ROTHENBURGER – The ‘It’s not who I am’ excuse doesn’t work anymore

THERE’S AN OLD saying in business, “It’s better to ask forgiveness than permission.”

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.

There’s a new saying when somebody gets caught on camera doing something they shouldn’t: “It’s not who I am.” Its companion go-to excuse is, “It was out of character” or other versions of it.

We all use excuses when we screw up. Better that than to fess up and own what we’ve done or said. It’s human nature.

This idea that we can compartmentalize our actions after the fact isn’t a new thing, but social media’s ability to catch us in the act has made it common.

Since when does saying, “It’s not who I am” make it OK? After all, if it wasn’t who we are, we wouldn’t have done it.

And, thankfully, it’s not working for Kelly Pocha.

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Mel Rothenburger is a former mayor of Kamloops, former school board chair, former editor of The Kamloops Daily News, and a current director on the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board. He was awarded the Jack Webster Foundation’s lifetime achievement award in 2011. His editorials are published Monday through Thursdays, and Saturdays on CFJC Today, CFJC Midday and CFJC Evening News. Contact him at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.