Loving Others in the Age of Cancel Culture
Have you ever had a friend or a loved one who consistently caused you pain or treated you poorly? Did you cancel them, or did you continuously find the capacity to forgive and love them?
In our society, we stand at a crossroads. On one hand, we're more emotionally aware, practicing forgiveness and compassion more than ever; on the other hand, cancel culture is on the rise. While justice is essential, what happens to canceled individuals? Does being canceled truly help them change for the better or does it breed resentment?
Let's consider the definition of "cancel." It means publicly boycotting or withdrawing support from someone for socially unacceptable beliefs or acts. While we can agree that certain acts are unacceptable, should we cancel people who commit these acts, or is there a better way?
When someone intentionally wrongs us, the question is: do we forgive or hold them accountable? Think of our children - we don't cut them off when they misbehave. We teach and correct them because we love them and want them to grow into better individuals. Love means teaching, guiding, and nurturing. It's not about being a doormat but fostering growth.
To forgive repeatedly without becoming a doormat takes a strong type of love. Sometimes this love means overlooking an offense, sometimes it means holding people accountable for their actions, sometimes it means wishing people well from afar while we keep ourselves safe. Love isn't always warm and fuzzy. Correcting someone with the intention of bettering them is an example of forgiveness and love, whereas canceling someone is simply a punishment.
