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Ep. 310 Mix Power with Disdain for Others: You Get Cancel Culture

Ep. 310 Mix Power with Disdain for Others You Get Cancel Culture

Photo: ©Dean Drobot via Canva.com

Shows Main Idea – What is the cancel culture? How does it happen, and possibly more importantly, what can we do about it? Canceling out others has reached pandemic proportions, and it’s no longer the entertainment and media elites as its prey. They are coming for us, too. This anti-God mindset is not new. Did you know the cancel culture began in Genesis 3:6? Today’s version is the latest iteration of an old strategy.

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Life Over Coffee · Ep. 310 Mix Power with Disdaine for Others, You Get Cancel Culture

Show Notes

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Quotes and Context

Rick, do you have a podcast on this cancel culture and preferred reality? I would love to listen to it. —Joanne

Joanne is referring to this quote that she read from me: “To obtain your preferred reality, you must eliminate all those who keep you from getting there. If you have the power and opportunity, you can cancel anyone who keeps you from your reality.” The translation is that if someone wants something and you’re standing in their way, they will “cancel you,” which is another way of saying they will do what they have to do so you’re not hindering them from what they want.

The better response is to live in a culture or a community where people can disagree with each other while being friends or, at least, civil to each other. Loyal disagreement is a beautiful thing, though a rare trait in some relationships and environments. Either you agree 100 percent or you’re disloyal, which is how you describe a cult, authoritarian structures, dictatorships, and other rigid environments that disapprove of alternate opinions through bullying, peer pressure, gaslighting, and other coercive tactics.

We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. When the loyal opposition dies, I think the soul of America dies. —Edward R. Murrow

Those Who Cancel

Anyone can cancel anyone.

  • Spouses
  • Parents
  • Church members
  • Friends
  • Social media “friends”
  • Culture

The Power Brokers

The primary aspects of the cancel culture:

  • Opportunity – If your presupposition is to cancel someone and you look long enough, the opportunity will present itself.
  • Craving – They have a preferred reality, which they believe cannot coexist with anyone else’s reality.
  • Insecurity (fear) – Typically, the person is afraid of something happening, someone gaining an advantage, or the normalizing of an alternate belief.
  • Anger (Anger Spectrum) Overt or subdued anger comes with the cancel culture. It’s a way to control, manipulate, or gaslight someone.
  • Power/authority – They have something their victims want, e.g., acceptance and approval, or they fear rejection and retribution.

The Cancel Target

There is a way to stop the cancel culture. You must refuse to acquiesce, apologize, or accommodate what these people are manipulating you to do. It takes courage to do so. (If you are wrong, admit it, but if you know you’re not wrong, don’t give them power over you.)

“When you try to manage how people will respond to you, it won’t be long before you’re no longer true to what you believe and you will lose ability to help anyone.” —Rick Thomas

Conditions for Cancellation

1 – Counselors who want a wider audience will associate with organizations that can give them that needed bump. The desire to build a ministry is more significant than personal autonomy and independent thought. They compromise themselves little by little because they don’t want to be in disfavor (Hebrews 13:13).

2 – People who want to build a ministry (i.e., reputation or brand) will throttle their message to keep from any unfavorable responses from those who have the power to promote them. Their desire for popularity or ministry expansion has more appeal than personal integrity.

3 – Individuals in authoritarian organizations know better to speak out against the leadership of the organization. They self-censor—Bari Weiss article. The fear of the consequences is more significant than personal integrity, even if they watch their friends go under the bus.

These illustrations are conditions for the cancel culture to rule your life. There are others. Any person with an ounce of selfish ambition, craving for approval, or fear of losing worldly fame, status, or riches may succumb to the cancel culture.

The Right Thing

  • Those who resist the cancel culture are freer and happier, though they might not see as much worldly “success.”
  • Those who succumb are in bondage and have a facade of happiness, and their reward ends with Solomonic vanity.

Call to Action

Most of us will not show up on the elites’ radar. But all of us are susceptible to the cancel culture. It could be in your marriage, family, church, online, organization, work, school, or community. The cancel culture is synonymous with any person who has power over another, whether that power is self-assumed or given to them because of what they can “do to you.”

  1. Who has power over you? Why does it happen? What will you do about it?
  2. Are you part of an organization that you disagree with, but you’re afraid to speak out against the power brokers? If so, you must examine why this is happening and ask God to strengthen you to do the right thing.
  3. Are you part of an authoritative church culture, and you’re not speaking up even though souls are hurting? If so, will you change and then make a plan to change things or find a better environment to flourish?
  4. For some of you, it’s more complicated. Perhaps your first recourse is to reach out to someone to discuss the best path forward. If we can serve you this way, please let us know.

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