What is Dave wearing today? Dave is wearing a pink polo shirt that’s pretty, oh so pretty, pretty and witty and gay. (And, yes, Dave feels like running and dancing for joy for he’s loved by a pretty wonderful boy.)
What is making Dave happy today? Dave delivered a presentation this morning, and it went well.
What is Dave’s inspirational thought for the day? Dave heard Bean tell Zøg the following on Disenchantment:
Don’t let fear get in the way of happiness.
Pretty deep for a cartoon, right? So far, I’m really enjoying Part 4.
https://youtu.be/M47YkrfjrXQ
What was Dave delighted to see at Walgreen this evening? Dave was ecstatic to discover that Peeps season is back! Forget Christmas — this is the most wonderful time of the year.
What is Dave wearing today? Dave doesn’t know what he’s wearing because it’s covered in dog fur. He assumes it’s some kind of polo shirt.
What is making Dave happy today? Dave and the Complimentary Spouse were able to take a 25-minute nap with the doggos after lunch. This may have helped contribute to the aforementioned dog hair situation.
What is Dave’s inspirational thought for the day? Dave came across this on the internet, but it was not sourced:
What is your why? Or are you too busy jumping from ‘what’ to ‘what’ to even ask or answer that question?
Is Dave susceptible to conspiracy theories? Dave hasn’t been worried about conspiracies. He has been pretty docile since the city started adding fluoride to the water.
BuzzFeed recently asked people to share their favorite travel photos. Scrolling through the article, my immediate reaction was “I could do better.”
After that immediate reaction, my next reaction was “You’re such a snob, Dave.”
My third reaction was, “Hey, if you just share a bunch of your own travel photos, it would be a super-easy blog post.”
So here we are. Enjoy.
Viña del Mar, ChileLake Wanaka, New ZealandLondon, EnglandCaerphilly, WalesSeattle, WashingtonNear Boulder, ColoradoHavana, CubaHavana, Cuba (photographer: Damian Gorajuria Mejias)
The hero image (at the top of the post) is Manhattan during Manhattanhenge.
What is Dave wearing today? As it is Valentine’s Day, Dave is dressed in his sexiest, most seductive outfit: jeans and an ill-fitting Alabama polo shirt.
What is making Dave happy today? Dave and the Complimentary Spouse had a romantic Valentine’s Dinner … at a chain restaurant … at 5:30 p.m. … without drinks … because it’s a school night.
What is Dave’s inspirational thought for the day? Dave says you don’t need to go all dressed up and go out for drinks and a fancy dinner on Valentine’s Day if you show your husband how much you love him every day.
Does Dave still hate buying Valentine’s Day cards? Yes, Dave feels excluded when he sees row after row of cards written for and depicting opposite-sex couples. Even the cartoon animals on the cutesy cards are clearly male and female. Boo! Is it too much to ask for a card or two that reflects his relationship?
There was one card that depicted animals that didn’t appear to have any gender:
Dave considered buying this card but eventually put it back on the rack. It would be weird to conflate love with extinction on Valentine’s Day, he thought. “I’ll love you till a giant meteor kills us” doesn’t sound romantic.
Joe Rogan and his medical disinformation podcast have reignited the national bitchfest over “cancel culture” and freedom of expression. I have a few thoughts and would like to add another term — “freedom of curation” — to the discussion.
I’ve written before about how “cancel culture” does not exist. My conclusion was:
“It’s a false narrative that shifts blame away from those who should be ostracized and onto those who are rightfully holding them accountable for what they’ve done.”
And this is where freedom of curation comes in.
I believe the expectation of free expression in America extends to what we don’t express as well as what we do express. As the owner of this blog, I decide what gets posted. It’s not an open platform. If I choose to welcome contributors, I retain the final say on what gets published and how it’s edited.
In other words, I have the freedom to curate what goes on my platform. It’s really that simple.
It’s Common Sense
I think I’m the first to use the term “freedom to curate,” but the concept is easy to understand and shouldn’t be controversial. The New York Times doesn’t have to print every letter or opinion piece sent to them. LGBTQ pride parades can turn away floats from homophobes. Disney has no obligation to turn your Star Wars fanfic into a new series.
This isn’t “cancel culture.” It’s common sense. It’s why you won’t find my weekly recaps of RuPaul’s Drag Race in Yiddish in the Daily Stormer.
