A chef in Washington DC has built a large social media following by publicly shaming individuals for racist or prejudiced behaviour. Pavel Paulinich, originally from Peru, created the Instagram account Karens Going Wild, which now has over 700,000 followers. The account posts videos and images of people behaving in bigoted ways, aiming to ensure these incidents gain public attention and result in the subjects being 'cancelled'.
Mr Paulinich says the goal is to create consequences for those who have used their power irresponsibly, whether that power comes from money, influence, race or gender. 'These times of doing whatever you want without consequences are over,' he states. For those on the receiving end, being cancelled can mean loss of reputation and income that is hard to recover from.
Critics argue that cancel culture amounts to an angry mob deciding someone's fate, stifling free speech. Denise Graziano, chief executive of Graziano Associates, says businesses should prepare for such storms by setting policies in advance. Meanwhile, Kimberly Foster of For Harreit notes that cancel culture can affect everyone from the wealthy and privileged to ordinary people losing their jobs for minor infractions.
Former US President Barack Obama warned in 2019 that being overly judgmental is not activism. Over 100 writers and academics, including J.K. Rowling and Noam Chomsky, signed a letter in Harper's magazine arguing that cancel culture has created an intolerant climate and weakened open debate. The letter was criticised by those who believe cancel culture gives a voice to the less privileged.
For ordinary individuals targeted by cancel culture, options for making amends are limited, making the financial consequences more severe. As Mr Paulinich's account demonstrates, the drive to hold people accountable can come at a significant cost to those deemed to have crossed a line.
