Senior Reporter Ja’Nyah Villa is a two-year member of the Wildcat Chronicle who frequently writes opinion pieces. The views expressed in this piece are her own.

Freedom of speech is getting restricted more and more every day. The everyman is condemned for “bad” behavior by nosy-nobodies who think they’re educated on world topics (they’re not). Cancel Culture is ruining our society by not allowing people to freely express their opinions without the judgment and hostility of others.

Cancel Culture is a term used to describe the idea of shunning, snubbing, or excluding a person for having spoken or acted in an offensive and distasteful way. This idea began sometime in the 21st century and was originally a way to call out bad behavior and bigotry. Canceling celebrities and influencers began to cause people to acknowledge the entitlement to fame; calling out ignorance and narrow-mindedness should be good, but lately, it seems to cause more problems. Instead of attesting to behavior that is harmful to people, society (especially people on the internet) has normalized dogmatism and condemned others simply for expressing an opinion that differs from the majority. 

People seem to believe that their own opinions are fact and that everyone should agree; If they don’t, they’ll be ambushed with hate speech and cancelation. There’s a big difference between being a problematic person and having a controversial opinion, which is a fact that many have forgotten. 

Mikayla Nogueria is a beauty influencer who was part of a controversy regarding her makeup product review. The video showcases her trying the Telescopic mascara, and the “after” is a clip in which she seems to be wearing false eyelashes/faking the effectiveness of the product. It was a bad choice on her end, and because of that, her audience decided she was a liar and was attempting to make a quick buck through sponsorship rather than promote products that work. Whether or not it’s true, Nogueria shouldn’t have been shunned by the public.

Another unfair example of cancellation was when Colleen Hoover was berated for attempting to release a coloring book based on a novel she had written about domestic violence. She was later found to be part of other—more serious—controversies that kept her canceled, but the original reason was mostly due to her audience’s unhappiness with her way of bringing awareness; to be fair, romanticizing domestic violence was not the way to go. 

Influencers and celebrities being canceled left and right has become one of the most obnoxious aspects of the internet. Cancel culture spreads hate, unjust condemnation, and negativity. Not only that, but the guilt that resonates with the people who agree with the opinions of the canceled can have effects on mental health such as paranoia and depression. Innocent people with seemingly controversial opinions are guilted, downplayed, and criticized by strangers. In addition, this does not only affect users but also the lives of the “canceled.” Public support is repealed, and opportunities are rescinded. 

 It’s common knowledge that a digital footprint sticks, and many employers consider it when hiring a new staff member. If an unfair cancelation taints their social media, it could make finding a job more difficult than it already is in our competitive society. This may cause them to lose their source of income, and their reputation plays a role in whether or not they get hired for certain positions. Even disliked people need to make a living, and it’s not fair to strip that away from a stranger for having a different point of view.

The internet–and the world–would be a much better place if everyone just minded their own business and ignored posts that ruffled their feathers.