Abstract
This study provides an in-depth examination of Etienne van Heerden’s Die biblioteek aan die einde van die wêreld (2019), translated into English as A library to flee (2022), through the lenses of scandalogy and the scapegoat theory. The novel is used as a critical case study to explore the complex dynamics of cancel culture, which serves as a modern mechanism for social punishment, often manifesting as public shaming, ostracism and scapegoating. The article contends that cancel culture, as a powerful force within contemporary society, is deeply intertwined with surveillance technology, facial recognition systems, and the ever-expanding scope of big data, which collectively contribute to a globalised system of social control. Van Heerden’s narrative deftly demonstrates how these technologies reinforce the practice of punitive shaming in a digital society. This is particularly so within a globalised context where online platforms have reshaped public discourse and individual identities.
Central to this analysis is the character of Ian, whose reckless tweet leads to his being scandalised and vilified as a racist. His social punishment, administered through cancel culture, is explored as a form of societal scapegoating that follows the structure described by René Girard in his theory of the scapegoat. Through Ian’s downfall, the novel reveals how social media, digital platforms and the power of viral public outrage work together to magnify an individual’s perceived transgression and to enforce collective mores. Ian’s story sheds light on how cancel culture can become a mechanism for the collective policing of behaviour. Both the offence itself and the public’s reaction are amplified through digital platforms, thus making individuals vulnerable to moral condemnation and social exclusion.
The novel is analysed for how it specifically depicts the intersection between cancel culture and the rapidly expanding digital infrastructure of surveillance and social media. It portrays how data-driven systems – such as facial recognition, algorithms that track online behaviour and the creation of personal data profiles – have become increasingly integral to the public exposure and subsequent punishment of individuals who deviate from accepted moral norms. These technologies, which are increasingly prevalent in a globalised world, form the backdrop for the central narrative of the novel. Through this, Van Heerden illustrates the pervasive nature of cancel culture and its ability to impact not only individual lives but also the broader societal fabric. It is argued that the use of these technologies highlights a shift in how society monitors, disciplines and punishes individuals. It also underscores how this shift has deep implications for the nature of personal identity, privacy and freedom in an age of pervasive surveillance and data collection.
A note at the beginning of the novel provides an idea of what to expect, proclaiming this historical novel as a “first draft” of history with considerable manipulation of real events. Van Heerden is known for making contemporary and current issues a part of his novels to provide the reader with a glimpse into societal systems. Actual events, such as the #FeesMustFall, #CastleMustFall, #RhodesMustFall, #PatriarchyMustFall, and fallism in general, which took place in 2015 and 2016, serve as the backdrop for the novel to ground Van Heerden’s fictional narrative in real-life examples of social upheaval. These movements are incorporated into the story, demonstrating how social media and digital platforms have become central to the organisation and amplification of collective action. At the same time, the novel explores how these platforms can be used as tools for scandalisation and for cancelling those whose actions or opinions are deemed problematic #FeesMustFall , for instance, was a student-led protest against rising university fees and a demand for greater inclusivity and transformation in South African higher education. Through these examples, Van Heerden shows how social media can be both a tool for social change and a weapon for social punishment, depending on one’s position within the moral, political and social landscape.
The author shows how the image of campuses and students has irrevocably changed through scandalisation where, for example, fear leads to “better stay silent” and “we live in the Republic of Taboo”. In China people are warned that certain taboo words should not be used because the surveillance technology is such that a database can be created on each individual, making him or her visible to the authorities.
The article also examines the role of media and digital platforms in creating scandals and amplifying social outrage, within the interdisciplinary field of scandalogy. Scandalogy focuses on the study of the social processes through which individuals or groups are publicly shamed and ostracised for violating societal norms, and how media, especially social media, contribute to the rapid spread of scandals. It is argued that cancel culture represents a modern mechanism of scandal creation, where social punishment is increasingly mediated through online platforms. The accessibility to scandals and the speed at which they can be disseminated globally have altered the nature of public discourse, shifting from private or localised debates to public, viral debates that are subject to constant surveillance and external judgement. In this environment, media becomes not only a tool for information dissemination but also a mechanism for shaping public morality and collective outrage.
A central theme in the novel is the transformation of the concept of identity in the digital age. The traditional understanding of identity as being private is challenged by the public, permanent and often distorted representations of individuals that circulate in the digital sphere. Through Ian’s experience, the novel shows how individuals can be reduced to their digital footprint. Their tweets, online interactions and personal data are constantly scrutinised and judged by a hyper-visible, hyper-vigilant online audience. Scandalisation, scapegoating and public shaming are not limited to individuals, but can be extended to entire communities. It is argued that the fear of being publicly cancelled or humiliated affects how people present themselves in public, both in person and online, influencing not only individual identity but also group identity. The fear of surveillance and exposure leads to self-censorship, and this self-regulation becomes part of the larger societal structures that enforce conformity.
The article also explores the impact of omnipresent surveillance technologies on personal freedom and autonomy. It examines how the increasing use of biometric data, facial recognition and big data analytics creates a surveillance society in which privacy is progressively eroded. In this context, the individual becomes constantly visible, and any perceived offence can lead to social punishment. This development has profound consequences for personal and collective autonomy, as individuals are no longer free to express themselves without the constant threat of being publicly shamed or cancelled. The novel illustrates how the invisible data libraries that store personal information serve as tools of surveillance, and how they contribute to a society where individuals may feel “helpless and in sight”.
The article also addresses the theme of “data colonialism”, with Ian’s perspective on the value of data as “the new oil”. This metaphor underscores the commodification of personal data and the growing power of “data tycoons” who control vast amounts of information about individuals. The novel contrasts this data-driven world with the physical and communal space of Ian’s library in the Karoo, where shared humanity and individual privacy are preserved. The library, situated at the end of a dirt road, represents a sanctuary of personal reflection and collective memory, unlike the invasive digital spaces where individuals are constantly monitored, judged, scapegoated, and potentially cancelled. The article concludes by reflecting on how the dynamics of activism, accountability and social justice have been reshaped in a technology-dominated world, a world where the boundaries between public and private life are increasingly blurred, and where cancel culture represents both a tool for social transformation and a mechanism for control and repression.
This examination of Van Heerden’s novel highlights the powerful interplay between technology, surveillance, cancel culture and identity in contemporary society, demonstrating how the rise of digital platforms has radically altered the way individuals and groups engage with moral and social issues.
Keywords: agency; appropriation; cancel; cancel culture; censorship; data; ethnicity; fallism; freedom of speech; gender; group identity; hegemony and power; identity; language; library; perspective; punitive shaming; race; representation; scandalisation; scandalogy; scapegoat; scapegoating; self-censorship; social media; surveillance technology
- This article’s featured image was created by Gerd Altmann and obtained from Pexels.
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The post Cancel culture as a form of punitive shaming in Etienne van Heerden’s novel Die biblioteek aan die einde van die wêreld first appeared on LitNet.
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