Joe Rogan is Not the Problem
There’s a bigger issue to fix here, Neil.
Ol’ Neil Young started this thing on Spotify that has some musicians (et al) leaving the platform in protest of podcaster Joe Rogan’s thoughts and views on this and that and the validity of what he thinks and says. Okay. So, Joe Ro has opinions and gets paid a lot of money to talk about them with other people. Nothing new.
Neil Young has made a living sharing his thoughts and ideas, too. In song. People likely disagree with some of Neil Young’s opinions. That’s okay.
So, Young gave Spotify an ultimatum: Him or Me! And Spotify chose Rogan so Young and others (Joni Mitchell, Crosby, Stills, Nash, India Arie and Mary Trump) have left. Way to take a stand! That’ll teach ‘em!
It won’t. Now he’s telling Spotify employees to quit. Another good idea.
People get fired up about misinformation, lies, conspiracy theories and all that. I get it. Joni Mitchell gets it. The “Harvest Moon” crooner gets it. Other Canadians get it. The fact is, today, most people have a platform and an audience and many of them are experts on everything because they can find anything *they want to be the truth* online. It’s hard to sit back and watch influential people touting foolish ideas, insane lies, or dangerous theories willy nilly knowing that minions will guzzle it all down without a second of wondering “Is that really true?”.
If I had one wish and a beautiful big, blue Robin Williams-voiced genie to grant it, I’d wish for everyone in the world to agree on the same set of basic facts (on every issue and topic). Let’s all just find common ground on what is real. But that will never happen and it’s not our job to get angry about it. I don’t believe, in this instance, outrage does much good. It just makes people pick a side. We need more of that, right?
People have and forever will say stupid things to get attention or power or money and there isn’t much you and I can do to stop it. You can’t control what people consume and believe. And that’s not Joe Rogan’s fault. So, who’s fault is it?
It’s the society we live in.
