„Somnul rațiunii naște monștrii”

Abstract

“Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters”
The sudden appearance of a term imported from across the Atlantic - almost unknown until a few months ago - is spectacular. Cancel culture started with a noble goal, at least on the surface: to suppress those who make racist, homophobic speeches or promote any kind of hatred against a person. During the COVID-19 pandemic, cancel culture began trending again. This concept was made possible with the emergence of the Black Lives Matter, #MeToo and LGBTQ+ movements which were over-promoted on social media platforms like YouTube and Instagram. Each movement uses its own definition, contradicting the others, sowing confusion, and stirring up anger, and contempt. The culture of nullification denies the very notion of truth and leads to extreme polarization in society, resulting in unhealthy violence in debate. These "condemnations" are aimed at university professors, writers, intellectuals, journalists, columnists, producers, actors, and anyone who dares to "offend" certain minorities or the dogmas of certain left-wing circles, even with a left-wing phrase. As a result of this phenomenon of cultural cancellation, books, films, and cartoons have begun to be altered or banned. Journalist, essayist, and researcher Alvaro Vargas Llosa (son of the famous writer Mario Vargas Llosa) believes this practice threatens democracy and is reminiscent of a dictatorship like North Korea.