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Why Cancel Culture Threatens the Future of Genuine Art
Artists vs. Distractions: How to capture attention without losing purpose
If Mark Twain were alive today, he would likely be upset by our culture, where artists often hesitate to create genuine art. Instead, many seem focused on entertaining the masses while trying not to offend a few loud voices that could potentially “cancel” them.
I feel more strongly about this than ever as I watch Kevin Hart’s special on Netflix while he receives the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at The Kennedy Center. Hart is one of the few artists who came close to being canceled due to some of his older jokes, yet he never shied away from taking responsibility. He acknowledges that it’s important to step back, educate oneself, and continue creating art. He is not afraid to keep making art and entertaining people.
In an interview with Emma Powys Maurice from Pink News, he said, “If somebody has done something truly damaging, then a consequence should be attached. But when you’re talking about nonsense? When you’re saying, ‘Somebody said! They need to be taken down!’ Shut the f**k up! What are you talking about?”
This raises an important question: Is Kevin Hart an entertainer, an artist, or both? Isn’t being an entertainer a natural byproduct of…
