Cancel culture: good? bad? ugly?

Over the past few weeks, after the news broke of SNL’s firing of Shane Gillis for making racist jokes against Chinese, I heard the term, cancel culture, more and more. I wasn’t sure what it was. When it comes to the massive world of social media, I’m somewhat of a novice. Yes, I’m on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram but I don’t follow of a lot of people or really pay attention to current trends. I decided to investigate and write about cancel culture. What I found was overwhelming and left me unsure of what my stance would be. So, my goal of this post is an examine of what cancel is and how people are using it, reacting to it and give my thoughts on whether it is necessary.

Cancel culture, as described by Wikipedia, is “a form of public shaming that aims to hold an individual and groups accountable by calling attention to behavior, usually on social media, that is perceived as problematic.” It is also referred to as call out culture or outrage culture. It is essentially a boycott of a person, usually a celebrity, when he or she has shared a questionable or unpopular opinion or has behaved in a manner that is perceived as offensive. The person is “canceled” when a large group of fans completely boycott the individual’s work causing loss of jobs, massive declines in the celebrity’s career and fanbase. For example, when Rosanne Barr made the racist comment about Valerie Jarrett, she lost her reboot show. This opinion, statement or behavior can be from the present; however, more and more celebrities are being canceled for things said and done in the distant past. Kevin Hart was canceled earlier this year, and lost his job hosting the Oscar because of a joke he made on Twitter several years before. However, canceling of a celebrity is rarely permanent. For celebrities like Taylor Swift, the offense was quickly forgotten and she’s back on top with a bestseller album. 

Some have called cancel culture an extreme form of the PC culture and the popular catch all to describe a social justice warrior agenda (Butler, 2018). One author from an online magazine makes the argument that we have always lived in a cancel culture (Semiramis, 2019) and various people from history as examples. Alice Bell, who developed a cure for leprosy has essentially been “canceled” since she is a black woman and her contribution has been hidden. Alan Turing invented one of the core concepts of computer science but since he was gay, his name lives in obscurity. Today’s cancel culture is simply the minorities, the oppressed, reclaiming their power and fighting back (Semiramis, 2019). Some have even claimed that a cancel culture doesn’t exist as some who have been “cancelled” themselves back in the public’s good graces as time goes by (Butler, 2018). Others have claimed that there is only critics of cancel culture because most “victims” are usually white men (Semiramis, 2019) and they aren’t used to being held accountable for their actions. However, more and more victims of cancel culture are minorities and women who don’t always follow the new PC culture.

There is an equal argument against cancel culture. According to critics, the problem with cancel culture is the methods used to cancel certain people and ideas. “A small number of online progressives have appointed themselves a moral vanguard” to expose a transgression and enforce a punishment through a “digital mob” (Linker, 2019). It is an attempt to police American culture, to draw a line on what is acceptable in life and especially comedy as seen in the outrage over jokes made by some stand-up comedians. The most current comedian to be in the spotlight due to cancel culture is Dave Chappelle after his Netflix special Sticks and Stones ignited a firestorm online. Taylor Swift, a victim of cancel culture, spoke out against it, saying that cancelling someone can send the wrong, even tragic, message. Dr. Pamela Paresky calls cancel culture apocalyptic. “An apocalyptic culture is not interested in wounded hearts. It wants to destroy, not heal. It wants retribution for moral impurities, not forgiveness” (Paresky, 2019). Cancel culture is born out of a knee jerk reaction instead of asking “why did he say that?” (Paresky, 2019). As Wesley Morris writes in this article, The Morality War, the intent is ignored and only what is said is what matters (2018).

As I said earlier, this topic was very overwhelming. It took several days of reading article after article and gathering my own thoughts about cancel culture to be able to sit down and write this post. On one hand, it is important to call each other for things that are wrong and hopefully help them see the error in their statement. On the other hand, cancel culture really isn’t doing that. Cancel culture also doesn’t allow for a person to change their minds. Say someone made a statement twenty years ago and someone calls him or her out on it in the present, the outrage usually ignores any statement made since that clearly shows that the person no longer believes in the past statement. Cancel culture is essentially shunning, a Scarlet letter for the world to see. It is an extreme form of a boycott and in most cases, it is downright bullying. It’s one thing to call for a boycott to hurt a company or individual’s bottom-line, like the Montgomery Bus Boycott (1995-1956). However, it is entirely different to destroy their lives. Some in the cancel culture frenzy have called for the offender’s death and the death of his or her family!

