Still using words like "master bedroom" or asking people how they are? Or perhaps you admire Mahatma Gandhi or praise events by clapping? Well then, we're sorry to be the harbingers of bad news, but somewhere, someone has officially declared you 'cancelled'. And we would sympathise, but we don't want to add ourselves to this list.
One of the most debated phenomenon of the current day and age is the quest for equality and woke-ness. The recent Black Lives Matter protests in America (and other rallying cries across the world) have also brought with it a wave of change -- some perhaps more easy to comprehend than others. People's reactions have also been a tad bit mixed. While most agree that urging police reform or calling out malpractices can help bring about positive changes in our society, it is unclear whether things have been taken several steps too far.
The latest entrant to this list was an article written by the lead of a company British Columbia, Catherine Roome. The Opinion article, published by The Globe and Mail, explains that Roome has dropped the "Chief" from her job title, opting to be known as the president and lead executive officer of Technical Safety BC.
The article explains that after sending out an email "about racism and, in particular, systemic racism against people of colour", Roome has received responses that provoked thought about how many among us adopt titles without thinking, or use language that could be problematic.
Netizens however do not seem to agree, with many questioning if things were fast getting out of hand.
Over the last few months, many brands have stepped up to adapt to the times, modifying logos, changing their USP or brand names, or even facing massive backlash from various quarters.
The Masters Golf Tournament, or master bedroom , or well, any use of the word "master" is now frowned upon. Some opine that "white Jesus" statues should be torn down for white supremacy, and others are busy defacing The Little Mermaid. Chess is a no-no (do we really have to explain why?) and cow milk is apparently a symbol used by White Supremacists. Some are calling for the bulldozing of Los Angeles freeways, while others want Band Aids cancelled for their diverse skin tone offerings.
They say that the truth is stranger than fiction, but not to worry, there are people working on that too. TV shows are editing out clips that have racist undertones (such as use of blackface or the presense of characters now deemed unsavoury) and books and authors are being panned -- from Enid Blyton to J. R. R. Tolkien.
All these and more were compiled into a lengthy Twitter thread by well known social media user Titania McGrath.
Now, we're all for change. But a superficial gesture or a call for demolishing a monument does nothing. Fair and Lovely changing its name does not mean it is not selling a product that aims to give you clearer, fairer skin. Destroying a monument or removing it from an area does not erase history, or indeed do anything to improve the present.
And in the case of the aforementioned LEO, while the published letter mentions that Roome is a "champion for Indigenous rights and reconciliation", it makes nary a peep about any inclusive efforts beyond the change of name. As one Twitter user wrote in a slightly different context (that is to say, it was a debate over the same topic, but with other individuals), "That’s OK with me. But it also points to the ridiculousness of the original aim to take the chief out of CEO."
In many cases, online outrage (or editing things) is the be all and end all of what we're doing to actually make a difference, and as many point out, that may be a bigger problem in the days to come.