Here’s where the Rogan controversy comes in. Even though people are already screaming about “cancel culture,” Rogan’s podcast is still very much uncancelled. Spotify, the exclusive host of the podcast, is walking a tightrope by condemning him without penalizing him.
What if Spotify decides to let Rogan go? That’s fine by me. And if they keep Rogan? Also fine by me.
That’s the freedom to curate. Spotify has it. You have it. I have it.
Your Decisions. Your Consequences.
No one but you should control the time, resources, and money you invest into your privately owned platform. At the same time, you are not immune to criticism for content you publish or host.
Therefore, no matter what Spotify does, people are free to hold both Rogan and Spotify accountable for their actions. Just as Rogan has the freedom to express himself, and Spotify has the freedom to curate its platform, everyone else has the right to respond to what Rogan and Spotify do.
That means Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, and India.Arie can remove their music from Spotify’s platform. It means consumers can leave Spotify and spend their money with Apple or Amazon.
What About the First Amendment?
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
The First Amendment prohibits the government from restricting speech or discriminating against certain viewpoints. But that’s not what’s happening here. The platforms I’m discussing are not owned, directed, or managed by the government.
I believe the people who own these platforms, whether individuals or businesses, have a Constitutional right to express themselves without government regulation. Deciding what and what not to publish is a form of expression. Ergo, the freedom to curate is a Constitutional right. It’s legal for a platform to set guidelines and restrictions for users, ban certain types of content, and even boot a user without government interference.
Curation and Consequences in Action
Let’s all take our cue from one of the great moral leaders of our time, Homer Simpson. He handpicked everything he wanted to publish when he launched his first website. It was a reflection of his interests. It had a unique point of view. It was … well, a mess. But it was Homer’s mess.
Eventually, Homer took some good advice from Lisa and replaced the crap with articles he had written. He was still in charge of all content decisions, though — no one else told him what to write and what to take down.
Eventually, Homer’s scandalous lies got him kidnapped and banished to a mysterious island (which was a parody of the village in The Prisoner). He was held accountable for what he published on his platform. The fact that drugs and evil koalas were involved was just a bonus.
Be like Homer, my friends! Go forth and curate! It’s your right.
What is Dave wearing today? Dave is comfortable in a ratty old polo shirt and a pair of gray sweatpants.
What is making Dave happy today? Dave discovered strawberry and dark chocolate Kit Kats.
What is Dave’s inspirational thought for the day? Dave says the things you’re postponing probably aren’t as complicated or time-consuming as you think they’ll be.
What does Dave think of the Super Bowl so far? Dave would like to quote RuPaul:
What is Dave wearing today? Dave is wearing — are you sitting down? — a polo shirt and a pair of shorts. Someone alert the media.
What is making Dave happy today? Dave had a frustrating board meeting this morning, but it’s over and now he’s hanging out with the Complimentary Spouse and the doggos!
What is Dave’s inspirational thought for the day? Dave would like to direct you to the wit and wisdom of Jaymes Mansfield:
What is Dave’s current facial hair situation? Dave’s horseshoe mustache is coming along nicely. Thanks for asking.
What is Dave wearing today? All you need to know is that Dave is wearing his Baby Yoda underpants in anticipation of the final episode of the Book of Boba Fett.
What is making Dave happy today? Dave is excited to watch the final episode of the Book of Boba Fett.
What is Dave’s inspirational thought for the day? Dave wants to quote Boba Fett on the power of working together: “Why speak of conflict when cooperation can make us all rich?”
What do Dave and Boba Fett have in common? Both Dave and Boba Fett want to get their hands on a young Harrison Ford. Swoon.
What is Dave wearing today? Dave looks somewhat respectable in a pink button-down shirt and an Emory quarter-zip pullover.
What is making Dave happy today? Dave and the Complimentary Spouse are relaxing with the doggos and watching reruns of 30 Rock. Kenneth, get me Showtime!
What is Dave’s inspirational thought for the day? Dave says that when Tishonda calls from Time Warner Cable and offers three free months of Showtime, always say yes! You never know when some Pelican Brief stuff will go down.
What is Dave planning for tonight? Dave just turned to Britt and said, “We go upstairs, 20 minutes, open mouth, I will work your ears.” Britt seemed confused, so Dave added, “Does it help if I tell you I thought we were doing sexual espionage?”
How much Buc-ees fudge has Dave eaten today? Dave has not eaten a single crumb of Buc-ees fudge. That’s not because of willpower. It’s because he polished it off yesterday.
