Key Highlights
- The article discusses the phenomenon of “cancel culture” and suggests that it is driven by envy rather than moral principle.
- Kate Clanchy, a writer whose memoir faced criticism for its language, became a target of online hate campaigns.
- The author argues that successful individuals are often targeted in social media attacks due to unreasoning jealousy.
- Psychological studies and historical examples support the idea that envy is a deep-rooted human emotion that can manifest in professional contexts.
The Battle of Ideas or the Battle of Envy?
The term “cancel culture” has become synonymous with the social media-driven denunciation and shaming of public figures. However, journalist James Marriott argues that this phenomenon may be less about a battle of ideas and more about an age-old emotion: envy.
Case Study: Kate Clanchy’s Experience
In 2021, writer Kate Clanchy faced a significant backlash for her Orwell Prize-winning memoir, “Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me.” Critics condemned the book’s descriptions of children with “chocolate-coloured skin” and “almond-shaped eyes,” branding Clanchy as “KKKClanchy” on Twitter. The criticism eventually led to her parting ways with her publisher and nearly causing her suicide.
The Psychology Behind Envy
Marriott suggests that envy is a powerful emotion that can drive individuals to punish the success of others, often cloaked in the guise of moral principle. He cites studies by neuroscientists, such as those reported in Will Storr’s book “The Status Game,” which show that when participants read about highly successful individuals, brain regions associated with pain are activated, while pleasure systems light up when these same individuals experience demotion.
This psychological phenomenon is further supported by historical examples. In hunter-gatherer societies, successful individuals were often shamed to maintain a culture of equality. Similarly, in the modern era, social media platforms provide an effective mechanism for punishing those who achieve success too quickly or too easily.
Envy in the Age of Social Media
The rise of social media has exacerbated these dynamics by providing both incentives for boasting and mechanisms for exclusion. Successful writers like Bari Weiss and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie faced backlash from younger, less successful colleagues around the same time they gained prominence.
Marriott argues that the 2021 cancellation of Kate Clanchy was not a story about social justice or “the battle of ideas,” but rather a predictable narrative driven by envy. The so-called “cultural revolution” and “generational moral shift” were, in fact, manifestations of this basic human emotion.
Conclusion
The Dark Forces of Envy
The article concludes that while it is important to address social justice issues, the dark forces of envy cannot be ignored. Marriott warns against revisiting a time when concern about social justice opened up opportunities for dangerous resentments to flourish. He emphasizes that an advanced civilization must find ways to limit the destruction envy can wreak on society without stifling success.
