Former President Obama sat down with CNN’s Anderson Cooper Monday night to discuss everything from the current state of American politics to the volatile social reckonings happening in young communities. Of the many issues dividing Americans today that were brought up in the interview, one of specific interest is cancel culture, which has been a hot button issue from celebrities who blast it as “boring” to politicians who vow to “cancel cancel culture.” On the topic, which socially and professionally ostracizes those who have a history of offensive behavior or making offensive statements, the former President finds that it surely has its uses in some contexts, but often extends too far in expecting every member of society to act perfectly.
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“I think that a lot of the dangers of cancel culture and we’re just going to be condemning people all the time,” the 44th President said. Though he thinks that it is applicable in some circumstances where discrimination must be condemned, he finds that more exaggerated examples of cancel culture serve to undermine true activism.
Still, he is optimistic sees hope for the future in the experiences of his daughters Sasha and Malik: “at least among my daughters they will acknowledge sometimes among their peer group or in college campuses you’ll see folks going overboard.” The damages of going “overboard” though are small compared to the real change and dialogue happening between young people. This is pulling the country in a more equitable direction, Obama believes.
In 2019, the former President spoke similarly about “woke culture” which he found as a poor substitute for activism.
Do you think cancel culture can go too far? Let us know. Watch the interview clip via TMZ below.