The Case for Cancel Culture

How This Democratic Tool Works to Liberate Us All

By: Ernest Owens

Narrated by: Ernest Owens

This program is read by the author.

"A necessary discourse about power and control, and who ultimately has a voice versus whose is often stifled."—Preston D. Mitchum, LGBTQIA attorney, activist, and adjunct professor of law at Georgetown University

The first major case for cancel culture as a fundamental means of democratic expression throughout history, and timely necessity aimed at combating systems of oppression.

“___ is canceled.”

Chances are, you’ve heard this a lot lately. What might’ve once been a niche digital term has been legitimized in the discourse of presidents, politicians, and lawmakers.

But what really is cancel culture? Blacklisting celebrities? Censorship? Until now, this has been the general consensus in the media. But it’s time to raise the bar on our definition— to think of cancel culture less as scandal or suppression, and more as an essential means of democratic expression and accountability.

The Case for Cancel Culture does just that. This cultural critique from award-winning journalist Ernest Owens offers a fresh progressive lens in favor of cancel culture as a tool for activism and change. Using examples from politics, pop culture, and his own personal experience, Owens helps readers reflect on and learn the long history of canceling (spoiler: the Boston Tea Party was cancel culture); how the left and right uniquely equip it as part of their political toolkits; how intersections of society wield it for justice; and ultimately how it levels the playing field for the everyday person’s voice to matter.

Why should we care? Because in a world where protest and free speech are being challenged by the most powerful institutions, those without power deserve to understand the nuance and importance of this democratic tool available to them. Readers will walk away from this first-of-its-kind exploration not despising cancel culture but embracing it as a form of democratic expression that’s always been leading the charge in liberating us all.

"An important tool for all times, and for anyone looking to learn how to have the difficult but necessary conversations about race, injustice, inequality, and oppression."—Dawn Ennis, award-winning journalist, advocate, and university professor

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press.

©2023 Ernest Owens (P)2023 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

"Journalist Owens debuts with an incisive defense of cancel culture... his arguments are thought-provoking and well supported. The result is an invigorating survey of a hot-button political issue."—Publishers Weekly

“So much of the political landscape within the United States is steeped in false equivalences. The term “Cancel Culture” gets thrown around as a Boogey Man to strike fear into the hearts of many, without any analysis of what is actually being named. The Case for Cancel Culture is clear and honest about what Cancel Culture is (and isn’t) and is necessary in the fight for critical thought.”—J Mase III, author of The Black Trans Prayer Book

“The Case for Cancel Culture is not just essential at this juncture in time, it's an important tool for all times, and for anyone looking to learn how to have the difficult but necessary conversations about race, injustice, inequality and oppression. What Ernest Owens does in his book is what he's been doing for all the years he's been writing: He gives voice to the voiceless and amplifies the message of the marginalized. The powers that be fear two things: Getting knocked from their perch, and Owens, who shows us the way.”—Dawn Ennis, award-winning journalist, advocate and university professor

Whatever you think this book is about, you’re wrong

Yes, it’s a book making the Case FOR Cancel Culture. But it’s so much more than that. This book is a nuanced study of the history and future of cancel culture.
Whatever preconceived notions you have about the book, you should put aside. And listen.
Because, ultimately, that’s what this book is about. Listening to the voices of marginalized people when they call out hatred and bigotry.
In a far-ranging study, Owens takes us from the Boston Tea Party to Gandhi’s Salt March to the Montgomery bus boycott to Black Lives Matter, the #MeToo movement, and beyond.
There is hope and humor along the way that will energize you to believe in democracy again.

Case Made: Ernest Owns It

A must listen if you’re living. EO shows us the kaleidoscope of society’s historical handling of accountability.

I laughed out loud but I don’t think I was supposed to

When Ernest compares his fued with Justin Timberlake to the brave protest of Colin Kaepernick, I spit out my coffee laughing out loud. Ernest defines cancel culture by citing examples of successful protests along history- the Boston tea party was apparently cancel culture! Doxing, stalking, online bullying, public humiliation, that isn’t cancel culture according to Ernest, but that is the story of all the cancelled people I know. Ernest doesn’t get into that side of things. He also claims only the rich and powerful can be cancelled but when I came to his discussion about the book to talk about examples of regular working class people who have had their lives devastated by this phenomenon, he claimed they probably all deserved the cruelty rained down on them and said it didn’t matter because of all the good things cancel culture does. I am still unclear how fear of public shaming causes real and true transformation, but what do I know, I’m just a 12 stepper. After attending the author’s discussion and having what I thought was a productive conversation, I went to tag him in an invitation to be on a podcast with other leftists with opposing viewpoints and saw he had looked me up on instagram to preemptively block me. What a joke. Ernest, I don’t plan on bullying you online like you do to others, you don’t have to block me, but I do think you should have done a little more research on the devastating effects cancel culture has had on leftist organizations. If you’re a leftist wanting to know more, check out the podcast f*cking cancelled.