In conclusion, the motives behind cancel culture is on the right track. We need to call each other out when statements or actions are made that are harmful. However, if I don’t something an actor, artist, writer or even politician has said or done that I don’t like, I simply stop watching their movies/TV shows, stop buying their music or book and I won’t vote for them for political positions. I will stop following them on social media. However, I will not call for them to be harmed or even killed. Cancel culture leaves no room for correction, no open dialogue. No opportunity to prove the statement wrong. It is essentially “I don’t like what you said, so you must disappear.” As you can see from the pictures I have found online, there are many in social media who question the firestorm of cancel culture. We can do better than that. Most of my research has shown me that there are plenty of people who are tired of the cancel culture and very few who see its merits.

References

Butler, Danielle. October 23, 2018. The Misplaced Hysteria About a ‘Cancel Culture’ That Doesn’t Actually Exist. The Root. https://verysmartbrothas.theroot.com/the-misplaced-hysteria-about-a-cancel-culture-that-do-1829563238/amp.

Linker, Damon. September 20, 2019. What is ‘cancel culture’ and its critics get wrong. The Week. https://theweek.com/articles/866329/what-cancel-culture-critics-wrong

Morris, Wesley. October 3, 2018. The Morality War. The New York Times Magazine. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/10/03/magazine/morality-social-justice-art-entertainment.html

Paresky, Pamela B. June 19, 2019. The Apocalyptic Cult of Cancel Culture. Psychology Today.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/happiness-and-the-pursuit-leadership/201906/the-apocalyptic-cult-cancel-culture.

Semiramis. April 10, 2019. The Untold Truth about ‘Cancel Culture’. Medium.  https://medium.com/@vcasaisvila/the-untold-truth-about-cancel-culture-3675cac983c3

Near the Exit Travels with the Not so Grim Reaper: interesting perspectives on death across cultures

Near the Exit: Travels with the Not so Grim Reaper by Lori Erickson is an exploration of death from cultures around the world, both ancient and current. Ms. Erickson is deacon with the Episcopal Church as well as a travel writer and she uses both to examine how different cultures view and handle death. She travels to Egypt and views the pyramids. She learns that death is just one step in this life, according to the Ancient Egyptians. The afterlife is a journey itself with confessions and a heart test with Ma’at, the goddess of truth, harmony and justice. Ms. Erickson then examines the Buddhist approach to death as well as common customs within the Middle Ages when intellectuals would remind themselves that death comes to everyone. She visits the Maori in New Zealand and their cultures of being connected to death as they seek connections with their ancestors. Ms. Erickson also examines the Aztecs and Mayans cultures who viewed death very differently. She also examines the modern approach to death with nursing homes, hospice, the current trends in burials, funerals and grieving.

Near the Exit is an honest and often blunt look at death through the ages and cultures. Egyptians with intensive rituals to prepare one’s body for the afterlife to the Aztecs who practiced human sacrifices to bless their gods. Her observations about modern practices of death are very opening. She realizes it is a modern obsession with immorality as peoples of the ancient world understood that life was limited, and death came to all. It is an interesting read. Although she often distresses at some points and you wonder how this connects to the topic of death. She achieves her goal as she learns to live with death and hopes that we can do the same. I enjoyed it and highly recommend it.

Near the Exit

is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Land of Silence: a fictionalized story of one woman's journey to Jesus and ultimate healing

Land of Silence by Tessa Afshar is the story of Elianna, a young girl torn apart by guilt. When her younger brother, the pride and joy of her family, dies while under her care, Elianna seeks forgiveness by working in her father’s textile trade and caring for her grieving parents and younger sister. She finds herself in the sole charge of the business, her talent for design brings amazing success; however, despite her success and work ethic, she doesn’t receive the forgiveness she seeks. As her world unravels, she breaks off her engagement with a man she loves, sacrificing her feelings so that he can find a wife worth of him. Illness strikes, leaving her at the misery of doctors with different cures but to no avail. Soon she is isolating from everyone and everything she loves as Jewish law dictates. Soon whispers of a man who heals sweeps through the land. Can this Jesus be the answer to her healing? Can she finally find the life she always dreamed of?

Land of Silence is a fictionalized story of the woman who suffered from a bleeding issue. Her encounter with Jesus is told in Matthew 9:20-22; Mark 5:25-34, and Luke 8:43-48. All we know of her is what happens during her encounter with Jesus but what lead her to this state of desperation? A bleeding issue would have put her on the fringes of Jewish society as bleeding made her unclean. What happened to her after she is healed by Jesus? Ms. Afshar writes an amazing story of guilt, struggles, redemption and freedom that forgiveness can bring. At times you will sympathize with Elianna and other times you want to shake her and tell her to stop being so stubborn. I liked that everything about her changed after her encounter with Jesus. Her demeanor, her attitude and her outlook on her life and her future changed. I highly recommend Land of Silence.

Land of Silence

is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

A few thoughts on turning 40

Yesterday I turned 40. I know some women, and men, would run and hide before announcing their age; however, age is just a number. Many people have asked me if I was scared to turn 40. I’m not. Age is a matter of perspective. You are as old or as young as you feel physical as well mentally. Looking back on my life so far, there are very few regrets. A few things I would change or do better, but no real regrets as every decision as led me to the life I have now. Here are a few things I have learned over my 40 years.

1. Do not compromise your beliefs, morals or philosophy for anyone. You can change your mind but do so without coercion or threat.

2. Actions speak volumes and words are empty when actions don’t back them up. Show gratitude especially to those who go out of their way to help you. When you borrow money, pay it back. Don’t make promises you can’t or won’t keep.

3. Face your fears. You may find it wasn’t as bad as you thought, and you’ll be stronger for it.

4. Learn to stand up for yourself and set boundaries. I have always hated confrontation, and still do, but I have learned that my fear of confronting someone only hurts me in the long run and allows others to continue behaviors that hurt us. Don’t let people guilt you into questioning or eliminating a boundary. They are there for a reason.

5. Plan for the future, expect the unexpected but don’t forget to live for today. Life is a roller coaster with its twists and turns, ups and downs and speed, especially speed. Years go by fast. In a blink of an eye, I’ve been married for 10 years and it feels as if it was just yesterday. To quote Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

6. God doesn’t always give us what we want when we want it. But He will give us what we need when we need it.

7. I know people hate to hear this but…Everything happens for a reason. Whether it is a direct result of our own decisions or someone else’s actions, our troubles, heartaches, are lessons and experiences that God will use in the future. It could to help us avoid these events in the future or it could be to help someone else through the same experience.  

8. Follow your heart. You like something, embrace it. You love certain style of clothes, wear there. Don’t follow trends or societal dictates simply because society tells you that you need to.

9. Follow your first gut instinct. It is usually right in the first place. Learn to listen to the little voice in your head that tells you something’s wrong. Learn to recognize red flags and don’t ignore them.

10. You can decide who you allow in your life. Just because you are related to someone doesn’t mean you have to have a close, or even a relationship at all, with them. A toxic person is toxic regardless of the relationship. I don’t care if someone is a friend, a sibling, a parent. If that person hurts you in any way, physically or mentally, you are allowed to say enough’s enough and close the door on that relationship. Surround yourself with people who love you, support you and will lovingly correct you when you are wrong.

11. Find yourself a partner who is your best friend first. Someone you can laugh with, have deep conversations with. Someone you can cry with. Someone you can share your deepest secrets, thoughts, fears and dreams and know they will never tell another soul or hold it against you. Someone you can tease, be sarcastic with, even argue with but at the end of the day, he or she will kiss you goodnight and say, “I love you.” Sexual attraction is important but it’s not everything. And say “I love you” often. It’s scary at first but it gets easier

12. Be humble. Admit when you are human and will make mistakes. Not just to others but to yourself as well. Mistakes are failures to be used as stepping stones to future success. You don’t have to have all the answers, just know where to find them when you need them.

13. Talk to your elders. One main regret in my life is that I didn’t talk with my grandfathers more. My parental grandfather lived in another state, so distance made it easy to not talk. I grew up with my maternal grandfather more and I found him very intimidating and I was very shy. Now, as an adult, there is so much I wish I asked. It’s funny though, he has been gone for almost 23 years and I can still feel his strong hugs every now and then.

14. Life isn’t fair. Sometimes we get rewarded for our good deeds and sometimes we don’t. The trick is to roll with the punches. Learn to deal with the things you can and let go of the things you can’t. You cannot fix other people’s problems. Leave that to them. You may advise or suggest but the ultimate solution must be their actions. Just like your problems are yours to fix.

