Life is fickle
Having lived for over half a century I've seen things happen and lives change suddenly. Just this morning I came across an email which was a poorly disguised phishing request. I double checked my credit history, verified that the email was the worst kind of junk mail, deleted it and got on with my life. But what if it was actually someone who committed identity fraud, opened an account in my name and generally made my life miserable. My life would change irrevocably for the next year or longer because of something I have absolutely no control over.
Or perhaps I can look at a good friend of mine when I was younger. He went to university as an exceptionally bright individual but in one party he smoked one joint of something he shouldn't have, it was laced with drugs better never tried, had a psychotic break and for the rest of his life he was unable to function on his own. A single act and a life forever changed.
Sometimes it isn't even something done by another. The pharmacy job I currently have is because of another's misfortune. The pharmacist worked his shift looking forward to go on a flight to Las Vegas after work. When he got off work he was feeling poorly so he went to the hospital. There he was diagnosed with an aortic tear. He never got to Las Vegas, and was never able to move his arms or legs again.
The sad thing is that lives can change in the blink of an eye. Sometimes because of an accident. Sometimes because of another person's actions. Sometimes because of a bad decision. Sometimes something totally random.
But Hive Learners asked about "Cancel Culture". Is it fair to get cancelled because you did something offensive? On the one hand it is mob rule changing a person's life without due process of law. On the other hand they did something offensive and should be punished.
Cancel Culture
Now I can honestly say that being "Cancelled" isn't really something that I fear. I have a virtually non-existent social media profile. True, I'm on Hive and could be cancelled here. Indeed I've had a couple run in's with the Hive Watchers which could have ended my run on Hive but honestly? Being cancelled would not change my life much at all.
However, other people need their social media, their brand, or their public persona in order to secure their livelihood. I could come up with a lot of different public examples but I'll single out Will Smith and the slap heard around the entertainment circles. He is a very talented and in demand actor who went from working regularly to being cancelled virtually overnight.
I think it fair to say that one slap cost him an awful lot.
But is it fair?
In my opinion? Yes
I'm a Pharmacist. If I screw up and someone dies? My reputation takes an instant hit, my job could be forfeit and my professional life could be over very quickly.
My son is an electrician. If my son is on the Lo-To crew and makes an error? He could be electrocuted with extreme voltage and current. If he is lucky he is singed and reprimanded. If he is not I could quickly lose a son.
Influencers, movie stars, corporate executives, media personalities and the like? They just have a different mechanism whereby they can lose everything in a heartbeat. Saying the wrong thing? Having said something wrong in the past? Getting mad and slapping someone? One incident and the end of a career. Just like me giving out the wrong medicine or my son crossing wires and poof instant problem.
Consequences
I personally believe it is just a sad part of life. Things happen. If a pharmacist doesn't take due care with medication? If an electrician doesn't take due care with wire? If a media presence doesn't take due care with words? There are severe consequences. It is absolutely a bummer but it is absolutely legitimate.
Of course that is assuming that the person actually made the mistake. In today's world sometimes it only takes the hint of an issue or a rumor of a mistake for someone to get cancelled, taken to court, or otherwise run into issues.
However, that is a topic for another discussion. For today? Thanks for reading this far and as always I love comments if you care to leave them. Thank you.