Censorship, in disguise as good intention, has diminished the credibility of Democracy as a whole. Neil Young's intent to have Joe Rogan cancelled due to the podcaster's viewpoint on Coronavirus and his argument that vaccines are unnecessary has been a mere attempt at silencing the viewpoint of another, which is the indisputable definition of censorship. Neil Young has built a career on the fact that his music has maintained an audience which in turn, has caused him to become exceedingly wealthy. Hell, I have enjoyed his music for years which is lined with themes of protest. His hit song Ohio, released in 1970 when he was a member of Crosby, Stills Nash and Young, boldly drew attention to four Kent State University students, who were senselessly murdered by the National Guard through their protest of the Vietnam war.
At the time, Neil Young's songwriting was done with raw passion which drew attention to a tragedy which shouldn't have happened. Since that point, his music as a whole has followed a similar format; protesting the perceived problems facing the world as he takes notice. Meanwhile, Joe Rogan, through his podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, has fought a similar battle through his solid viewpoints and opinions on the world of today. Rogan's stance on the Coronavirus Pandemic has maintained an unwavering level of consistency from the very start. He has argued the validity of vaccines which world governments have done their best to force onto everyday citizens and has argued the point in mask mandates. No different then Neil Young's songs of protest, Rogan's viewpoint through his podcast has been primarily a matter of opinion. And despite the fact that Neil Young may not agree with Rogan's viewpoint should not even be a cause for concern, or a cause of protest for that matter. Neil Young has the right to his own opinion and Joe Rogan should equally have a right to his own.
Throughout the duration of the Coronavirus Pandemic, an ominous uncertainty has plagued the world which has led to world governments and the media as a whole pitting neighbor's and friends against each other. On one end, there are those who find freedom in refusing vaccines which have been openly forced on citizens through veiled threats by governments and a refusal to take part in mask mandates. For the most part, world governments and the media have ostracized these individuals while labelling them as being a flight risk to those who have decided to get immunized. And on the other end have been those who have fully embraced vaccines, mask mandates and have taken part in the tearing down of those who question the evident control world governments have had over everyday people. Sure, we all want things to go back to how they once were, but at what cost?
Through Neil Young's failed attack on Joe Rogan by forcing Spotify to pick either him or Rogan, Young has evidently done the complete opposite of what freedom ultimately stands for. He has attempted to tear down and silence someone he disagrees with by his failed attempt to take away Joe Rogan's platform, when both freedom and free speech are defined as having a right to your own opinion. This arrogant behavior has ultimately been a danger to democracy, to freedom of choice, and evidently to freedom itself, which is essentially the opposite of what Neil Young claims to stand for.
The truth is that none of us know the remedy to the blunder the world has found itself in. The solution, in no way, is censoring the opinion of others. And the more society as a whole embraces this brand of narcissism, the further away we will fall from finding the answers that we desperately need to face the problems of today and of tomorrow. Difference of opinion is what sets us all apart. Difference of opinion is what allows for critical thinking which leads to the great authors and artists of the world to write and create astonishing works of art. Difference of opinion is what leads to the realization that it isn't a single road which leads us to where we hope to end up, but rather, an endless amount of roads and possibilities which bring us to where we need to be. So although I am a fan of Neil Young's music, I am not a fan in the manner in which he attempted to silence someone he disagreed with. If he doesn't agree with Joe Rogan, then he should simply turn the station to a podcaster he does agree with. The same goes for those who aren't a fan of Neil Young's music, and although the musician had maintained a substantial fan base over his nearly sixty year career, he may find that his attempt to censor Joe Rogan may cost him more in the end then he could have could have ever imagined.
