SHOULD MUSICIANS TALK ABOUT POLITICS?

[@ThePunkRockMBA]

Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/finnmckenty

[@AustinPowerz-bn5ry]

They can, if they know what they are talking about, but they don't. Case and point, climate change is not an issue at all. You sound like Al Gore. Fail.

[@scottygunz1245]

Finn...this is awesome man. You really put a legit perspective on things. You are not biased in ANY way. The further I go into this video the more mind blown I am that you make INSANELY good points. Thanks man

[@19RaxR91]

To answer your question simply - yes, they should, or rather Can talk about Whatever they want.

[@keithe.bilitsky833]

No has no business on the stage. My saying is shut up and play. Go on a talk show or in an interview.

[@peterslayton3287]

Robert Deniro attached trump, after Trump repeatedly attacked him on Twitter and told him his movies sucked etc and were no longer good and performed poorly

[@Sw87sw87]

End celebrity worship 2021.

[@antona.1327]

if that were to happen, twitter would lose most of its users.

[@spyderz_]

nobody is worshiping celebrities except kids teenagers and 19 year olds.

[@SirJoelsuf1]

End any kind of worship (except worshiping yourself) forever.

[@davidanderson7643]

How do you think Reagon and Trump became presidents? THEY WERE CELEBRITIES FIRST. So, your 200+ liked comment just died.

[@BigOwl51]

In order for that to happen we’d lost Donald Trump as president

[@ShartimusPrime]

I’m pissed that neither Trump or Biden have brought up the issue of triggers and how they should be banned from all drum kits.

[@ThePunkRockMBA]

The issues that REALLY MATTER!!

[@SirJoelsuf1]

Same with removing speed bumps from parking lots. Hell, NO president over the last hundred or so years have brought up this issue.

[@ratmachine87]

Yo shart let's go and post more action figures.

[@c_huntermc]

Trigger warning!

[@ecurewitz]

and whatever you do, don't let Mike Pence near a bass guitar

[@yourfriendlyneighborhoodsm4708]

I say, musicians should absolutly talk about politics, but more than that, their fans needs to stop treating their opinions on politics or anything really as gospel. They are just opinions and should be taken with a pinch of salt.

[@derianperez9691]

@Dark Threads wait what happened?

[@OldSchoolMetalVinyl]

Agreed, but do fans have the needed personality and brains to form an opinion of their own? In my experience most don't. They will just buy whatever crap Phil Pantera force feeds them down the throat.

[@deadeyedblack2350]

Not even a pinch of a salt, a small molecule of a grain

[@sengelhard2982]

And people need to be okay with supporting someone of a different political opinion. Penn and Teller fans of all people seem to deal with this the best

[@nitr8]

Take their opinions, and then do your own research, and polish your own (opinion). It's all good.

[@evanmedeiros6883]

No one should ever stop if they don’t want to. Maybe the question is, why do we keep asking celebrities about politics?

[@omnibusprimephd7914]

Yea like I expect them to give their opinions on shit, simply because they're people and people have opinions. But goddamn I wish maybe they would just stick to people (celebrities or not) that actually have something substantial to say.

[@Fizzlepop72]

Well, in the case of Tom Morello, he actually has an education in political subjects. He's actually an honors grad in Political Science, and honestly, he's also a straight up activist, not just a celebrity or musician.

[@mickeficks]

Because they're human beings.

[@Fizzlepop72]

@Krystal Giove Greg Graffin is one of my favorite musicians ever. Dude is just a total genius.

[@orenom6704]

Who should you ask about politics? Politicians?

[@RockFeed]

Very well done video!

[@maxheilman5314]

Hi Mr. Feed!

[@mattsolegod]

Knot/Claw/Rock Feed is here!

[@sawdonegan]

@@scottygunz1245 They're cousins

[@tysweekendcorner]

Whoop, Whoop.

[@scombapodcast1875]

Literally just discovered your channel yesterday. It's nice to see KZbin folks support each other. Keep it up.

