“I have never commented on the ‘Bart de Pauw’ case, but I now want to comment on the person Bart De Pauw”, she starts. “The message has just come in that he has been admitted after an attempted suicide. His wife speaks of a combination of sadness, shame and anger that drove him this far.”
El Kaouakibi indicates that she knows what it is like to be canceled and warns that society has gone too far. “The cancellation was meant as a means of accountability, social justice. That’s fine. But just take into account that it can also lead to reputational damage, emotional stress, financial stress, social isolation or worse. That it can drive people to something worse.”
She calls to think about the impact of what you say. “When a public person falls, we go full steam ahead without thinking about the impact on that person, his or her well-being and his or her environment. Please think about the impact of your message on someone’s life.”
