It's called the chilling effect and it happens before things 'go to far'. People get scared to lose their jobs or social standings. And become complicit in their silence.

Their inaction becomes the driving force for change. It is a trick as old as time. Think frog in boiling water analogy. It all happens so slowly that most people will not notice. Those that do are on the fringe and told they are imagining things etc. Then it happens to a point where even idiots can see the reality. But they are complicit out of fear of being the next person cancelled or the fear of having to admit that they were wrong kicks in and keeps them quiet as well.

It's the oldest trick in the fucking book. It's so fucking sad.