Nellie Bowles Recounts Journey Breaking Free from Cancel Culture

Nellie Bowles, a former New York Times reporter, delves into her personal experience with cancel culture in her new book "Morning After the Revolution," detailing how her initial support for the "movement" turned into a realization of its excesses.

Nellie Bowles, a former New York Times reporter, opens up about her journey of grappling with cancel culture and her eventual decision to break away from it in her new book, "Morning After the Revolution."

Bowles's journey began when she joined the Times in 2017, eager to embrace the progressive "movement" that had taken hold within the newsroom. However, her enthusiasm was short-lived as she witnessed the movement's increasingly extreme tactics, including the widespread use of social media to attack and ostracize those with differing views.

One pivotal moment occurred in June 2020, when the Times published an op-ed by Senator Tom Cotton advocating for the use of the military to quell the George Floyd riots. The backlash from within the newsroom was swift and severe, with many staffers demanding that editors who allowed the op-ed to be published be fired.

Bowles recalls the overwhelming pressure she felt to join the chorus of condemnation, even though she did not believe the op-ed warranted such a response. Her refusal to tweet the predetermined message drew the ire of her colleagues, marking a turning point in her relationship with the movement.

Another incident that profoundly impacted Bowles was the firing of Donald McNeil Jr., a veteran science reporter who had been smeared over an isolated incident involving the use of a racial slur during an educational trip. Bowles witnessed firsthand the ruthless and public shaming of McNeil, a respected journalist who had dedicated his life to the Times.

These experiences led Bowles to question the underlying principles of cancel culture. She realized that the movement's demand for purity and conformity was impossible to meet, and that it allowed for even the smallest of transgressions to be used as justification for severe punishment.

In her book, Bowles admits to participating in cancel culture herself, even playing a role in the attempted ostracism of one of her friends. However, she ultimately underwent a profound transformation, rejecting the idea that individuals should be judged solely by their mistakes.

Bowles left the Times in 2021 and now runs The Free Press with her wife, Bari Weiss, who resigned from the Times amid allegations of bullying and suppression of dissenting views. Bowles is grateful for the support she received from her family and friends, despite their initial skepticism about her career choices.

Bowles believes that her experience is a cautionary tale about the dangers of movements that demand unwavering loyalty and punish deviation. She hopes that her book will prompt readers to question the wisdom of cancel culture and to embrace a more nuanced and forgiving approach to dealing with those who hold differing beliefs.