1/Since people are talking about cancel culture, I thought I might as well write a thread about it.



Some people say cancel culture doesn't exist. That's obviously wrong. Cancel culture - the practice of ostracizing people for violating cultural norms - has always existed.

2/Excommunication was one of the main threats the Pope used to exert control over temporal leaders.



Proscription was common in ancient Rome. Cicero got cancelled.



Hell, the Salem "witches" got cancelled! The original witch hunt!

3/Nor is cancellation of the rich and famous by the masses anything new.



The practice of famous people getting booted from power by angry mobs is as old as time.