Well I knew I was in trouble now
I Lost on Jeopardy, “Weird” Al Yankovic
My hope of winning sank
‘Cause I got the Daily Double now
And then my mind went blank
I took Potpourri for one hundred
And then my head started to spin
Well, I’m givin’ up. Don Pardo
Just tell me now what I didn’t win
Yeah, yeah
Been thinking, just now, about cancel culture.
Specifically, Mike Richards. The former EP and successor to Alex Trebek got fired over comments he’d made on a podcast (I think) close to a decade ago. I dunno what bothers me more: becoming a villain for something you once said, as a joke or not, and not being able to defend yourself and make amends, or how quick to judgment we are when someone above us missteps.
Better people than I can argue both sides of cancel culture. I’m not going to defend it, but I’m not going to condemn it either. But shit, people. We evolve. Or die. We can’t stay still as a human being. Who I was at 16 has no connection to how I am at almost early retirement age. (And I’m never gonna be able to retire, let’s make that clear.) Okay, I’ve formed long-term connections and friendships, but honestly those happened in my early 20s. I can count on one hand the number of friends I’m in contact with after high school. And Cedarbrae’s 60th anniversary is coming up in 2022 and I’m gonna go, and be amazed at the flood of memories and reconnections. Even if it’s just for the one day.
Right. Tangent.
People evolve. We’re (okay, 99% of us) are always learning new things and reconsidering long-held opinions and beliefs. The best of us actually can have our thoughts on a particular subject changed to align with
Christ. That was some boring shit I was about to spout.
And not at all what this post was supposed to be about.
When will I be cancelled?
I’m sure I’ve behaved poorly in the past. Whether I was sober, drunk, or stoned. I will have undoubtedly insulted/belittled some [insert your trigger here]. And at the time, I may have believed it.
I’m 99% positive that I don’t any longer.
Because I grew up. I matured.
Hell, I’m still maturing. May I never stop.
And I’m extremely sorry and embarrassed for my words and/or behaviour.
Will I still get cancelled? Do I deserve to be cancelled?
Or can my words and actions today, when the ugliness surfaced from possibly decades earlier, prove that I deserve a second chance?
Yeah.
Try living with that in your head.
The Bloody Doors Off 
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