And awareness is irrelevant. When I listened to the golden age of punk rock (IMHO) I didn't need to be aware of it: its self awareness changes nothing
And there was no "field" of witch hunting: but even if it is conceded to be so, what's wrong with a good witch burning and hanging now then?
Now we "cancel" or censor (or on HN down vote 'trolls') which is no different. Intolerance and demonizing just takes different forms in different ages.