Now more than ever, celebrities and influencers are being called out for past and present mistakes that are seen as hurtful. With this comes terms that we have all seen online: “cancelled and cancel culture.” As of recently, many people have begun to point out the toxicity of cancel culture, claiming that it does not give people the chance to grow from their mistakes. On the other hand, the opposing side argues that those who are caught doing or saying something offensive should be subject to scrutiny and deprived of their platform. So now the question is, how should accountability be taken in the media?
No matter which side you’re on, there is no argument that people should take responsibility for their actions. This applies no matter the size of your following. However, people of high influence are held at a higher standard than the average human being. This, of course, doesn’t mean that they or anyone else deserves hate to the level of death threats or anything of the sort. While it may be unfair that the public has an enormous amount of access into their private lives due to the amount of information out there, there is a greater responsibility that comes with having that kind of influence. As we know, with great power comes great responsibility. People with huge followings can make a big impact on the thoughts and actions of their fans, especially if they are younger. Therefore, their platforms should be used wisely, making sure that what they do isn’t harming anyone.
This has been recently exemplified by the scandals of the Bachelor Franchise, when host Chris Harrison essentially defended the racist actions of a current contestant. He did so by saying that her actions may not be considered okay in 2021, but they were in 2018 when they were committed. The action he was referring to was her attendance of an antebellum plantation- themed party during college. This, as well all know, should never be okay and should not be excused. Harrison’s defense of this hurtful action caused outrage among the fans of the show. As a franchise that has such a huge following, excusing something as harmful as racism is extremely hurtful to the BIPOC community. As a result of Harrison’s actions, many viewers along with past and current contestants spoke out and claimed that they will never stand by and excuse racism. Harrison issued an apology and stated he will be taking some time away from the franchise to reflect on his actions, learn more about being anti- racist, and grow from his ignorance.
We now live in a society where we’re not just watching something for the sake of entertainment. We know that movies, shows, and even influencers have such a big impact on their audiences. They are able to shape our worldview and opinions. Therefore, more and more people are starting to hold the media accountable for the kind of messages they share.
Additionally, just because something was considered okay a few years ago does not mean it was ever right. We are now privileged to have so much access to information, and with that comes more opportunities for us to educate ourselves on important topics.
As Oluo writes in her book So You Want to Talk About Race, “Your mistakes or your achievements will never on their own define you. But you can only do better if you are willing to look at your entire self.” So, although we should realize that we are all prone to making mistakes and we should be given the chance to learn from them, accountability must happen in order for changes to be made. Cancel culture’s toxicity is not an excuse for someone to avoid taking responsibility and facing the consequences of their actions.
With something as powerful as the media, accountability is crucial in ensuring that the messages it shares will not be harmful to already marginalized groups and society as a whole.
