Don't confuse cancellation (BAD!) with humiliation (GOOD!). Moment 413

Don’t confuse cancellation (BAD!) with humiliation (GOOD!).

CANCELLATION
If I try to cancel you, it’s an attempt to censor you. Often it comes with threats against your job, your business, or even doxxing. And often it amounts to shouting over your voice, sometimes literally. These are all a means for me to remove your voice from the public square.

HUMILIATION
If instead I try to humiliate you, it’s not at all an attempt to censor you. Humiliation is an organic result of pointing out your flawed arguments, inconsistent claims, special pleading, unethical behavior, or hypocrisy. When you express, you put social capital on the line. If you put forth a bad take, then I want your speech UNcensored. I want it to be broadcast widely, along with my counter-arguments, because only by doing that can your reputation actually be lowered (and mine raised, “winning” some of your social capital you put at stake).

Free expression’s ability to slowly move us toward the truth depends on the reputation network’s ability to modulate people’s social capital up and down over time depending on their claims. That is, free expression depends on humiliation as a possible consequence.

Cancellation, on the other hand, is an attempt to altogether undermine the processes of free expression.

[For more information, find my newest book at Amazon: EXPRESSLY HUMAN]