all learn something about forgiveness and persistence from Brown’s cancel culture experience.
Apparently, the idea of cancel culture is one that doesn’t actually function all that well. Certainly, there are millions of individuals who will criticize a celebrity online, but how much of that is fake, and are there enough people who care? Although we may deplatform, it then becomes a slippery slope as to who deserves to suffer that fate, and it is obvious that no one will ever agree across the board.
This is a true story of persistence, determination, and passion for his craft. After facing several disappointing moments that could have caused him to throw in the towel with music, he keeps on going! From the AMA’s canceling his Michael Jackson tribute for unknown reasons to not being invited to or nominated for any awards for over 10 years. Chris Brown shows us that he will not stop no matter how long the odds may be against him.
There are still many die-hard fans and fellow artists who continue to genuinely support him to the fullest, but we can all see that his career will forever be severely affected. In 2020, Rihanna revealed that she’d forgiven Chris and if she can forgive him then why can’t we? We can all take a page from his book when we face opposition, rejection, and backlash for our past mistakes or just trying to live out our wildest dreams. No one should be punished forever for a dark season in life because we all experience them. Those seasons shouldn’t define who we are but instead, mold us into who we need to become.
Cancel culture is a cultural phenomenon in which an individual thought to have acted or spoken in an unacceptable manner is ostracized, boycotted, shunned, fired or assaulted, often aided by social media.
Other examples include Woody Allen, Louis C.K. and Kevin Spacey – who at various times were “cancelled” by various groups over abuse allegations. And Pepsi was cancelled after their ad featuring Kendall Jenner was condemned for appropriating a Black Lives Matter protest.
Cancel culture can take a toll on students' emotional and psychological well-being. The fear of being targeted or ostracized for expressing opinions or making mistakes can lead to heightened anxiety, stress, and even depression.
The experience of being 'canceled' can have significant mental health repercussions. Individuals who find themselves at the center of a cancel culture storm often report feelings of anxiety, depression, and a sense of social isolation.
It has given a voice to marginalised groups and has helped to promote greater representation and equality. However, on the negative side, cancel culture can stifle free speech and limit diversity of thought, and can sometimes be used in a harmful or unfair way.
Cancel culture can help bring about social change and give a voice to the less powerful. However, cancel culture can lead to online bullying or threats. It can also keep people from speaking their mind on issues or voicing their opinion for fear of retribution.
noun. the phenomenon or practice of publicly rejecting, boycotting, or ending support for particular people or groups because of their socially or morally unacceptable views or actions: Cancel culture can ruin careers, but it can also make a public figure think twice before posting controversial comments.
She likens cancel culture to protest and boycott of people and groups, rather than businesses, and describes cancel culture as a way to empower those whose voices are marginalized; “it's a collective way of saying, 'We elevated your social status, your economic prowess, [and] we are not going to pay attention to you in ...
The canceled experience is often perceived as a case of public shaming (Zhang & Laiu, 2020) and can result in multiple psychological effects ranging from embarrassment to losing face and may even cause a life crisis for targets (Maran et al., 2019).
Cancel culture, at its core, is seen as a tool for holding powerful people accountable. Celebrities like convicted sexual predator R. Kelly and convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein appear to be canceled for life, but that is mostly because they've faced the consequences of the justice system.
They become overwhelmed with anxiety that people will turn on them if they fully express themselves. This can cause them to keep their thoughts bottled up instead of talking about and working through their opinions and emotions.
According to the news site Vox, the first reference of canceling a person in pop culture possibly comes from the 1991 movie New Jack City, when Wesley Snipes' character, Nino Brown, says, “Cancel that [woman]. I'll buy another one,” referencing his girlfriend's disapproval of his violent ways.
Many people diagnosed with OCD have a fear of being “canceled,” or publicly ostracized for negative behavior. They fear that something they have said or done will be made public or come back from the past to “haunt” them. Today many people feel social pressure and responsibility more than ever before.
For those of you who aren't aware, cancel culture refers to the mass withdrawal of support from public figures or celebrities who have done things that aren't socially accepted today.
[uncountable] (disapproving) the practice of excluding somebody from social or professional life by refusing to communicate with them online or in real life, because they have said or done something that other people do not agree with. Cancel culture punishes people who break the rules by saying the wrong thing.
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