Writing for City Journal, Ilya Shapiro – who has himself suffered cancellation at the hands of a woke mob – offers a comprehensive guide on how to survive cancellation. Here’s an abridged version:
“It can happen to anyone. A bad tweet, viral video, or something you say (or text, post, e-mail, or Slack) gets blown out of proportion. Then comes a public pile-on or an official investigation, followed by punishment or ostracism. Cancel culture — the mob-like desire to punish politically incorrect speech — has made modern life into a minefield.
“Those who deny the existence of cancel culture argue that the term is a smoke screen to excuse bad behaviour from people who don’t want to accept the consequences of their actions. But the mere articulation of an unpopular opinion or uncomfortable truth shouldn’t make it impossible for ordinary people to live their lives. As the writer Jonathan Rauch has observed, criticism, or “expressing an argument or opinion with the idea of rationally influencing public opinion through public persuasion,” can be distinguished from canceling, which is “organizing or manipulating a social environment or a media environment with a goal or predictable effect of isolating, deplatforming, or intimidating an ideological opponent.”
“If you find yourself the target of a cancellation campaign, as I did two years ago (about which more anon), you’ll understand the difference. What follows is a guide for what to do if it happens to you.
“The most important task when facing a cancellation campaign is to define your goals. Obviously, you want the mobbing to stop and for things to return to “normal.” But ask yourself what, specifically, that means. Do you want to keep your job? Get the position on the law review that you deserve? Become famous? Deter further publicity? Make money off an unexpected opportunity? Retain your reputation for integrity, intelligence, and friendliness? Your strategy will follow from your ultimate aim.
“Each cancellation is different, but some general lessons apply. Professors and students should concentrate on refusing to be silenced and on finding their true audience. Nobody has the power to silence you — that’s the mob’s goal — so you must keep talking, keep speaking the truth.
“If you’re threatened with termination or internal investigation, you should get your own legal counsel involved in meetings with management. Depending on the size and nature of the organization, remaining there may become untenable, so these things can soon evolve into negotiations about the terms of departure.
“In business, employees, particularly younger ones, may engage in forms of cancellation when they don’t like something that their coworker or boss is doing. People facing this kind of cancellation should, as lawyers do, record everything and refuse to attend meetings that are thinly veiled struggle sessions where the mob shames its target into submission. Whenever “harms” or “violence” get invoked, require specific evidence and insist on shared definitions of key terms before engaging in discussion. You must not accept the opponent’s terms of debate.
“Anyone facing cancellation will need friends, both to maintain perspective and sanity and to push back on the overwhelming wave of negativity that tends to materialize. Victims of higher-profile cancellations will need allies with public platforms.
“Publicity can therefore be worth seeking. The news cycle is head-spinningly short, as is the public’s attention span, so a social-media hiatus may allow time for the circus to move on to the next shiny thing. On the other hand, for a public figure to reenter the public sphere after such a blackout risks reigniting the controversy. For nonpublic figures, there’s safety in numbers: you don’t need to martyr yourself over every bit of craziness; just remember that you’re not alone. Banding together with like-minded others can be more effective in changing the narrative.
“Should you apologize? The answer to this fraught question depends on your specific circumstances and, again, on your goal. The best rule to follow, then, is contingent: if you did nothing wrong, don’t apologize. If your apology is perceived as disingenuous, it will lead to accusations of hypocrisy, as well as alienate your supporters. One apology could invite more attacks, as your accusers might keep dredging up items from your past to use against you. If you do decide that you need to apologize because you’ve actually wronged someone — not just “offended” an overly sensitive soul — make the apology short, heartfelt, and specific. And be sure to avoid New Age language about needing to “do the work,” “educate myself,” or “be better,” which feeds into critical-theory therapizing. (Make no citations to “my truth,” either.)
“When someone tries to force you to apologize, without first convincing you that you made a mistake, don’t do it. People may convince you that you were wrong, but don’t let them bully you into caving in and denying what you still believe. To quote Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, live not by lies.
“Facing down a cancellation will test your fortitude and force you to clarify your values, priorities, and aspirations. Even the most relentless cancellation can be overcome if you respond with authenticity and resolve. Getting away from lawyers, PR firms, and advocacy groups, remember your own humanity. Lean on family and friends, take a breather from the rat race, extricate yourself from a poisonous environment, and gain a change of scenery. Believe it or not, this, too, shall pass.”
Worth reading in full.
