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Comment by chewmieser | Hacker News Reader

I just don't understand this viewpoint as it completely ignores the history of humanity. "Cancel culture" has been used for many centuries to silence dissenters. Take a look at Galieleo as an example. He was excommunicated or "canceled" by religious organizations that held the primary means of power. He was even forced to recant his positions by these groups.

How is this any different than today?

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Is the cancellation of Galileo by the Church a good example? A way a civilized society should function?

If not, if we consider historical examples like these as failures of past societies, then things "not being any different than today" suggests our society is also failing.

My response was around "cancel culture" being a new phenomenon, as posed by the parent comment. I am not suggesting that this is a good or bad behavior, just that it has existed for a long time and nothing is new about it.

So, yes, in the context of my post the Galileo example is a good example IMO.

The scale. In the past you had to watch what you said about those who had the power to hurt you. Now you can have your life derailed by people you've never met and never will, who's only power is being popular in some community you may have never heard of (and may not even exist until years from now).

I will address this in the spirit with which it was intended.

Cancellation, back then, was largely top-down, driven by kings and popes. The current form of cancellation emerges from below, pressuring larger organizations to fire people and denounce them. And as I have mentioned elsewhere in this, those calling for cancellation derive increased status when their attempts succeed.

It's a bit more equivalent to witch hunt mania than papal disapproval.

Exactly. It’s no different. Who wants a world that is no different from the classic dark ages?

It is not different than today. I think instead of the word changing I just grew up and had a reality check. Progressive means following culturally approved thoughts, when in my youth I thought it meant pushing boundaries and trying to better the world (even if it meant the occasional wrong think to get a different perspective)

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