Journeys With Jani

When did America get so soft?

No, seriously. I’m not trying to be funny—though it might end up that way. I’m genuinely curious. Because it feels like one day we were a nation of people who could take a joke, roll with a punch, and get on with life—and the next, we were a country where everyone is clutching their pearls over literally everything.

I mean, Lord help us, you can’t even use the term snowflake anymore without someone gasping and acting like you’ve committed a hate crime. But y’all—we used to be tougher than this.

Growing up in the ’70s and ‘80s, you didn’t say “that offends me” unless it was seriously offensive. Like, you just witnessed something cruel or unjust or dangerous. It wasn’t your go-to line because someone didn’t agree with you or told a joke that didn’t land. Hell, back then, half the humor on TV would be cancelled and blacklisted today. I’m not saying all of it was right, but we sure as hell didn’t melt into a puddle over it.

And don’t even get me started on the whole “Karen” thing. One minute it’s a funny meme, the next it’s a slur. KAREN? …oops, I did it again! Some Karen is already offended that I even brought it up. Well—quit being one.

Seriously. If the shoe fits, girl, lace it up.

Can you imagine if Toby Keith came out with “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue” in the current U.S. climate? They’d lose their ever-lovin’ minds. Someone would write a think piece about how it’s “problematic,” and the rest would follow like ducks.

Do you think a lion is offended by a gazelle? Absolutely not. One is strong and solid. The other is just… lower on the food chain. That’s nature. That’s life.

Look, I try not to offend people—at least, I think I do. I was raised by folks who were absolutely not easily offended, and I turned around and raised boys who are rarely fazed by anything. And if they are, you can bet your boots they don’t cry about it or make a social media post demanding an apology.

We used to be made of stronger stuff, y’all.

So here’s my challenge: toughen up. Put your big kid pants on. Life isn’t always going to be fair or soft or agreeable—and that’s okay. You’ll survive. You might even grow from it.

Because being offended by everything isn’t strength—it’s fragility wrapped in noise. And frankly? That’s just exhausting.

XOXO, Jani