[@josephpatten8087]

Let’s not forget about SOAD fight to recognize the Armenian genocide and how the world won’t recognize it

[@jasonblanke321]

The worst part about that situation, is that is happening again, live on television, and people still don’t care

[@MayorOfEarth79]

That's actually a good point because SOAD isn't just politically active about that but it is a huge part of their music as well. (Though some of the SOAD members have changed quite a lot since the early 00s) Something I've wondered about Finn's criteria is like...does "keep politics out of art" mean you don't want a musician to use a celebrity/platform to say something or do you not want them to even talk about it in their art? What if they do both? I mean his first example of using Woody Guthrie who very explicitly sings against fascists and labeled that on his guitar. Does he count as a "bad commentator" because he was open about his opinions in such a way? Or is he only a good commentator because he's coherently made his opinion.

[@satanicexistentialist6631]

Bands that have a real message are my favorite.

[@otisjacksonjunior9795]

It wasn't really a genocide though. It was an expulsion. The fact that they had to traverse mountain passes and endure harsh conditions did obviously cause an enormous number of deaths, and that's tragic no doubt. But the Turks weren't trying to exterminate them. They would have just rounded them up and shot them in that case, like the Soviet Union later did to various ethnic groups.

[@toribiogubert7729]

@@otisjacksonjunior9795 oh yes lets make ppl traverse terrible terrain in poor condition without give them assistance is dedinitely not genocide. Jim Crow must have been a walk in the park too.

[@timothybrugger3838]

I've been using your phrase, "I don't know enough to have an informed opinion" a whole bunch. I do have opinions, I just don't think I'm in a position to tell other people how to live. It's refreshing how many people I talk to actually stop for a second and think about that. You can really soften someone up if you can show your humility. It's ok to not be an expert. Just my two cents, I have 4 children to raise, if I can teach them to be decent people, don't lie, do one good deed a day, I will feel I did my part. Bababooie.

[@wadeb5042]

So much this!

[@kylewest3095]

Honesty and humility are honourable virtues! Thank you for expressing these ideas.

[@jakobthonen9411]

I'm the same way now and I couldn't agree more

[@jamesoblivion]

The 20th century phrase that I miss the most is probably "I don't really know anything about politics." The public is even more politically ignorant now than they were then, just now everyone thinks they're an expert.

[@lonewolfman2312]

Bababooie Fa Fa Fooie. So you like to listen to Howard Stern huh? I do too. However today in 2022 his show isn't as good as it once was. Today he either does interviews or espouses his leftest political believes. Don't get me wrong. Howard Stern's interviews are great and I think he's just as good sometimes as Playboy is. But I liked his show better when he will invite models or porn stars to the studio to strip.I'm not sexist but his show back then was very entertaining back then.

[@What-pr5yz]

The Dixie Chicks ("The Chicks" now) standing up against the Bush administration even though 70% of their fanbase was probably conservative, might be one of the ballsiest move in popular music history.

[@arjunnijhawan7231]

Totally

[@justaguy2365]

Yeah. I wasn't a fan, but I was pissed when they got all the backlash

[@HenritheHorse]

And now they are called just The Chicks?

[@sophiafortyfour]

@@HenritheHorse Yeah, they’re post-op now 🤣

[@What-pr5yz]

@@justaguy2365 Yeah, pretty sad. They even made a documentary about it. Forgot the name.

[@underscoreisnotvalid]

Finn you are the voice of reason. This whole thing was extremely level headed and a good way of gently making people reassess their worldview without being preachy or pretentious. You are a good man, and I love your balanced take on this.

[@ThePunkRockMBA]

🙏🏼

[@misterhappy5462]

@@ThePunkRockMBA the same can be said with the whole shock jock radio era (stern, o&a, mancow, etc...) who pandered their far right politics to angry white boomers. why are we only talking about musicians? lol

[@lorzl1287]

Like everyone else, musicians are human, who have opinions, and like everyone else has a right to air those views. However, it is my right to then disagree if I do and if I feel that their morals are so far removed from mine to then no longer follow and buy their music. To clarify: I do not condone verbally or physical threats to anyone for their views.

[@minnethreat]

this.

