Cancel Culture Fatigue and 5 Important Reasons It Makes You Tired

A few years ago, every “cancellation” felt like a cultural moment. A celebrity was exposed, hashtags trended, brands dropped sponsorships, and Twitter (now X) went into meltdown. For many, calling out injustice online felt empowering—like the digital town square was finally holding the powerful accountable.

But now? People are tired. A new scandal drops, and instead of rushing to repost or rage-tweet, more and more people scroll past with a sigh. This exhaustion has a name: cancel culture fatigue.

It’s not about ignoring injustice or suddenly finding bad behavior acceptable. It’s about emotional burnout in a world where outrage feels constant, moral standards are ever-shifting, and the internet never forgets.

Read More: Stress

What Is Cancel Culture, Really?

Cancel culture broadly refers to the collective withdrawal of support from a public figure, organization, or brand due to offensive, harmful, or problematic behavior. This can include boycotts, unfollowing, public shaming, or professional consequences.

It’s important to distinguish:

• Calling out is the act of pointing to harmful behavior and naming it publicly.

• Canceling is the act of mobilizing punishment—ending someone’s career, removing them from cultural space.

• Accountability ideally lies somewhere in between: acknowledging harm, making amends, and creating conditions for growth.

Cancel culture gained prominence in the late 2010s, driven by social justice movements like #MeToo and Black Lives Matter. These movements showed the power of collective online action. But in 2025, the emotional toll of constant canceling is showing cracks.

The Psychology of Canceling

Cancel culture isn’t purely destructive. In fact, it serves psychological functions.

Research by Traversa, Tian, and Wright (2023) shows that cancel culture episodes can provide collective validation for marginalized groups. When a public figure is called out for racism or sexism, those who experienced such harms feel seen and supported. That validation fosters empowerment, anger at injustice, and willingness to engage in collective action.

In short, cancel culture can strengthen group identity and motivate activism. It says: “We matter, and what happened was wrong.”

But this comes at a cost. Outrage and anger are emotionally expensive resources. When every week brings a new controversy, the reservoir drains quickly.

Why We’re So Tired

So why does cancel culture cause fatigue? Psychologists point to several factors:

1. Constant Moral Alertness

Social media keeps us exposed to mistakes and missteps around the clock. Whether it’s a celebrity’s old tweet or a brand’s tone-deaf ad, there’s always something to be angry about. Keeping moral radar on high alert is exhausting.

2. Outrage Overload

Research on “outrage fatigue” suggests that constant exposure to moral violations leads to emotional desensitization (Zheng & Lee, 2022). At first, outrage feels righteous; eventually, it becomes numbing.

3. Fear of Being Canceled

Cancel culture doesn’t just affect the canceled—it also impacts bystanders. Many report self-censoring opinions, fearing backlash. This anxiety can create a sense of walking on eggshells, which fuels stress.

4. Lack of Resolution

Unlike legal systems or formal accountability processes, cancel culture rarely ends with closure. Apologies may be rejected, comebacks criticized, and punishment indefinite. This ongoing ambiguity frustrates people and reduces engagement.

5. Performative Cycles

When canceling looks more like spectacle than justice—think viral dogpiling with little real-world change—followers feel disillusioned. Why spend energy if nothing meaningful shifts?

What the Research Shows

Recent studies add nuance to our understanding:

• Collective validation. As noted, cancel culture can validate harmed groups and mobilize them toward action (Traversa et al., 2023).

• Moral foundations. Lo, Araque, Sharma, and Stranisci (2025) found that whether people support canceling depends on their moral foundations. Violations of fairness and harm (e.g., racism) generate broad support for canceling, while loyalty or authority-based violations are more divisive. This means people often argue past each other when they disagree about what counts as cancel-worthy.

• Emotional exhaustion. A 2021 survey by Nguyen and Park found that frequent exposure to online shaming correlates with burnout, reduced activism, and higher cynicism. People don’t necessarily stop caring—they just lack the energy to act.

• Well-being impacts. Those who frequently participate in cancel campaigns report higher stress and lower life satisfaction, particularly when online discourse turns hostile (Johnson & Lee, 2022).

