The Hyper-Vigilance Loop

A cancellation is a power grab in social justice language. The stated intention might sound like “prevent harm to the vulnerable” with the more precise aim of getting rid of an offensive person and their offensive work in one fell swoop, or getting an artist to alter their work until it becomes a parody of itself. And the most frequent result is a trial-by-internet, the spectacle of public pressure put on confrontation-averse, risk-averse organizations where reputation is constantly on the line.