Is Cancel Culture Effective or Excessive?

In today's connected world, cancel culture has become a global trend. Public figures like Kanye West and J.K. Rowling, as well as big companies like H&M in China, have faced public backlash, showing how social pressure can spread quickly across borders. Cancel culture usually means when people, often online, call out or boycott someone or something for doing or saying something considered wrong or offensive. Many people see it as a way to hold others accountable, but others think it can go too far. This trend is closely linked to the spread of global values and ethics through culture. As people around the world start to share similar moral standards, these ideas influence how we judge actions no matter where they happen. But when this leads to conflicts with freedom of speech or cultural differences, it raises important questions. Cancel culture reflects how global values are shared, but its role as a form of global social control is still being debated.

A. Cancel Culture as an Effect of Cultural Globalization

The spread of global culture has helped certain moral values like liberal thinking, human rights, and gender equality become more widely accepted around the world. These values don't just stay within one country anymore; they travel fast, mostly through social media and online platforms. Social media especially gives people the space to respond to issues happening in other parts of the world almost instantly. A strong example of this was what happened after George Floyd's death in the U.S. The Black Lives Matter protests quickly gained international support, and people in many countries joined in, both online and offline. Along with that, some public figures and companies were "canceled" not just in America, but globally, for being seen as racist or not supporting the movement. This shows that cancel culture has become part of a larger, worldwide conversation shaped by shared values and global awareness.

B. Global Ethics vs Cultural Sovereignty

Even though cancel culture is often based on shared global values, it doesn't always fit with local beliefs or cultural traditions. What might be seen as offensive or inappropriate in the West isn't necessarily viewed the same way in other regions. For instance, there have been cases where certain brands were boycotted in Western countries for being racially insensitive, yet those same brands still operate normally in countries across Asia or the Middle East. This kind of situation shows that the global spread of moral standards often influenced by Western ideas can sometimes conflict with the values of different cultures. In international relations, this can be understood through theories like Huntington's "clash of civilizations," which explains how cultural differences can lead to tension. It also brings up important questions: Should international moral norms apply everywhere? Or should each society have the freedom to decide what's right or wrong based on their own culture? Cancel culture brings these questions to light, especially when people or institutions face pressure from global audiences that may not fully understand the local context.

C. How Effective Is Cancel Culture, Really?

People are still arguing about whether cancel culture actually leads to meaningful change or if it's more of a way for people to show they're taking a stand without much real impact. Sometimes it seems like the people or companies being "canceled" just apologize and move on, while the bigger issues stay the same. It also raises the question of who decides what's considered right or wrong on a global level. A lot of the time, the loudest opinions online come from the West, which can make it feel like certain cultural views are being forced onto everyone else. This can create problems, like people forming "sides" and attacking others without understanding the full story. Instead of encouraging discussion, it sometimes turns into a kind of group attack that leaves no space for learning or growth. There are also serious emotional effects for those being targeted, and in some cases, voices that don't match the mainstream get silenced. In international affairs, this creates a tricky balance between global civil groups pushing for justice and governments trying to protect their own values or control the conversation. All of this shows that cancel culture isn't a simple fix it brings up big questions about power, fairness, and who really gets to speak for the world.

Cancel culture is a complex phenomenon tied to the spread of global values through cultural globalization. Although it is frequently used to hold individuals or groups accountable, its ability to bring about real, lasting change is still uncertain. Since cancel culture functions on a global level, it often conflicts with local customs and raises questions about who has the authority to define right and wrong. The dominance of Western perspectives in online discussions can also lead to misunderstandings and unfair judgments in different societies. There are risks involved as well, such as group mentality, suppression of dissenting opinions, and emotional harm to those targeted. Cancel culture represents a new shift in international relations, where non-governmental actors and transnational norms increasingly influence judgments about ethical behavior beyond borders. Still, finding a balance between moral responsibility and respecting cultural differences is a significant challenge. Overall, cancel culture highlights the ongoing tension between universal values and cultural autonomy, sparking important conversations about power, justice, and freedom of expression in our interconnected world.