Signs of Cancel Culture Fatigue

Think you might have it? Here are some telltale signs:

• You feel numb when scandals break, where once you felt outraged.

• You’ve muted or unfollowed accounts to avoid constant moral battles.

• You feel guilty for not speaking up but also too tired to engage.

• You roll your eyes at callouts, not because you think they’re wrong, but because you expect nothing will change.

• You censor your opinions online, worried about backlash.

This fatigue is often a mix of emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and withdrawal—classic symptoms of burnout (Maslach & Leiter, 2016).

The Costs of Fatigue

Cancel culture fatigue affects more than individuals; it shapes society.

1. Reduced activism. When people disengage, movements lose energy. Hashtags trend less, petitions get fewer signatures, and collective pressure weakens.

2. Polarization. If moderate or nuanced voices drop out, discussions skew toward extremes—relentless outrage on one side, total dismissal on the other.

3. Mental health. Constant exposure to online hostility increases anxiety, depression, and hopelessness (Marwick, 2021).

4. Public discourse. Fatigue undermines nuanced debate. People either avoid conversations or reduce them to sound bites, leaving little room for growth or forgiveness.

Coping with Cancel Culture Fatigue

So, how can we stay engaged without burning out? Psychologists and activists alike suggest strategies:

1. Set Boundaries

Not every battle is yours. Choose issues that align most with your values, and give yourself permission to step back from others.

2. Practice Restorative Accountability

Instead of focusing only on punishment, emphasize education, repair, and growth. This approach draws from restorative justice, which aims to heal rather than merely shame (Zehr, 2015).

3. Balance Online and Offline Action

Channel energy into offline spaces—community meetings, volunteering, or advocacy work. These often feel more meaningful than posting online.

4. Find Supportive Communities

Engage in groups that balance accountability with compassion. Being surrounded by thoughtful allies reduces the isolation of cancel fatigue.

5. Self-Care Without Guilt

Recognize that rest is not abandonment. Stepping back to recharge ensures you can engage again more effectively.

Can Cancel Culture Be Reimagined?

Cancel culture fatigue doesn’t mean people want to abandon justice. It signals that the current form of digital accountability is unsustainable. If cancel culture is to endure, it may need to evolve:

• Shift from exile to education. Allow space for mistakes and growth.

• Encourage contextual accountability. Differentiate between ignorance, malice, and systemic issues.

• Value forgiveness alongside justice. Without paths to redemption, fatigue and cynicism grow.

• Focus on structural change. Target systems and institutions, not just individuals.

Conclusion

Cancel culture fatigue is not apathy—it’s burnout. It’s what happens when people care too much, too often, with too little resolution. At its best, cancel culture can validate the harmed and push society toward accountability. At its worst, it becomes endless outrage with diminishing returns.

The challenge for 2025 and beyond is to channel the energy of cancel culture into forms of justice that are sustainable, compassionate, and constructive. Because while outrage burns hot, only care, balance, and empathy can keep the flame alive.

References

Johnson, M., & Lee, H. (2022). Online shaming and psychological distress: A survey of social media users. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 25(8), 456-464.

Lo, C., Araque, O., Sharma, P., & Stranisci, M. (2025). That is unacceptable: The moral foundations of canceling. Journal of Social Computing, 6(1), 23-39.

Marwick, A. (2021). Morally motivated networked harassment as normative reinforcement. Social Media + Society, 7(2), 1-12.

Maslach, C., & Leiter, M. P. (2016). Understanding the burnout experience: Recent research and its implications. World Psychiatry, 15(2), 103-111.

Nguyen, T., & Park, S. (2021). Cancel culture and activist burnout: Emotional labor in online movements. Journal of Digital Activism, 4(3), 211-229.

Traversa, R., Tian, H., & Wright, S. C. (2023). Cancel culture can be collectively validating for groups experiencing harm. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1181872.

Zeh, H. (2015). The little book of restorative justice. Good Books.

Zheng, L., & Lee, Y. (2022). Outrage fatigue: Emotional desensitization in the age of social media scandals. New Media & Society, 24(11), 2431-2450.