A while ago I wrote about Unpopular Economic Policy is Put Down with Violence and in reply, Paul pointed out that J D Vance is currently running for Ohio Senate on a platform that seems like it would continue unpopular economic policies that would be enforced with violence. His more recent statements on the Russian invasion of Ukraine also give me pause as does his backtracking on criticism of Donald Trump.
My family has also struggled with JK Rowling and my children. We all enjoyed Harry Potter and continue to enjoy the world she invented, but we don't purchase any of her new books. In fact, my oldest daughter has been in tears when we've talked about the transphobic statements Rowling has made.
She's not someone we can support anymore. We're not throwing out the books we've already purchased, but we're not investing more in her world.
So the question today is, when and how do you decide when to stop referring to someone you've learned from or enjoyed their work?
Cancel Culture
Yes, some people for some views deserve to be canceled. Many conservative politicians should fall into this black hole of never being heard from again. When they whine about cancel culture they're mostly complaining about finally having to play by the same rules that have been applied to "not white" people in the past.
The Skin We're In demonstrated how minorities have to play by an extensive set of rules when they criticize anything in society. If you're not the "right" person to critique something because a decade ago you said something different you'll be dismissed by the white majority. If you don't critique that thing in the way that people in power approve of, it will be dismissed as "violent" or “radical” and ignored.
I think the biggest change is that those who have power in the court of public opinion has moved from very few white men to many other groups via social media. Thus these popular people in power are suddenly forced to complain about things in ways that are "approved" by those with this social capital and that chafes on them because they're used to doing what they want with impunity.
But sometimes it's possible that words are said and mistakes are made without malice. When these mistakes are made by popular white men, I get not believing their apology after generations of white men doing what they wanted with women and minorities with no retribution for rape and genocide.
Room for Change or Mistakes?
The biggest problem I have with cancel culture is the lack of room for growth. In my past, I said some absolutely abhorrent things about First Nations in Canada. Things I'm ashamed of saying. Things that would absolutely get me canceled today.
Through reading and personal growth, I'm far distant from those beliefs and I'm lucky that the only person I ever said them to was my wife. She gets to see my growth and failures every day and gives me grace.
I think that one of the biggest issues is that we're tired of fake apologies. We're tired of people saying they're sorry simply to maintain their position of power. We're tired of minds being changed simply to suit whatever is popular at the moment.
Back to Vance
So if you read the Wikipedia link above it would seem that Vance was critical of Trump and then when he needed more politically conservative support he renounced those statements.
He was critical of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and then when confronted by conservatives that didn't care about the invasion he backtracked and decided he didn't care.
One of my favourite parts of Hamilton is when Alexander Hamilton supports Jefferson instead of Burr even though he doesn't agree with the politics of Jefferson. Alexander Hamilton's issue with Burr is that he chooses the most expedient path instead of talking about what he believes.
That is my problem with Vance now, he seems politically expedient. It doesn't change the fact that I read Hillbilly Elegy and found it to be a good book looking at how mid-western Americans feel about the lot they've been dealt in life.
I started this months ago and now when I look at what JK Rowling is saying about trans issues I see at least some point behind what she's saying. She's fearing for women that have been abused at the hands of men and that they may receive more abuse. I'm not sure I agree with her, but I at least think that we should consider her point as we navigate how we deal with the trans community that is here with us.
On the trans front my primary belief is that you should do what you want and that we should put lots of effort into ensuring good outcomes in life for everyone regardless of gender, race or sexual identity.
There is something to be said in the sporting realm about trans-women joining sports and then women being pushed down the list of eligible performing athletes. The opportunities for women are already much more limited than they are for men. I don't have an answer, but we should at least think about how we should be treating the opportunities women have.
So, I don’t actually know when we stop supporting someone and I don’t think the issue is as easy as some make it out to be. We often want something to be black and white, but few things are that clear in life.
In fact, most problems are all sorts of shades of grey, pink, blue, and yellow and have no easy answers.
When do you stop supporting someone?
Links
Josh Duffney has a nice video talking about how to deal with your literature notes.