What do I mean? I mean we must move away from the mistaken perception that ‘cancel culture’ has any actual power..
What IS cancel culture? It is a perception OF a power base, rather than an actual force within our political or legal landscape. What happens is that if a person in the public eye is deemed unworthy of that role, by the majority, via social media? Then corporate media follows that lead and rather naturally, cuts ties to a devalued brand. Perfectly logical.
Now, does that make it ‘right’ or just or even legally sound? No, of course not. And there is a double standard at work. Gina Carano was sacked in effect for holding an opinion and backing it with imagery that left leaning counterparts had also deployed in some of their equivalent arguments.
But she has indeed bounced back, turning the initial setback to a USP among conservative thinking pundits. Irony is, Gina has in effect done better because of rather than despite the moral myopia that governs Lucasfilm and Disney’s demographic marketing (imho).
Daily Wire and Ben Shapiro are commissioning new Carano projects: she no longer needs The Mandalorian anymore than they do her. The internet is now the place where you mark out territory and colonise new ground, with social media your army in the field. It is a unique and great opportunity.
The payoff is that you are now judged, both morally and commercially, prima facie, by that same ether of internet hysteria. TV and movie studios follow suit. Not necessarily because they deem you dangerous or criminal (though that sometimes is the case; it’s not so with Ms Carano) but simply because the swell of demographic keyboard warriors = $$$ that can be lost, immediately so, in an increasingly saturated market.
If it can be proven that your tweets harmed their product / perception of? Then there is a case, like it or not, for your contract to be terminated. You equally have a right to contest that. It’s just that you might well be better placed by taking the hit; retaining free speech, growing a new (albeit demographically focused) fan base and so birthing your own bespoke brand. That’s what Gina is doing. And it’s going to work pretty well for her.
In short? Do not confuse business with politics and law. Connected, sure. But not QUITE at your door yet to ‘stop’ or ‘ban’ you from talking let alone thinking.