[@GIBarbie2019]

The Home Team is totally cool with attacking people. PSA to everyone, stop listening to them regardless. They don’t like anyone who disagrees with them.

[@scottdaniels8129]

I believe in free-speech and they can do what they want, but I don't see why I should give a damn about the political opinions of entertainers/artists/athletes over plumbers/cops/secretaries. I don't watch a concert, awards-show, or sports to hear theair amateur-hour political takes.

[@hitthegoat]

I don’t think anyone has ever said anything about caring more about political opinions of entertainers over blue collar workers.

[@lonewanderer3603]

Music and film and sports is supposed to be our escape from things that bother us every day. I hate hearing more of it when I'm trying to relax.

[@scottdaniels8129]

@Luke The comment section literally exists for amateur takes, it's the proper place for them. Entertainers can make all the youtube or reddit posts they want and I won't care. I don't tune-in to a football game to be told what to think.

[@axeavier]

@@scottdaniels8129 And yet politics is in football too with it being heavily tied to patriotism. Let alone all the politics that occur in the sport on a player level. Saying stuff to the side is one thing in music, but when it's in the must like in most of RATM or SOD, it's not something you can escape from if you want to enjoy it

[@zundra616]

I mean political struggle/conflict and art have been intertwined for centuries, perhaps millennia. Plumbing and other day to day jobs not as mucg

[@fuckthepolice.9410]

A wise man once said "I dont know"...

[@sydneychris3594]

Ozzy?

[@markeugene1293]

THANK YOU

[@Awesomebaconman123]

Well yeah. The best punk is political, its rebelling against the flawed and established system. From Bullocks to The Clash to System of a down and even N.W.A.

[@paulseizert6603]

Joe Biden and the Left is the Establishment.

[@timepaintertunebird8160]

Yeah, these last four years of the Biden administration have been really crazy.

[@benjaminperez6756]

@@paulseizert6603 yes? what's your point here?

[@mansonsacidtrip6862]

@@paulseizert6603 Joe Biden and "the left" are not the same thing my guy. He's center right as are the majority of his party.

[@a4t976]

@@paulseizert6603 How does that work? The left and Joe Biden hate each other. Donald Trump and Joe Biden are both the establishment.

[@skottlee8959]

SHOULD KZbinRS TALK ABOUT MUSICIANS TALKING ABOUT POLITICS?

[@reggiebinyaner8613]

I will give the same answer he gave here. If they have an informed opinion on it, so in this case why not.

[@JessicaSanchez-qm9mi]

SHOULD KZbin COMMENTERS TALK ABOUT KZbinRS TALK ABOUT MUSICIANS TALKING ABOUT POLITICS IN THE COMMENT SECTION?

[@Squirrelconga]

"....and the politicians who watch them." JERRY! JERRY! JERRY!

[@mussman717word]

@@JessicaSanchez-qm9mi Urggh, you beat me to it!

[@MrMann-gt1eh]

Should KZbin commentors talk about KZbin commentors talking about KZbinrs talking about musicians talking about politics in the comment section?

[@luis_m_e]

I'm surprised Bad religion was not mentioned in this matter.

[@SirJoelsuf1]

Bad Religion tend to diss both sides pretty equally, or at least back in the day they did. Which is probably why they weren't mentioned. "No Direction" is one of my favorite songs from them because they specifically say in the song "No Bad Religion song can make your life complete" to mean "bruh. We just play music and have opinions. Don't take us so seriously lol." After hearing that in high school I was like "yeah, I'm thinking for myself now and everything else is just noise."

[@mikem9270]

@@SirJoelsuf1 how does one think for themselves? Ppl say that and in theory yeah of course everyone should think for themselves, but you're influenced by everything. If you weren't you'd be the blandest person alive having to fact check every interaction you have with every person, place, or thing. I don't have time or want to fact check everything I hear and see, because if I did I'd spend all my time just fact checking.

[@ceejluige4816]

Or Nofx more specifically then just generalizing the Rock Against Bush comps.

