You may have a limit on how long you will be able to make green eggs and ham. After all, regular ham and eggs might find offense being referred to in any way as “green“. What about Kermit?? Will he have to stop singing his song about being green? What about his relationship with Miss Piggy? I am guessing that someone finds that offensive?! I mean, a frog and a pig?? Come on! That just isn’t right, is it??! Well, I guess they did split up a few years ago, but, they are always on again, off again, right?
The world is changing. Change is tough. Sometimes change is needed. It’s good. It is necessary to life. Life is all about change. Sometimes, people go overboard, and change feels stupid. You can never, I mean, NEVER, make enough changes to make everyone happy! Does that mean we shouldn’t bother to make any changes? No. However when you are changing the gender of a potato in a game, maybe you have gone too far?
We have changed Aunt Jemima. Uncle Ben’s, Mrs Butterworth’s, Cream of Wheat, Land O’Lakes, and Eskimo Pie. I’m sure there are others. Now, Mr. Potato Head, is just Potato Head? Dr. Suess books are next, with some deemed too racist, or at least the artwork is too racist, and certain stories will no longer be published. No, Green Eggs and Ham isn’t one of them. I can pretty much promise, that if Dr. Suess drew characters for his books that are now viewed as racist, that was not his intention. They probably weren’t viewed that way at the time. Would he change them if he were here to do it? We will never know for sure, but I’m guessing he would. Like any other piece of history, when times change, things like books, and the products we use stay the same, that’s why they are a part of our history! Should they change as well? Should they be left alone and used as a tool to learn from? Well, that is the $20,000 question. The current trend is to change every little thing that someone somewhere might find offensive. So, quick, buy up all the old product you can find, because it might be worth a pretty penny one day! I guarantee those Dr. Suess books, no longer published, are going to become collectibles. Although, there are so many out there, it may be awhile before you see any money on your investment. Isn’t that what it’s all really about anyway? Money. I don’t think these companies really care about their customers feelings that much, unfortunately. What they care about is, are those customers buying the competitions product instead of theirs because they find it more appealing? Or because theirs hasn’t changed its logo or name in fifty years?
I would guess that maybe, just maybe, what we truly oppose about all these changes are what they represent to use as individuals. Those logos and brands are a part of our history, of how we grew up. They are a part of our memories. It’s as if someone is suddenly telling us that how we were raised and how we grew up is suddenly wrong. We don’t like that when it comes to fond memories. It doesn’t feel very good. No one finds it offensive that there are now laws and regulations about seat belts in cars and trucks, when many of us grew up without either using them, or even having them available in our parents cars. But, mess with our favorite pancake syrup, or a childhood game, and you are going too far! Every kid should grow up playing with a potato labeled as Mister, with a fake mustache to match his gender! Syrup from a container not shaped like an African American woman just isn’t the same! ….Really??
Believe me, the world will not stop spinning just because we make what may initially feel like stupid changes. If it makes someone happy, or feel better, or feel less made fun of, or whatever the case, then isn’t that a good thing? I know, I know… I just said we can’t make enough changes to make everyone happy.. And that is true, but let’s not live in the past either. Well, enjoy your green eggs and ham, or your Chick O’ Stick, or your Oreo, or whatever it is you enjoy while you can, before someone decides it’s labeled or pictured in a bad way. Change is inevitable. Try to remember, it’s usually a good thing.