A lot of it is performative- two friends of mine have been rabidly anti-JK Rowling since forever - but they also really really really wanted Hogwarts Legacy when it came out. They brushed over the cognitive dissonance very easily.

Another friend is forever posting on her instagram about how feminist she is - but when I went away and researched the 'sponsorship' deal she has for wearing a particular brand of clothing for her followers, she said she 'could do better'. I pointed out she could very much do better by not working for a company which exploits low paid textile workers - again.... it's not enough cognitive dissonance.

Most people are far more vocal about the things they think they should think - than do actual thinking. Cancel culture is that, loudly proclaiming allegiance in practice whilst simultaneously disavowing it in practice. Where it is pernicious is when it doesn't cost the individual anything to jump on a bandwagon. If they don't care either way about X, but they'll get kudos for supporting a movement, they'll do that. It's free social proof with zero consequence.

Humans are inherently selfish, stupid and situationally myopic. One of the many reasons I am now a Penguin. :o)