Oh no! Cancel culture has aimed its fire at SMWP. For the second time the SMWP Twitter account was locked. As you can see below, I was able to find a way to reopen the account, but note the ominous warning: “please review the Twitter Rules and help us maintain a safe environment.”
I’m not sure why I’m getting canceled. But I’m beginning to suspect my three-year old grandson. He sent me the Mr. Potato Head in the picture the other day. He thought Grandpa would enjoy playing with it with him. But now Mr. Potato Head has been canceled. Apparently to avoid gender offense, we are to merely refer to playing with The Potato.
And then there is my wife who is also a suspect. In the picture above you can see some of the Dr. Seuss books we read to our kids, and now grandkids. But, if you haven’t heard, Dr. Seuss has been canceled too.
However, my wife has a secret stash of Seuss books now kept undercover for our family. Hence, I suspect, she could be behind my canceled Twitter account.
There are lots of reasons to be very suspicious of anyone caught with a Mr. Potato Head or Dr. Seuss book these days. Clearly, they operate without modern Woke sensitivity. I will never look at my grandson or wife the same now that I know they may be causing my problem with the Woke police.
To avoid getting canceled in the future, I’ve developed five new Woke money rules for SMWP readers.
The Five New Rules of Money in a Cancel Culture
First, we need to encourage “virtue signaling” through symbolism rather than substance. In the old days, it was virtuous to not display our wealth. Instead, we tried to live frugally and give generously in an anonymous way. No more.
The new times call for new ways. It’s no longer about actually helping anyone. It’s much more about showing we care. For example, a real SMWP follower will want to post a sign in their front yard stating: “Hate is Not Welcome in This House.” That kind of virtue signaling about how much you care can change the world.
And the great thing about this new virtue signaling ethic is that it’s not expensive to post yard signs to signal our care for others. Lower charitable giving leaves lots of extra room in the budget to buy things for ourselves.
What better way to change the world than to drive with a bumper sticker showing concern for an oppressed group. Imagine the impact of showing up with your bumper sticker at the country club in a new Tesla to also show your sensitivity to climate change.
Second, we all need to understand and promote something called Modern Monetary Theory or MMT. MMT teaches there are no consequences to printing all the money the politicians demand for their ideas.
Forget Milton Friedman. He taught that outdated notion that if you print too much money it will generate inflation. Or remember the oppressive nature of the old “deficit hawks?” Why we ever thought prosperity had to be earned through hard work, savings and thrift is a distant memory.
The politicians have another $1.9 trillion spending bill on the way soon, and I’m sure there is more coming behind that. If you are still suffering from lingering vestiges of the old school that deficits matter, it’s time to get on the MMT train as it’s already left the station. Money for any and all.
Third, forget those teachings of old-fashioned guys like Benjamin Franklin or Warren Buffett about deferred gratification, or the wonders of compound interest. Woke life is about living in the moment.
Why not go on that much needed vacation after living through a pandemic. Don’t save for it, just take out more student loans to pay for it. As congress gets ready to forgive all the student loan debt out there, think about how stupid those who worked hard to avoid it will feel.
And can forgiveness of credit card debt be far behind student loan forgiveness? If we don’t take that tropical vacation on credit card debt, think how mad we will be when others get their debt forgiven in due time. Live in the moment, for the moment. Have faith. Tomorrow the politicians will bail us out.
Fourth, figure out how you can claim victimhood rather than how to succeed by overcoming obstacles. Life is so much less stressful if we can blame all our problems on someone else and ignore the opportunities all around us. (Hint: To fully embrace this belief, ignore how disadvantaged people from all over the world want to come to this country to just get the opportunity to succeed.)
The critical theories of Woke theology ensure equity for everyone, not just opportunity. Work on quantifying how much others owe you for the oppression you’ve endured. Nourish your inner victimhood by dwelling on how much others have harmed you.
Fifth, the post-modern roots undergirding Wokeness require belief that everything is a social construct we can create. Embrace the good news. I am barely over six foot tall, which in the past kept me out of the NBA. But today, I am choosing to identify as an NBA caliber player. Tomorrow my truth may decide I am an astronaut.
What a time to be alive! If only I’d known the new rules, I could have avoided all that deferred gratification.
Final Thoughts
It’s time to hit the send button, but I want to switch out of satire mode for a closing comment. While it’s frustrating to see our liberties like free speech being eroded, I think the Woke culture presents some unique opportunities.
Churches, for example, should nurture a culture where people can enjoy open dialogue in a safe environment. It’s hard to imagine in today’s hyper critical culture, but churches have historically, with unfortunate exceptions, been places of acceptance where confession of faults is a virtue.
When free of the fear of being canceled, houses of worship could be a welcome alternative community. One that is not based in fear of who will be offended by an unintentional slight or something said years ago. The assurance of forgiveness from a church would be a stark contrast to the fear of a Woke excommunication without hope of redemption.
I’d love to know if you’ve been cancelled and how you’re adapting your finances to this brave new world! And I promise if we disagree you won’t be canceled from the SMWP community!
Joe Kesler
Thanks for a fun, tongue in cheek look at today’s cancel culture. Who knew life could be so easy? I suspect this will start a revolution in country music with songs like “Of course life promises a rose garden.” I think it was Billy Graham that said: If you find a perfect church, don’t join it, you’d spoil it.” The reality is, we are imperfect human beings striving to get better, and be better then we were yesterday.
Thanks Brian. I have to admit that was a lot of fun writing. And from your comment above it looks like you are extending the possibilities of poking fun at Woke culture! I love it.
Woke thinking is actually soft totalitarianism.
I wonder how much trouble you could get into if you had a BB gun?
Shhh! David, you’re going to get me canceled again!
hi Joe…..enjoy your blog. I think you’re starting to hit your stride with it. Reading your stuff always brings me back to good old Mazoola–lived down in the Bitterroot 25 years, built a couple houses and was a wonderful place to raise my daughter–hiking, drifting the river, building boats, biking, pony club and so on. Every time we drove up to town we had to walk up to the big “M” on the hill. Not sure its still anywhere like it was but always the same in my mind. I like your financial stuff and we think somewhat alike in that regard, I’m an old Boglehead. paul
Thanks for the comments Paul. I’m kind of like a Chamber of Commerce guy, always telling people how great it is to live here. And a great place to raise kids. Let me know if you get back to Big Sky country. We can climb up to the “M” together!
One other thing Paul, I was just looking over your website. You have an impressive line of boats! From your comments above, I assume you make a lot of them? Wow, they look impressive. The Bitterroot runs in front of my house. Will have to start talking to my wife about how we could use one of your boats to take the grandkids out in! Thanks again for sharing.
Well done, Joe! Tongue planted firmly in cheek, which is better than biting down on it in frustration at the thought police. Yes, I took that right from Orwell’s novel “1984”, which also contains this maxim from Big Brother and the Party: “The heresy of heresies was common sense.” A little late, but 1984 has arrived.
So, if there is no longer to be a Mr. Potato Head and a Mrs. Potato Head, will we no longer have tater tots? Just wondering.
Haha! That is a good question Steve only the potato police can answer. I watched a bit of the original 1984 movie a couple of weeks ago. It is uncanny how some of the things said in that movie are coming true today.
Also, I forgot to mention: not all Dr. Seuss books have been canceled. Only six of his books are slated to go out of circulation, and apparently that initiative came from the Dr. Seuss Foundation itself. I don’t believe any of the 6 are among his most popular ones.