As I age, I’m going grey. No, I’m not referring to my hair. Although, that certainly is going grey. It’s my ideas that are greying. When I was younger, my opinions were black and white. I saw the world as organized into good or bad. I could clearly label someone as either a good guy or a bad guy. There was no nuance.* As I get older, all I see are different tones of grey.
There Are No Good Guys
As I learned more about history, both political and personal, I realized that no one and no country was completely good. That creates an uncomfortable feeling, knowing I’m supporting someone or something that is not wholesome. It’s a shock to learn that your country has been involved in genocide and torture, when you grew up thinking it was a good place.
Do You Support Problematic Artists?
Is it ok to buy or like art produced by an artist who said or did things that you disagree with? It’s a problem many people wrestle with. Some would rather avoid the artist’s work altogether because they can’t live in the grey zone. This is how “cancel culture” was born.** However, avoiding all art by problematic artists would severely limit the songs, artwork and books we could enjoy. Almost everyone has done something questionable.
Taking The Good With The Bad
Life is complicated and nuanced. I can recognize the good parts while denouncing the bad, without feeling like a complete hypocrite. The key is to do a personal assessment case-by-case. If I still plan to support the overall situation, artist or institution, I acknowledge the problematic history.***
(Oh, Canada, Our home on native land.)
The Grey Scale Can Shift With More Information
It’s a personal decision not to give a blanket endorsement or a blanket shunning. It’s often an uncomfortable feeling sitting in the grey zone. It’s also important to note that my decisions can change, as I become aware of more information about the person or situation. Going grey is complicated.
Are there any situations that you once thought were clearly good or bad, but you now see as grey? Comment below.
*https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/black-and-white-thinking
**https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancel_culture#:~:text=The%20expression%20%22cancel%20culture%22%20came,framing%20of%20the%20same%20concept.
***https://medium.com/call-me-a-theorist/the-complexities-of-supporting-art-by-problematic-artists-989827511f6b
Retired, And Now What? 