You saw the Phil Hartman SNL skit, “Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer”, right???
If not, you need to see it. (Super low video quality warning)
So, the premise of the sketch is..
One hundred thousand years ago, a cave man was out hunting on the frozen wastes when he slipped and fell into a crevasse.
In 1988, he was discovered by some scientists and thawed out. He then went to law school and became…
UNFROZEN CAVEMAN LAWYER
——————————————————————————-
Seriously, you need to watch it.
So, the basic premise is that this cave man lawyer is fully articulate, empathetic, and a savvy litigator – however, he lacks the understanding of certain modern amenities, technologies, and ideas, because he’s just a “simple cave man”. The modern world confuses and frightens him!
Ok, look, explaining the joke ruins it. Either watch the video and jump to the next paragraph, or don’t, but I’m not going to deconstruct one of the best SNL sketches of all time because you dont want to click on a link. YOU CAN’T MAKE ME DO THAT.
For the past four years, I’ve existed in a particularly different universe than most of you. I’ve lived and breathed a specific mindset of community building, and personal understanding of my role in the universe. Everything I did was in a trajectory to ultimately meet a vision that I believed in with all of my soul. As far as I could see, the whole of my human experience was culminating into this particular life investment.
And then it ended.
Cleanly. Quickly.
In this world, I am recently thawed from a former life, attempting to reintegrate into a universe that doesn’t look much like the one I just came from. I need to learn the language, rhythms, and the contexts in which I have been thawed out into. This new world frightens and confuses me, for I am just a “simple church planter”…
Okay. So that’s not completely true. The twist in the sketch is that the Cave man lawyer is just using the idea that he is a “simple cave man” to leverage himself in various situations. It’s clear by his getaway in Martha’s Vineyard and vacations to Hawaii that he has had no problem adjusting to a new world. BUT, making excuses gives him an extension of sympathy and support.
Here’s to hoping that while I am reintegrating and writing new directions in my life, that I don’t abuse or leverage my story for selfish reasons.
A Consummate Confessional 