[@cycologist7069]

@@ceejluige4816 Bad Religion, or more specifically Greg Graffin is a tad more credible on social and political issues than Fat Mike. NOFX's political lyrics come off as written by a 15 year old who just discovered politics.

[@ceejluige4816]

@@cycologist7069 Extremely fair point.

[@aydomac]

He’s so right about how we need less “red team bad, blue team bad”

[@alexryherd9810]

Right?!?! Nobody seems to get that though.

[@codyakui8296]

There's only two valid ways to think in this here country! So pick your senior citizen and how ya feel about baby killin' or get on outta here boy!

[@A573hdb6]

I mean. Red team is bad.

[@alexmonro1711]

They're both bad

[@Dethrider6]

They're both horrible and the entire system needs to be destroyed

[@maxheilman5314]

The main problem I see is people who only want musicians to “stick to music” only if they disagree with the musician’s views. Nothing says snowflake like a person who Stans All That Remains because Phil Labonte is a libertarian, but then starts crying about all the bands telling people to wear masks.

[@hollowify_tensa_zangetsu]

And libertarian are probably the best to in music. You hate both teams

[@noneofyourbusiness1114]

Im one of those stick to music guys but yeah this is spot on. I hate that everyone claims Liberaterian now whos just a closet republican.

[@hollowify_tensa_zangetsu]

@@noneofyourbusiness1114 haha nah Republicans arent smart enough to do that

[@BigBadBeard-jo4xn]

@@noneofyourbusiness1114 its not that new a thing, its a post- bush ron paul revulation thing thing (13 years ago). Distancing from the neocon endless wars debacles

[@Chill-mm4pn]

I agree, it's rather hypocritical because they want to hear their political views confirmed by their favorite artists. But don't want someone with different views to have a voice. There are bands I won't listen to because I don't agree with their beliefs but I feel they should be able to make music they want. And I can make music that is in opposition to their beliefs if I choose. It has to go both ways.

[@WilliamMaranciMashups]

I just wish more people were honest. So yes, people should talk politics more.

[@MrJonne2000]

I don't think talking politics is wrong in any way, but when it turns into just bashing everyone who may not agree with what they believe 100%, then it's just not contributing to anything at all and just feeding the echo chambers that are already an issue with social media platforms.

[@suddenswarm5944]

Also, the question of influence can be dangerous at times. Cause most people don't think for themselves. I think there's a difference between party politics and global politics. Party politics should not be discussed imo, however things like police brutality and humanitarian issues should be

[@AgainstTheeWickedlyMusic]

@@MrJonne2000 Hit the nail right on the head there 👏

[@suddenswarm5944]

Just my 2 cents

[@IOxyrinchus]

Unless they start supporting something not so good because they’re misinformed. Eg RATM supporting the bloodthirsty murderer Che Guevara

[@rmv9194]

Of course they should be able to express themselves. The real question is why people take their opinion seriously?

[@kasrasadrehashemi174]

Because their a famous person and people are dumb.that why trump got elected(also the fact some people wanted to see the far leftist burn).

[@ahhwe-any7434]

I feel like they know as much as we do. Which isnt much. Politicians must lie to their faces as much as they do anyone else.

[@buttface7848]

I think the same way about politicians that have never work honesty an job.

[@BerserkerNick]

celebrities know what they're doing when they talk about politics, they always say that you should have your own opinion but what they really mean is that they want you to vote based on their opinions. ignore main stream media, do your own research, and make a decision based on your own values not someone else's.

[@ChadKirk]

No. I mean.... unless they agree with everything I think, then yes.

[@arispan]

Easy. If they agree with my views, yes. If they express opposite opinions then no.

[@xwwg1wgax277]

Lmao

[@HAL-vm3wn]

I was about to say the very same thing

[@lightingrod5907]

If they support an administration that infringes on the rights of marginalized people, then no

[@LooseChange09]

@@lightingrod5907 you must be fun at parties.

[@Soldano999]

That's the thing though: views change with time. So it doesn't age well.

[@thomasuniat2939]

Need to get some popcorn and a lawnchair before opening these comments. Doesnt matter what Finn says, someone's getting butthurt on this topic.

