Globally, the continuation of Covid and its variants have changed how society moves forward. Deniers in one corner and pro-vaccinators in another. Unquestionably, had society had trustworthy institutions and a unified voice on the pandemic, Covid may have been a long-forgotten hiccup on our great planet Earth. Yet each side is arguing and rallying their followers with beliefs.
The latest to chime in are the successful musicians Neil Young and Joani Mitchel. By protesting their shared platform on Spotify with anti-vaxer and leading podcaster Joe Rogan, the two world-famous musicians took a stance that Covid has not been solved globally because proven medical techniques have not been adopted rapidly by the public.
Young and Mitchel have implemented their own movement against another performer, entertainer, and cultural influencer. By demanding that their own music be removed from Spotify, they have protested and allowed consumer and economic clout to lead the change that they desire. They have chosen to pull the levers of Capitalism. They have chosen to use their own influence and pockets to move the needle and try to convince 11 million listeners to once again consider fact over fiction.
Mitchel’s open letter to Spotify is an example of how a free society can voice and share its concerns when Democracy and Capitalism co-exist. It is also an excellent example of how the role and power of media today has to correctly do its job of serving the public. The mass disinformation efforts of politically motivated entities using public airwaves enabled citizens to make their own choices. Young and Mitchel believe that the right choice for all of us was to quickly get vaccinated. To take the jab. By doing so, they correctly emphasized how each of us should be concerned for the well-being of first ourselves and then our fellow man or woman, children, and the animals found on planet earth. Rogan and the anti-vaxers have chosen a more difficult path. Relying on chance to stay healthy.
Rogan’s actions have created a great pause. One that medical and media professionals should heed. Even those who have gotten the vaccine have done so only to experience side effects. Science has created our modern world. Being educated and finding our next discovery is the way humanity has evolved at an exponential rate. Yet economic prosperity has come to play with each jab allowed and given. In the United States, regardless of the political party in power, Covid has forced the public to question the providers of information. Covid has also demonstrated that the United States has not been able to lead the world in tackling Covid. The populace does not trust the government and the information given at a public level. It is for this reason that entertainers, not scientists nor politicians have gained clout in solving the pandemic in America. What are your thoughts?
