Will Smith Smackdown

Maybe in the olden days, people would look at Clark Gable and model their thoughts and actions after him. I kinda doubt it, but maybe.

And maybe nowadays we’re just so drenched in information and stimuli that we NEED shortcuts for all the critical thinking we don’t have time to undertake. May-be still that’s why we look to celebrities for thoughts on various issues. I’m sure they’re most often well intended in their platforms as they see them. I mean, heck, if I had the opportunity to tell a shit ton of people what I think should happen, I certainly would. But even in their well-intentioned efforts, things go haywire.

I’m just fascinated by this whole Will Smith/Chris Rock thing. I’m not proud to admit it, and I’m not entirely sure where I land on it. But I do know it’s a captivating social study.

As a culture, we’ve come to accept jokes even though they may be hurtful. We’re conditioned that it’s okay to say things if you’re going for a laugh. We’ve also lived with some expectations about how to behave when “wronged.”

Make no mistake, I think it’s great that something like chivalry still is out there even if it comes in the form of “keep my wife’s name out of your fucking mouth!”; but how is it okay to slap the crap out of someone in a situation that’s already determined to be “socially acceptable”? Nobody stopped either of them. The green light for both of their behavior was implicitly stated.

If they aren’t already out there, the PR apologies will appear. Maybe the incident will reprise in some docu-drama (If Denzel plays himself in it, I’ll watch it). Maybe there will be some social media hashtag or frame people will use to show their solidarity to something.

I dunno, but what I can hope for is that it gives us a chance to refocus on our own critical thinking and what our tolerances and expectations are. In short, just because Will Smith smacked Chris Rock doesn’t mean I can smack whomever was to blame for my broken internet. If I do, please accept my sincere apologies and respect my right to privacy as I work through this issue. #PRApology

Thanks for reading!