[@carlosmembreno7831]

always. waiting for the sad cap turd lmao

[@Blake_B52]

"People of the Sun" was also in response to the EZLN in Chiapas, Mexico in the 90s and their struggle against the Mexican government.

[@synesthesia.aesthetic]

Its coming back around again

[@Iraxvii]

According to freedom of speech, yes they can say whatever they want to whoever they want. But should you trust their judgement? I would personally say no, but it's a free country. You can trust whoever you want to and believe whatever you want.

[@Flickawho]

I’m honestly just embarrassed for musicians who jump into politics armed with the knowledge of one article they read. The well educated musicians who can back up their work are far and few between.

[@MilitantMe]

Honestly, I'd like to see Kamala Harris rant about Djent.😂

[@richardgiudice3631]

She recently said her favorite living rapper is Tupac, so I don't think she is up to date on music...

[@MilitantMe]

@@richardgiudice3631 😂😂😂

[@maciejnowak666]

I heard Kamala Harris in college smoked weed and listened to Periphery and Veil Of Maya

[@adamestrada7610]

_Randy Blythe has entered the chat..._

[@murk4552]

@@maciejnowak666 that would be awesome if true lmao, some Senators are metalheads, one dude who's name I can't remember in the West Coast is one I believe. He helps run a festival too!

[@robertbranch9279]

Critical thinking is what's missing.

[@ladev91]

Thanks for giving Dave Mustaine some credit. I think he is one of the greatest song writers and musicians of our time.

[@chasingairplanesmusic]

My take is this, musicians can say what they want to say. It’s their art so they can make it to be whatever they want. Entirely their prerogative. However, the audience has the same right to disagree with any political statement. I personally though am not a fan of unabashed red vs blue without anything intelligent to say.

[@michaelavi1818]

The best thing politics can do is cut your fanbase in half.

[@Ottophil]

AND THE WORST IS TRAPT PLAYING FOR THE PROUD BOYS.

[@TheLemonbrown]

@@Ottophil how is that a problem

[@iletthedevilin828]

Depends on the band. With a band like silent planet theres a lot of people that disagree with a lot of their politics but still love them but a band like trapt goes beyond politics. Trying fight other bands and trying to one up everyone with their pandora stuff is why no one takes them seriously

[@mattjohnson7775]

Yup

[@HenritheHorse]

​@@Ottophil Proud Boys are great group of diverse lads, but Trapt is pretty generic and boring.

[@MilitantMe]

I think musicians raising awareness to general causes like civil rights is good, but when it comes to specifics, if they can't separate the grand standing and actually have an educated discussion, then it's a waste.

[@zacharyhopkins4998]

I think Finn and Todd (From Todd in the Shadows) should do a podcast together.

[@asdfsnfw3u4348]

Good point about how silence is better than just adding more meaningless words, I never thought about it that way. I’m big on trying to use my music to raise awareness for environmental and social issues. I used to get more frustrated how others with a platform could also be helping spread awareness, but like you said, we shouldn’t all be expected to have the same background knowledge. So I think I was taking for granted the years I’ve been learning about these topics. Thanks for helping me pull my head out of my ass lol

[@laz4erin]

I think it’s okay for anyone to say “this is my political preference.” It’s wrong when anyone says “this should be your political preference.” Once you switch it from the personal to the general, then that becomes the issue. People in the end need to think/speak for themselves. And as any consumers of product, we have the right to choose what we want/don’t want to consume. You support with your wallet, so you should vote with your wallet. You buy/believe what works best for you. As always, Finn, thank you for your awesome content. Cheers.

[@ThePunkRockMBA]

Great way to put it!

[@CarlHH777]

I get your point but it doesn't apply to all "political preferences" and it's ok to argue that some issues should be everyone's preference (electoral system reform, justice system reform, military defunding and many others)

[@TrueMithrandir]

@4holePatriot Due to the wonky nature of the electoral college, People in rural areas their vote is actually caries more weight than people in urban areas. So yeah, electoral system reform is definitely necessary. And thats just one example of why...

