Many, many people have complained about being “canceled” in the last couple of years, including (don’t worry, I don’t plan to cue-up Billy Joel’s We Didn’t Start the Fire to accompany the recitation of this very long list, compiled from a couple of random websites, complete with their alleged transgressions): Ellen DeGeneres (toxic workplace); J.K. Rowling (transphobia); Harvey Weinstein (sexual abuse); Kevin Spacey (sexual abuse); Louis C.K. (sexual abuse); R. Kelly (sexual abuse); Chris Noth (you know, Sex And The City’s Mr. Big character) - sexual assault; Chrissy Teigen (bullying); Johnny Depp (domestic abuse); Marilyn Manson (sexual abuse); Justin Timberlake (this one was confusing to me - his failings appear to include: shaming Britney Spears in a music video, and avoiding backlash for Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunction during the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show); Piers Morgan (mental health issue skepticism? As it pertains to Meghan Markle - ah, now it makes sense); Lea Michele (racism); Sia (a singer, apparently) - tone-deaf depiction of autism; Matt Damon (homophobia); Chris Pratt (overexposure in movies and extreme conservative values - huh?); DaBaby (a rapper - c’mon, try and keep up) - homophobia and misogyny; Ellie Kemper (white supremacist-sponsored beauty pageant winner - that one’s kind of amusing to me); Dave Chappelle (transphobia and sexism); Armie Hammer (sexual abuse); Alec Baldwin (movie set killing); Travis Scott (continuing to perform at a concert while ten people were crushed to death in the audience); Mike Richards (Jeopardy producer) - sexism and harassment; Joe Rogan (offensive comments); Dr. Seuss (racial insensitivity); Eminem (offensive lyrics); “Central Park Karen” (racism); Uncle Ben, Aunt Jemima, and Mrs. Butterworth (providing delicious food products - just kidding - the charge is actually perpetuating racist stereotypes); Washington Redskins (racist stereotype); Jimmy Fallon (blackface incident); and Columbus Day (genocide of native people).
I’m sure you could probably compile a list of others at least as long as this one, but you get the idea: “Cancel Culture” is a patently real (or, imagined-to-be-real) thing.
Firstly, I think there are a number of notable omissions from this list. I would argue for the inclusion of Matt Lauer (sexual harassment); Andrew Cuomo (sexual harassment); Chris Cuomo (sexual harassment - what, did they get a family group rate?); Bill Cosby (sexual assault); Jussie Smollett (hate crime fabrication); and Colin Kaepernick (protesting racism).
Next, I might argue that some of the people listed have not really been canceled. After all, Joe Rogan just inked a $100 million podcast deal with Spotify - if that’s being canceled, sign me up, man! And, Jimmy Fallon likely won’t be sidetracked by a 20-year-old blackface incident. And, Justin Timberlake - how does that stuff even add up to disqualifying events? I mean, it’s not as if he was declared the winner of a white supremacist-sponsored beauty pageant.
But, in order to truly mine the depths of today’s topic, I think we need to step back and examine what cancelling really means. The implication of being canceled is that one was happily proceeding on a career trajectory, which was providing satisfaction to the individual, in the form of monetary, fame acknowledgment, or spiritual rewards, and that some happenstance derailed that opportunity, deservedly or not.
That assumption implies that the universe (i.e. the will and the whims of the people) owes you such rewards. Unless your name begins with a “K” and ends with “ardashian,” I don’t believe that to be the case. Whatever rewards you have enjoyed, whether through your hard work, or your family and friends connections, or by having a lap into which these rewards simply fell, are transitory, and are subject to being removed.
I think this is probably a good time to remind ourselves of the importance of Rule No. 2 (“Don’t be a douchebag”): it’s not just a critical element in being a respectable human, but, clearly there are negative career-growth implications of becoming a serial Rule No. 2 violator (yet another band name for consideration). This is not to minimize the clear criminal acts allegedly committed by some of Billy Joel’s list above - that’s a whole other kettle of fish (now, I’m truly surprised that there has never been a band named, “Kettle of Fish”).
So, that’s cancel culture. And, as you can see, I don’t have a lot of patience for the cacophony of cancel culture claims, which have become ubiquitous. That is, until I myself became victimized by this scourge.
In the space of one week, I had my electric bass lesson canceled (music teacher personal issue); my scheduled echocardiogram was canceled (equipment maintenance); and my flight to Vermont was canceled (snowstorm affecting flights).
I now see what my fellow victims of cancel culture have been subjected to - I get it - I feel your pain. Being canceled in this manner leaves scars that cannot be healed, and one is overcome with a feeling of hopelessness, and the sense that life will never be normal again. I mean, yes, my bass lesson and my echocardiogram and my trip to Vermont have all been rescheduled, but that’s not really the point.
I can only hope that, with an extended amount of time spent wallowing in the depths of despair, and the solace to be found in excessive drinking, and perhaps even professional counseling, I can muster up the courage to face my demons, and mount a comeback effort, which will result in my overcoming this damning cancellation which is exacting its toll.
Please, pray for me.
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