15. Forgive. Not just for those who hurt you but for your own wellbeing. Unforgiveness is like a stone around your neck. It will drag you down, turn you bitter. It is like a thorn in your heart that will fester and do you more harm than the original injury. And don’t hate. You may dislike someone or someone and that’s ok. But don’t hate. Hate is another thing that can turn you bitter and cold.  

In conclusion, turning 40 is a milestone that some never see. I count myself fortunate as I am healthy, and my family is healthy. As I look back over my life, there is no time than now that I’d rather be. I am stronger than my younger self. I am wiser than my younger self and I hope to pass on my lessons to my daughters, so they can be better prepared to deal with life’s twists and turns. Turning 40 isn’t something to be feared. It is to be celebrated. I’d rather be 40 and married to my wonderful husband and have my two beautiful daughters than be 21 again. I look forward to my next 40 years.

September: Classical Music Appreciation Month

According to National Day Calendar.com, September is Classical Music Appreciation Month. I love classical music. It is great music to relax by, to get energized, and much more than just instrumental music. From the Medieval era to the Romantic period of the late 19^th century, classical music has brought advancements in instruments, musical tone and expression with each style reflecting different periods of history. It isn’t just music of the past but music which has led to other musical genres. It is music that can be enjoyed today as it was many years ago. Music which has led to the advancement of instrument we still play today. Let’s dive into a brief review of each period and the importance it has on the development of music and its enjoyment.

The Medieval era is generally considered to be between 500-1400 CE. Music during this era was heavily connected with the church. Liturgical (sacred) music was performed in church and was mostly vocal with choral music and chants. A chant is monophonic, meaning single melody with no accompaniment or instruments and were distinctive by regions. In Spain and Portugal, the Mozarabic chant was influenced by North African music. In Milan, the popular chant was the Ambrosian chant named for St Ambrose. The Roman Catholic Church began to standardize the Mass and chants through the combined efforts of Pope Gregory I (540-604) and Charlemagne (742-814). According to music historian, the Gregorian chant developed from the Gallican chant from Gaul (modern day France) and the Roman chant. The music from the Medieval era is important because it began the foundation for music notation. Music could be shared between musicians and choral groups. The rhythmic notations of musical notes and rests first appeared with formal structure between 1130-1300.

The Renaissance (1400-1600 CE) was a period of great discovery in science, literature and in music. The invention of the printing press and helped distribute music far and wide across Europe. Music became more than just for church. It became music to enjoy in the home and in the community. Music began to have a variety in range, rhythm, harmony and form. It is also the period in which tonality (musical keys) began to develop. It became a vehicle for personal expression. One of the most famous Renaissance composers, John Dunstaple (or Dunstable) (c. 1390-1453) was an English composer of polyphonic music. Numerous copies of his music have been found in Italian and German, which is proof that his fame was widespread. Later in the Renaissance period saw the rise of English Madrigal music around 1588 which is an a cappella style with 3-6 voices. Many instruments we know today originated in the Renaissance period. For example, organs, trumpets, tambourine, and the bagpipe. Other instruments would be used to develop future instrument such as the viol which had six strings and played with a bow. It was like a cello.

The Baroque period (1600-1750 CE) followed and the musical style was more elaborate and ornate with the use of harmony rather than modality. This period saw the development of the concerto, cantata, and the sonata. Chamber music was a common style at this time with professional musicians expected to be accomplished improvisers. Dance suites were also popular which were designed for listening rather than dancing. Johann Sebastian Bach wrote a dance suite known as partitas. Further advancements were made with instruments. The harpsichord, an instrument like the piano, was a very popular instrument for the autocracy to play in their homes and for the entertainment of their guests. Other famous pieces from this period are Georg Frideric Handel’s Messiah (1741) and Antonio Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons (1725). the Four Seasons is a group of four violin concertos. My particular favorite, and many others as well, is the “Spring” concerto which conjures images of flowing creeks and the singing birds as winter breaks away to the warmth of spring.

