I have been interested in cancel culture for a while now, so I was so excited to see a popular culture and politics based account making a case for cancel culture. The Case for Cancel Culture: How This Democratic Tool Works to Liberate Us All by Ernest Owens was everything I wanted. And I’m so disappointed in Justin Timberlake all over again.
The Case for Cancel Culture takes us through history to show us how cancel culture has been around since the inception of America and has been used on all sides of the political spectrum. This book serves as justification of the ways in which those in society with less power hold those in power accountable, as well as a warning if those in power (or those who seek to disenfranchise others) weaponize our tools for progress against us. Cancel culture is not the same as bullying.
The voice of this queer Black man steeped in popular culture and historical knowledge gives us a fresh perspective on the topic that centralized the marginalized. He is able to see different perspectives, as well as give credit to iconic Black cultural moments responsible for influencing a movement. With the mix of historical context and relevant pop cultural examples, this is a book that can appeal to a wide range of audiences.
I really enjoyed the audiobook (narration from the author is always the best), but I wish I had a physical copy to write a bunch of notes in the margins and highlight a bunch of passages. This book has become a part of my Activism 101 collection.
I would definitely recommend this book to activists and anyone who is unclear about the important use of cancel culture in our society. The Case for Cancel Culture is such a phenomenal read!
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