Cancel Culture, Part 1: Where It Came From

<p>In the first of two parts, the New York Times reporter Jonah Bromwich explains the origins of cancel culture and why it’s a 2020 election story worth paying attention to. </p><p>Guest: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/jonah-engel-bromwich" target="_blank">Jonah Engel Bromwich</a>, who writes for the Styles section of The New York Times</p><p>For more information on today’s episode, visit <a href="http://nytimes.com/thedaily" target="_blank">nytimes.com/thedaily </a></p><p>Background reading: </p><ul><li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/28/style/is-it-canceled.html?smid=pc-thedaily" target="_blank">What does it mean to be canceled</a>? It can take only one thing — and sometimes, nothing — for fans to dump a celebrity.</li><li>Many figures in the public eye — including<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/25/arts/music/kanye-west-ye-interview.html?smid=pc-thedaily" target="_blank"> Kanye West</a> and<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/12/style/jk-rowling-transgender-fans.html?smid=pc-thedaily" target="_blank"> J.K. Rowling</a> — have fretted about being, or claimed to have been, canceled. When an<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/07/arts/harpers-letter.html?smid=pc-thedaily" target="_blank"> open letter published by Harper’s</a> and signed by 153 prominent artists warned against an “intolerant climate” engulfing the culture, the reaction was swift.</li><li>The<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/31/us/politics/obama-woke-cancel-culture.html?smid=pc-thedaily" target="_blank"> prevalence of “call-out culture”</a> is something former President Barack Obama has challenged. </li></ul>