JF

witch-hunting and the second red scare were both conducted/prosecuted by prominent people within institutional power structures: inquisitors in the catholic church (later also various protestant churches) + secular authorities and the HUAC, respectively.

witch-hunting and the red scare were both amplified by the fears of a largely-ignorant populace and were prosecuted to injurious conclusions with little, spurious, or no evidence (at least, none that contemporary, rational people would find valid).

about a year ago, when people were complaining that cancel culture was like the reign of terror, they found much less sympathy. after all, such a comparison places prominent celebrities alongside asshole french aristocrats who had been grinding their peasantry into the dust.

and, again, the comparison rang false because the reign of terror was led by robespierre and the "committee of public safety" -- again, prominent people within an institutional (albeit new) power structure.

if you want to compare cancel culture to historical phenomena, the most appropriate ones i can think of are the jacquerie or the revolution of 1525: peasants who, after being treated like shit for several centuries, formed angry mobs to inflict misery on the aristocracy.

to make that comparison you'd be drawing a line between prominent comedians and a social class that had been oppressing the powerless. more importantly, you'd have to know they happened. most people don't because, like cancel culture vs. comedians, they had little lasting impact.

"you motherfuckers all want to ruin my life!" says (paraphrased) one of the most successful comedians in the world, to his captive audience, during his 5th netflix special.

"this is our safe space, bitches!" says another wealthy comedian at a celebrity roast, as though the joke masks the factual reality of the statement.