[@TrueMithrandir]

"You buy/believe what works best for you. " - so white nationalist, their position "okay" and shouldn't be opposed because why? its just muh preference, leave me alone in my bigotry!

[@Ninjamanhammer]

So it's not okay for someone to say "you should support gay marriage"?

[@MilitantOldLady]

They can talk about whatever they want as much as we don’t have to listen.

[@judaspriestchild]

The drummer in Askylite Drive is my mailman now, literally.

[@kylebible]

That makes me sad actually.

[@joselopezbarragan5325]

@@kylebible usps mail people can make quite a bit

[@AndrewChristian-bg6vr]

Eventually you’ll get to point in your life where you think about benefits, job security, retirement, 401k, and life insurance. You might have high rent or a mortgage to pay. Pretty sure working a federal job offers that with decent pay. If you really feel this kind of way about someone working as a mailman then get ready for the real world to fucking eat you alive.

[@wadeb5042]

TL;DR •Musicians can bring attention to specific issues others may be unaware of. •Everyone ought to check their facts before sharing or believing anything. •Nobody has an obligation to speak out, especially if they don’t have enough credible information to form an opinion.

[@JacoNotorious]

Sad that even the viewers of this channel need a TL;DR, but based on some of the comments it is clearly needed so thank you!

[@wadeb5042]

@@JacoNotorious assuming I accurately summarized Finn’s thesis, I honestly don’t see how anyone could disagree.

[@sublyme1994]

Universally good political metal that ISNT bipartisan: The Empire Shall Fall Calling out corrupt politicians shouldn't be controversial or bipartisan. They exist everywhere on the political spectrum.

[@evergray5063]

I am legitimately not being a smart ass here, but I think you have your definitions mixed up. You said “isn’t bipartisan”. I think you meant “isn’t partisan”. The prefix bi = two or plural. So by saying it “isn’t bipartisan” means that it DOES NOT INCLUDE two or more viewpoints. “Bipartisanship (in the context of a two-party system) is the opposite of partisanship which is characterized by a lack of cooperation between rival political parties” Again, not being a dick or talking shit, just attempting to clear up that definition because it SEEMS like you meant to say the opposite

[@Ms666slayer]

@@evergray5063 Yeah the Bipartisan bit it's probably cause by the fact that there are only 2 political parties in the US, so yeah i can undertand that someone from the US sees everything on a bipartisan way, even that in most other democracies there are more than 2 parties.

[@evergray5063]

@@Ms666slayer yeah, and people have bitched about having only two parties for at least as long as I’ve been alive and I’m sure for much much longer. It would be nice to have AT LEAST a third option, preferably more. Especially now that the two parties are at such extreme opposite ends on every issue, there is room, I hope, after this election for a more centrist group to gain some legitimacy

[@Ms666slayer]

@@evergray5063 Yeah its weird fo me seeing Bernie, AOC, and Biden in the same party, on another country Biden would be on a Centrist party, AOC on the Communist party and Bernie on the Social Democrat party, also go to vote your country need you. From Mexico.

[@littleeark1]

@@Ms666slayer AOC and Bernie would be in the centrist party. Biden in the Conservative party.

[@iowaclimatecoalition8080]

"If you think punk rock doesn't mix with politics you're wrong"-Fat Mike

[@buttface7848]

True facts

[@dmusiclife5727]

Fat Mike? Don’t forget about Regan era in the 80’s

[@robmitchell3039]

Politics and punk rock have gone together since pretty much the beginning of punk rock.

[@jamesgentry13]

Fat mike today... rich white suburban guy with multiple property investments.... that is soooooo PUNK

[@iowaclimatecoalition8080]

@@jamesgentry13 More punk than you, you don't have one single punk rock festival under your belt Mr. Punker than thou

[@brettsharbono3022]

Yeah it's the 1st amendment. Just don't condemn half your fan base when they disagree with you.

[@dargis]

or when half your fan base calls you a race traitor because you met with the president.

