In today’s culture of endless change, is anything sacred anymore? The recent shake-up at Cracker Barrel might just be the tipping point for conservative folks fed up with this relentless wave of change masquerading as progress. Once cherished for its traditional charm and down-home vibes, Cracker Barrel has stripped away its rustic roots in favor of a bland, soulless rebrand. It’s part of a trend where anything old must be destroyed—not improved, just destroyed. This, my friends, is what they call “wokeness.”
The idea of “chronological snobbery,” a term borrowed from C.S. Lewis, is alive and well. The notion that something newer or more current is automatically superior to what’s come before is as pervasive as it is destructive. Cracker Barrel, a beloved staple of Southern comfort, is the latest victim. They have tossed aside their traditional image, thinking they need a “Cracker Barrel for today.” But why? What’s wrong with the Cracker Barrel we’ve grown to love? It’s as if a liberal consultant, who’s probably never set foot in a Cracker Barrel, swooped in and decided that tradition was too old-fashioned for modern tastes.
Cracker Barrel’s spokesperson claims that the changes are in keeping with customer preferences, yet anyone with an inkling of common sense can see this isn’t the case. Social media is abuzz with disdain from customers who long for the days where the atmosphere was as much a part of the meal as the chicken and dumplings. This kind of faux improvement smacks of the elitist attitude that whatever is new and shiny must replace the tried-and-true, no questions asked.
And it’s not just Cracker Barrel. This craving to refresh and remodel doesn’t stop with breakfast chains. It’s crept into every corner of culture, even beloved franchises like Harry Potter, being remade for a generation perfectly capable of enjoying the originals. Why the rush to replace tradition with today’s trends? Why not allow each generation to discover and embrace what came before, rather than forcing them into something new for the mere sake of change?
This compulsion to discard the past in favor of a nebulous future robs people of continuity and connection. Instead of passing down the best of our culture intact, we alter it until it’s unrecognizable. Wokeness, in all its destructive glory, ensures that nothing remains sacred, nothing remains untouched, and everything becomes a fleeting phase. It isn’t about genuine improvement or ingenuity; it’s about change for change’s sake—a hollow gesture dressed up as progress.
In the end, this push to abandon the past for the latest trend does more harm than good. It leaves us all untethered, yearning for the days when Cracker Barrel was just Cracker Barrel, and Harry Potter was purely magical. What’s truly needed isn’t another rebrand or remake, but a renewed appreciation for what tradition can offer. Let’s not confuse newness with value or disruption with innovation. Perhaps it’s time to hold onto the good things that define us, rather than letting them slip away in the name of wokeness.