The Classical period (1750/1775-1820) is characterized by simple, cleaner music which focused more on melody than the Baroque period. Woodwind instruments were added to the orchestra. This is the period most people will think of when they hear “classical music” with popular composers like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig Van Beethoven. Some music historians see Beethoven as a Romantic composer (which I will discuss next), other view him as the bridge between the Classical and Romantic periods. The Classical period had many great composers who are often left behind with the popularity of Mozart and Beethoven. Frank Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) was known as the Father of the Symphony and Father of the String Quartet as he composed over 100 symphonies and 60 string quartets. Muzio Clementi (1752-1832) was a composer I was not familiar with until I did my research for this post. He is known as the Father of the Pianoforte as he revolutionized the art of playing the piano, techniques which are still used today. Lastly, Antonio Salieri (1750-1825) who became famous as a jealous rival of Mozart; however, he was an accomplished composer in his own right and gave music composition lessons to Beethoven.

The Romantic period (1820-1910) saw the growth of the orchestra with the expansion of the woodwind and brass sections with music which was very expressive and emotional. The composers of this period, such as Chopin, Liszt, Wagner, Tchaikovsky and Brahms, the music had a new preoccupation with nature and fascination with the past and legends and myths. Chopin was known for nocturnes. He would publish 18 in his lifetime, three more would be published posthumously. Music meant to represent the fields and forest. Wagner would write Ride of the Valkyries for his opera, Die Walkure, with its dramatic notes represents the mythological Valkyries as they ride over the battlefields choosing warriors to take to Valhalla and those who will remain on Earth. And almost all mothers have sung or hummed Brahms’ Lullaby (1868) to their child as they rocked them to sleep. It is still a popular song to sing to a baby at bedtime. The Romantic period would give away to more experimental music with the emergence of Jazz in America in approximately in 1919.

In conclusion, Sir Isaac Newton said in 1675, “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” We discover new truths by building on previous discoveries. It is true with music. With geniuses like Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin and others who attempt to play instruments and notes in new ways helped developed the music we know and love. Classical music isn’t just wordless music. It is music which invokes passion and other emotions. It can help us imagine the beauty and power of nature. It is music that helped bring our favorite genres today. I encourage everyone to learn about these composers, their music, their advancements and you will see how musicians of today have built new music from their genius.

For Further Reading

Muzio Clementi https://www.britannica.com/biography/Muzio-Clementi

The Greatest Composers of the Classical Period https://www.liveabout.com/top-classical-period-composers-724098

Classical Music Month https://nationaldaycalendar.com/classical-music-month-september/

The Winemaker''s Wife: a beautiful story during a horrible time in history

The Winemaker’s Wife by Kristin Harmel is a story of war, of survival, of betrayal and of redemption. The story opens in May 1940, Ines Chauveau and her husband, Michel have been married for almost a year. They live among the vineyards of the Champagne regions and produce some of the finest Champagne. News comes to them that the Germans have invaded France and Michel begins his preparations. Fast forward to June 2019, Liv Kent is 41 years old, jobless, childless and on the verge of divorce when her eccentric grandmother, Edith Thierry, arrives and takes to her Paris. The story travels back and forth between 1940-1943 as Ines, Michel and their friends, Theo Laurent, the head winemaker and his wife, Celine, deal with the German occupation and June 2019 as Liv is trying to figure out what her Grandma Edith needs to tell her but seems very reluctant to do so. Liv meets Julien Cohn, a family friend and lawyer who knows parts of Edith’s story but can’t reveal what he knows without betrayal attorney-client privilege. What horrors do Ines, Michel, Theo and Celine must endure in order to survive? What is the connection to Liv and Edith now?

Last year, I reviewed Ms. Harmel’s The Room on Rue Amelie and loved it. When I had the opportunity to read The Winemaker’s Wife, I eagerly looked forward to it. Both books feature events surrounding the French Resistance between World War II. While I enjoyed The Room on Rue Amelie, I loved The Winemaker’s Wife! This book was filled with drama, action, intrigue and tears from the opening chapter to the closing pages. I enjoyed every character and loved how they evolved and did their part during the war. There are great moments which I can’t discuss as it will give away major plot twists, but it is a story of great endurance and survival. Most American history class teach World War II with a brief synopsis of the war before 1941 when the Americans officially entered the war, so I enjoyed reading about the French Resistance and the underground which fought against German occupation. One of my favorite quotes from the book is from Grandma Edith who says, “Many people lose more than they can image, and they find a way to carry one.” This statement certainly describes the individuals who fought against unbelievable odds to survive. I highly, highly recommend The Winemaker’s Wife. It is an amazing, beautiful story with twists and turns that just when you think you see where the story is heading, you’re wrong! It will not disappoint!

The Winemaker’s Wife

is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook