Becoming A Better Person Requires Holding Yourself Accountable
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

Becoming A Better Person Requires Holding Yourself Accountable

Growth means acknowledging mistakes, not hiding them.

285
Becoming A Better Person Requires Holding Yourself Accountable

With the Black Lives Matter movement initiating more conversation on effective allyship, more people have taken to social media to condemn "cancel culture." The main issue with cancel culture is that "canceling" people with a problematic past allows little space for learning and growing. Rather than engaging in cancel culture, many have encouraged allowing people to educate themselves and become better people. While I agree that people should also be encouraged to learn, that doesn't mean that their past mistakes should be dismissed or looked over either. Accountability is necessary for personal growth, and people need to be held responsible for their harmful words and actions. Being "canceled" doesn't allow for growth, but neither does excusing mistakes with the assumption that someone is a different person now.

People who have large platforms and followings especially need to take responsibility for their actions. It's not enough to excuse them with the assumption that they're not the same person now or that they've changed. For example, TikTok user @riridoesthings was recently called out on Twitter by Davon Clark, a former partner, who brought her past racism and biphobia to light. Clark stated that when he reached out to @riridoesthings about her past behavior, she was resistant to apologizing in fear of damaging her image and her platform -- a platform that she, a non-Black person, built from anti-racist activism during the recent surge in the Black Lives Matter movement. Her resistance to holding herself accountable for the sake of keeping up an image is extremely telling. Some have come to her defense with the excuse that she must have changed since then, but her inability to take responsibility for her past actions until she was pressured to do so calls into question how much she has actually changed.

Instances such as this one highlight the importance of personal accountability. If @riridoesthings is unwilling to acknowledge and apologize for her past mistakes because she doesn't want to risk ruining her image, then her motives as an activist appear performative: her priority is herself and not the community she claims to support. If she can't even admit to her past mistakes and her own internalized anti-Blackness, how much could she have grown? How would she have been able to change if she was never willing to acknowledge what, exactly, needed to change? "Canceling" someone isn't productive, but that doesn't mean we should stop holding people accountable for their actions. Growth means acknowledging mistakes, not hiding them.

People's reactions to their past mistakes are always telling of how much they have truly grown. If someone's response to being confronted with their past is to become defensive or make excuses for themselves and deflect responsibility, they clearly haven't been able to hold themselves accountable and understand why their actions were harmful. People are allowed to make mistakes, but becoming a better person means they need to take full responsibility for those mistakes.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

19 Lessons I'll Never Forget from Growing Up In a Small Town

There have been many lessons learned.

71181
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

133145
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments