In today’s society, there are struggles and hurdles that humans have to go through everyday. These problems cause people to alter themselves, change their demeanors, or even take things too far to be like celebrities and famous influencers. What is one of these problems that is tearing this world apart, a problem that is affecting people all over the world in several different communities? Cancel culture or the act of canceling is one of the problems that humans are being faced with. Whether a person is watching behind the screen or making the comment, many have seen, experienced, or even canceled one of their fellow humans. It has taken a toll on a variety of communities to feel the impression of perfectionism in negative ways. We see these influencers online and it’s hard to resist the temptation of being like these people. There are three smaller issues that are contributing to the problem of cancel culture: social media, society, and disrespect. These three subproblems are only feeding into the bigger problem of cancel culture. We have to be optimistic with the problem of cancel culture. Eventually, a solution to this epidemical problem will be found.

    Social media is one of the small issues that play a big role in cancel culture. Many people use social media platforms everyday, multiple times a day. They scroll and tap their screen until they get tired or bored of it. Some of the ways that people use social media are to communicate with family and friends who may live far away, post pictures and videos of what’s going on in their lives, and to see what their favorite celebrities and influencers are doing. Social media is also the place where the act of canceling occurs. The behavior of disrespect and bullying is only the start of the problem. Things that are posted on social media get reposted, liked, commented on, and shared in just milliseconds. These hate comments are also included! Some examples of hate comments may be saying that someone’s shoes are raggedy, or making fun of how old their car is.The act of canceling on social media deeply affects people’s emotions and feelings. The victims of canceling may feel upset, mad, and even become depressed because of the influence of wanting to be like popular influencers and celebrities.

    Another factor of cancel culture is today’s society. What is society and what does it have to do with cancel culture? According to Merriam Webster Dictionary, a society is a community, nation, or broad grouping of people having common traditions, institutions, and collective activities and interests. Society has a big part of cancel culture. We are a part of society and several different societies. They create all of these trends, rules, and standards that only apply to them. The people who are the face of society start trends and expect others to become followers and listen to them. Some people are disobedient to these trends, or they simply can’t afford to live a lifestyle like influencers. This judgemental manner makes it hard for people to feel included and accepted. Some people feel the need to fit in and they try their best to follow all of these trends, but someone with the upper hand in society will always try to bring them down and make them feel bad about themselves. Society impacts cancel culture and these people can hurt their fellow humans with their words. 

    What is the root of cancel culture? Even though our society and social media have a big effect on cancel culture, disrespect is the main start and cause of this problem. This is because the people at the forefront of society tend to make every person in society feel like they are excluded or wrong for being different or having differences. These people judge them because they might not have the shiniest shoes, the coolest new hairstyles, the most expensive purses, or the flashiest clothes. The people that are deeply affected by cancel culture may try to change themselves or their attitudes to be like the people of society. Cancel culture is the epidemic of hate and bullying that has been taken to an extreme level. Canceling has hurt so many people because they were verbally harassed and made fun of. It has taken a toll on many people and their families. Disrespect has to cease in order for the bigger problem of cancel culture to end.

    There is pressure to be like other people. The impression to be like these celebrities and influencers takes over the bodies, minds, and souls of the people. The perfectionism mindset starts to take over us and we lose sight of who we really are. Once a person scrolls for hours and sees how an influencer acts, they want to be just like them, good or bad. The act of disrespecting social media by society’s celebrities is called canceling. Social media and society will always be here, but disrespect can be eliminated. All of these problems need some kind of solution. One solution is that we, the people behind the screens, become more accepting and human! We need to keep an open mind and try to accept all despite their differences. If society could curate a trend or something to show social media that it is okay to be imperfect. Social media has set standards and the bar of acceptance is high. When some try to reach the bar and aren’t able, disrespect and bullying start to happen. It would most definitely take an army to start this kind of movement that can impact everyone positively, but for many people, it takes to get this done, it will be worth it. All it takes is an inspirational message of humanism or a video of an influencer showing their flaws. Within the time of it being posted, millions of likes, comments, reposts, and shares will flood the internet. If these amazing kinds of efforts are taken to better our society, then cancel culture might be able to outgrow itself.