Why Cancel Culture Is One Of The Worst Strategies Ever

May 21, 2002
If it isn’t apparent to everyone by now, I think it’s time to say it in writing for everyone to understand and enjoy: the use of “Cancel Culture” isn’t accomplishing its stated goal by a long shot. The stated goal of “Cancel Culture” in reality is a social / ideological strategy designed they say to bring change in those we disagree with. But the nature of the change in most of the intended victims is to force the victim toward agreeing with the breakup, not to be intimidated by the threat.

It’s sole successful time was that interval where it hit those adhering to Conservative ideology by surprise. That time is over. I was indeed taken by surprise when my son in law and daughter both denounced me loudly in public after our traditional Christmas dinner a few years ago. Since then they have blocked me from calling either of them as well (of course) as blocking my emails. Because I had always liked my son in law and even told my daughter, “You picked a winner” their combined rebuff shocked, puzzled and hurt me deeply.

Time heals all wounds it is said. That has been true for me. But it’s not just the passage of time that’s completely healed over my grief. I am totally okay with any adult who makes a fool of themselves. And using this strategy really does make fools of the practitioners. Because it forces one to use that time for deeper thought and greater understanding.

Being puzzled at the sudden rejection is what led me to prolonged thinking, “why did they do this?” Then I remembered the hostile remark my son in law had made to me before we even got to the restaurant. He just started telling me how disgusted he was with me because… I worked as a volunteer for the National Rifle Association. So his hatred for that organization revealed his motive but the “cancelling” didn’t happen until after we had shared a Christmas dinner. Odd, I thought, and still think it’s odd that this baseless hatred could even be held by a rational person. But then I remembered the many times Hillary Clinton has expressed her hatred of the NRA. Not a coincidence, I realized.

Briefly diverting: The ending our relationship actually took a couple more seasonal visits back to where I live. They just began demanding that I not mention the NRA and eventually even politics in general. The final breaks (now a few years in the past) came when my daughter called to “offer” a last chance to see her (her husband had already make his complete break with me). It was on the condition (again) that I “not talk about politics.” I refused because I learned in high school American History and in Civics class that “talking politics” was essential to keeping our country running. Notice the difference between talking politics and conducting illegal violent riots at regular intervals. My daughter had already expressed her pride over participating in the latter.

Setting conditions: it’s the height of irony that my daughter once wrote me a poem which includes the last line: “Thank you for showing up for everything, for cheering me on, for being proud of me, but above all, for letting me know I was always and unconditionally loved. Happy Fathers Day”

Briefly diverting again: “Hate speech” turns out to mean one thing to Democrats and quite another to Republicans. For Democrats it’s a catch all term used as an accusation for anyone speaking out against a given Democrat affiliate or member’s action. Being careful of the sovereignty of the United States (indispensable for every country on Earth including the bad ones) — suddenly becomes falsely connected with “nationalism” and “racism.” Obviously nationalism is any promotion of and loyalty to national sovereignty. So nationalism is patriotism which is a hallmark of conservatives. National borders are there (everywhere on Earth) to support continued sovereignty, the racial makeup of the illegal immigrants is purely circumstantial. It’s also obvious that those crossing our borders while evading standard admission procedures are in fact breaking the law.

My own favorite reason for enjoying this being cancelled is that I can now pursue things like completing my Bucket List without receiving judgement by my daughter and son in law. They have literally forced this advantage on me. Parenting is always at the expense of the parent, not the offspring. Which is why in Nature such lifelong relationships with offspring doesn’t even exist. Humans are the only practitioners (or is is perpetrators?). I no longer pay the cost of being the eternal “Dad.”

Thanks to being cancelled I am now enjoying learning another language (German). After high school I let my practice lapse and came to miss learning about the German people and their language. I’m getting a helluva kick out of resuming my study now that we have Internet learning to help. {Ich bin sehr glücklich.}

But finally there’s another reason why Cancel Culture doesn’t work: it’s a conditional threat to long standing blood relationships. When a son or daughter breaks off their long standing relationship with one of or both of their parents using false accusations it’s just another version of “I won’t love you anymore unless…” that’s the demand of a ten to thirteen yea-old. “I hate you!” is never taken seriously by any mother or father. It’s not going to change the dependency of the minor child. But when an adult child resorts to the methods of a minor child it’s a plain and simple regression from adulthood.

Family values only count when the values include reciprocity and honest love.

So who’s paying the greater cost, the cancelers or the canceled?