Society Doesn't Really Want Redemption
One public figure says she's out on that destructive approach
Is the court of public opinion (COPO) much more fair and reliable than the legal courts? People’s conclusions vary. Some say the COPO is much more just. Other people will argue that the facts, evidence and proof in that type of “ruling body” are secondary or unimportant compared to negative emotions, biases and feelings.
“We’re very quick to judge and discard people, instead of allowing them the chance to redeem themselves,” actress Zoe Saldaña recently told Annabel Nugent, who interviewed her for The Independent.
Humans are known to develop angry rigidity in their thinking when they are triggered emotionally and some go so far, in certain cognitive storms, to become emotionally flooded, a state of mind where reason is not ruling our thinking.
Our executive functioning is operating at a compromised level.
Yes, people quickly judge without a commitment to learning more and being flexible if need be to alter their conclusions. Yes, people discard others prematurely before they seek to thoroughly understand and decide more logically. Yes, we choose to reject any opportunity for people to redeem themselves.
This is not about the most egregious of actions where the facts, evidence and proof are clear, overwhelming and without doubt. This is about issues that are not the most heinous of behavior in society and about when gut feelings are highly likely to be incorrect, and that happens.
Watch online and notice when someone is later found to be not responsible or “guilty” for that for which they were harshly judged and punished. It’s near crickets.
Admittance to jumping to conclusions and full apologies are nowhere to be found.
In the past, Saldaña confesses she sided more with what is known as cancel culture. She told Nugent that that’s because there is a desperation when you’re younger to define yourself by defining what you are not.
However, Saldaña didn’t want to be that person any longer. She instead wanted to evolve so she began to elevate her thinking processes.
“I don’t want to be part of that group who sever people at the knees or assassinate someone’s character so easily,” Saldaña says.
This goes against what a segment of society prefers to do and enjoys doing. So she is swimming against the current, so to speak, by not wanting to rashly “discard people” and deny them any type of chance at redemption. She doesn’t want people to be banished through premature assassination of character.
A question to ponder is whether society will become more discerning, even slightly more, in matters of the court of its public opinion rulings and “sentencing” it pushes.
This newsletter — Reputation Intelligence — is written by Michael Toebe, and is a product of Reputation Intelligence - Reputation Quality, a firm which helps individuals and organizations assure a greater peace of mind, provide stress relief through reliable decision analysis, consulting, advisory and communications.
Professional analysis and opinion — consulting — advisory
Reputation Communications — Defamation Response — Speaking Engagements
Crisis Communications — Crisis Management
