Word of the year, a study in Gotcha... it's all about justice!

For the second time in three years, the Macquarie Dictionary committee who looks after new words for the English language has cited a negative type of word as the "Word of the Year." In 2017, the word was "milkshake duck" and this year, the committee has awarded this phrase "cancel culture." I will translate both of those in a moment.

Although my favourite among the contestants was either anecdata or hedonometer, the winner again takes the form of exposure and resultant termination of privilege. So on to the definitions.

Milkshake duck was coined in June 2016 by Australian cartoonist Ben Ward, who tweeted the following sketch from his Twitter account @pixelatedboat: "The whole internet loves Milkshake Duck, a lovely duck that drinks milkshakes! *5 seconds later* We regret to inform you the duck is racist."

In other words, a milkshake duck is a seemingly innocent individual or thing that is initially embraced and beloved by the internet's mass audience, only to be brought crashing down when further investigation reveals them to possess a fatal flaw.

It's the 'aha' moment and the tumbling down of the thing that strikes me with the idea of justice, especially the liar/deserving-to-go-down individual.

Thus it's similar in my opinion to today's revelation about the 2019 word of the year: cancel culture. As an example of this, an Aussie comedian was prevented from performing in Melbourne this winter. Kate Hanley Corley (pictured above-- not the duck) was due to perform eight renditions of her show Aisha the Aussie Geisha: The Accidental Oriental, however, she pulled out after she was criticized for doing material that "borders on yellowface".

The dictionary defines cancel culture as "the attitudes within a community which call for or bring about the withdrawal of support from a public figure". Senior editor of the dictionary said, "In a way it's an attempt to wipe them out, as a punishment," said Victoria Morgan.

Today I'm wondering if these two phrases are part of a long-ranged reaction endemic to society about a kickback, which includes the #metoo thinking and desire to see the exalted brought down to our low(er) level. Think about Jeffrey Epstein or Richard Pratt. What about Prince Andrew. Think about Rene Rivkin or Bill Cosby. Those people, we say, should not have it so (easy/good/free and clear). We want a semblance of justice and social correction.

Back in our school days, we wanted the school bully who had his way, certainly against us, to 'get his.' We wanted a 'gotcha' moment to happen.

We still want bad guys to 'get theirs.'

And back in his day, even King David, who had significant privilege and far-reaching wrongdoing, desired justice. One of his offsiders, the leader of the choir, Asaph, wrote a serious song/ poem about this idea. (Psalm 73). He was languishing in bother, disgusted that those in power had all the privilege and seeming good. Asaph wrote about being disturbed and wondering why he shouldn't go over to the dark side.

Asaph wrote, "I was envious of the arrogant as I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no pains in their death, And their body is fat. They are not in trouble as other men"

Maybe Asaph was hoping for a milkshake duck moment. If he had twitter, perhaps he would have tweeted about cancel culture when he discovered the wrongdoing of his king. And others.

Asaph continued: Waters of abundance are drunk by them. They say, “How does God know? And is there knowledge with the Most High? Behold, these are the wicked; And always at ease, they have increased in wealth."

But he did come to a conclusion after he went inside the sanctuary. He thought, "Until I came into the sanctuary of God; Then I perceived their end. Surely You set them in slippery places;  You cast them down to destruction. How they are destroyed in a moment!  They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors! Like a dream when one awakes,  O Lord, when aroused, You will despise their form."

Justice will happen. God will have his day and his way with those bullies and those who think they don't need him. Cancel culture will happen when God withdraws his (apparent) support for a public figure. Those bad guys will 'get theirs.' Justice will be served. Maybe not today, or tomorrow, but be sure of this. God will have the final words.  And that's not anecdata. That's a fact, Jack. 'Strewth.