[@RevStickleback]

In Northern Ireland in the late 1970s, the two biggest bands were The Undertones and Stiff Little Fingers. SLF were critical of The Undertones for never mentioning The Troubles in their songs, and SLF were criticised for mentioning them in a large proportion of their songs. Hard to say who was right. I do think musicians, or people in the public eye in general, need to realise a statement on Twitter is not just a throwaway remark. It will be taken as an issue dear to your heart, and speaking out will be seen the same as campaigning on that issue. Unless you feel strongly about an issue, and can articulate that sentiment well, it is probably better to not voice that opinion in a high-profile way.

[@andrewbolton9049]

SLF lyrics are some of the greatest to come from punk, each dollar a bullet is a song I always get chills listening too

[@TibzzTube]

Finn, Jake from Defiler has just announced he is suffering from pancreatic necrosis. Doctors aren't optimistic and to kick him when he's down his best friend just died. You have a huge reach, could you maybe do something for him? He's gathering donations for the malpractice suit and his medical expenses. Please help if you can. Also sorry for spamming.

[@jro182]

Finns’s moral of the story: Love music, say what you want, and use common sense. Great video!

[@SteveAddeo]

I mostly agree, I do feel the need to push back in Tom Morello tho. He got his poly-sci degree at Harvard and, despite the fact threat he’s a guitarist, that does give him more expertise on politics than, say, Ivan from 5FDP. That’s not to say you should take him at his word, some of his beliefs were shaped by his upbringing as well, but I think education can and should make someone more credible on a topic. As a metrology major (now working in the VFX industry) I appreciate people who advocate for climate change! Thanks for all you do!

[@ThePunkRockMBA]

I worked with tons of people with Ivy League degrees (including harvard) and they're certainly smarter than the average person off the street but I wouldn't say they were anything special. I was actually really surprised by how bad at problem solving they oftentimes were. Really made me see academic credentials in a different light.

[@a4t976]

@@ThePunkRockMBA "People should be informed before they talk about certain things and be educated on the matter" "Hey this guy you disagree with is informed and very much educated on the subject of politics" "No not like that"

[@SteveAddeo]

@@ThePunkRockMBA I’m with you on working with folks with undergrad degrees (Ivy League included) that we’re severely lacking in certain skills that someone from such a prestigious institution should have acquired; I’ve been there too. I didn’t mean to imply that they’re anything special about the degree, just that education can give an individual qualifications to speak on a topic that are above what the average individual may possess. Thank you for the response, the discussion, and for the work you do. Can’t wait to hear your interview with Patrick (H) Willems!

[@KristianC1994]

Everyone should talk about politics. If you don't like a certain artist's opinions then you don't have to listen, but no-one ever got more informed about the world by staying in their echo chamber.

[@ryannachtrab]

When you said "echo chamber" my brain started playing Veil of Maya and couldn't comprehend the rest of what you said

[@yorickcool4219]

I think the (very good) argument Finn is making is that it's more enriching to engage with thoughtful ideas than with half-baked ones. And this is true outside of your own echo chamber of course. But half-baked ideas shouted at you by an artist (usually) don't make you go out of your echo chamber, thoughtful ideas that change your perception do. More often than not, that doesn't happen in song.

[@RÅNÇIÐ]

I love Alex Skolnick so I'll pretend I didn't see that.

[@Mitchery]

You listen to Carpathian Forest?

[@wolfcoma]

Thinks to self "Propagandhi Less Talk More Rock album is quite literally the most politically charged album even though it's 25 years old."

[@cpwalsh6245]

Being geographically central in the small city that is Winnipeg allowed them to see clearly and openly question... everything.

[@ChristianBoragine]

that album changed my life for good

[@wolfcoma]

@@cpwalsh6245 I bet.

[@wolfcoma]

@@ChristianBoragine Same.Those were some wild ideas in my early adolescence .But ultimately needed.

[@Freewest-cb7lq]

Nation States was one of my favourite songs when I was younger.

[@timmyt603]

I liked this a lot! I also feel the edit for clarification came across very sincere and honestly made me feel very connected to this video in that moment. I really enjoyed it....love your work dude!

[@ThePunkRockMBA]

Thank you!

[@AwesomeApril666]

Love this so much!! How is it that you literally take my thoughts I can't express and put them into interesting and informative videos I will never understand, but keep at it dude!

[@heluphicclovanass8954]

I just appreciate the fact how neutral Finn actually is.

[@wombatjack3995]

Centrists are the true evil, radicals must unite to defeat this neutral menace

[@xamountoftruth08]

i think his leanings are pretty clear, but i agree that its nice he doesnt try to offend, bash and consider other people's opinions are different and thats OK. If only more people would be like that. Also he probably doesnt want to be accused of being one way over the other Lol.

[@joelking313]

It's how journalism and all of that type of stuff are supposed to be done lol

[@hrotha]

Bit too much bothsidesism for my taste

[@JCavLP]

@@wombatjack3995 Centricide!

[@projectno5]

i dunno why but the "musicians shouldn't talk about politics" argument always reminds me of this guy in my scene who would always come up to my band and say "stop writing political songs, it's bumming people out" when really, we were just writing songs about what we had to deal with growing up. all 4 of us were working class, 3 of us came from broken homes and 2 of us used to have to deal with parental abuse. 3 of us were LGBTQ+ in a time where that was still considered to be a hot button topic. i spent time homeless and sleeping on the streets so i wrote a few songs about that. it's not like all of our songs were "political" honestly, i wrote a song about my first car and the freedom/responsibility it afforded, our guitar player wrote a great silly love song about her girlfriend (which he considered "political") but a lot of our songs were about things we experienced, which was enough to annoy this guy in the scene. i do think it can go too far in the other way. there was another dude in the scene. his family lived in a house worth £500k with a pool (in the uk, that's a luxury and a half) and he was always listening to me and my friends joke about all the horrible shit that happened to us and just be like "oh my god, i gotta write about you...... this is the working class spirit i'm always hearing so much about" we used to decline because he only understood this kinda thing on a surface level. he ended up writing a song (mentioning everything we'd been through and mentioning us by name) without asking if it was ok. when we told him we wanted him to change the names he was like "no, this could be my big shot" we ended up having to steal the lyrics and burning them simply because we hated him being a poverty tourist.

[@murk4552]

Damn, we wonder why forming bands is a lost cause in my generation

[@usmc1379]

There's so many people that are like that dude saying "your lyrics were bumming people out" which is kind of disappointing to think that they didn't realize "This bums me out, so I'm not going to listen to this band." Like people should.

[@theyflynow9301]

People should learn how to have a civil conversation. Seems like a lost art at this point.

[@Trunksgainz]

I know. People just fight nowadays. There's no more love. No one can keep up a civil conversation without yelling

[@jefferygreenacre7056]

Miles, Luke and Alfredo, that’s 3 separate statements without anyone calling someone else a childish name or hurling an unnecessary insult. Keep up the good work gentlemen.

[@jamesgentry13]

So sick of the " you better agree with me on everything or we can't be friends or you're canceled " bullshit.

[@MrStephen182]

Don't it just.

[@The1920sChannel]

Asking a celebrity about politics is like asking Katy Perry about math and science

[@rileyknox6147]

i think the drummer in a skylit drive is now a mail man to be honest, saw it on reddit a while back which is kind of awesome

[@thevfxmancolorizationvfxex4051]

Rage Against The Machine were political from the very beginning. Killing In The Name made them so successful because of the song's politics, and not because of Tom Morello's epic guitar solos. It's astounding how many are finding escapism and comfort in their songs

[@IOxyrinchus]

Absolutely, that’s partly why I love them so much: they aren’t afraid to express their political beliefs

[@xwwg1wgax277]

The RATM punk fan base from the 90s now turned MAGA Trumpers shocked that RATM is liberal 😂😂😂

[@thevfxmancolorizationvfxex4051]

@@xwwg1wgax277 yeah, it's hilarious

[@svengrenholm98]

@@xwwg1wgax277 RATM are communists. Not liberal. Liberals are the machine. "Conservatives" are just liberals who want to ban abortion.

[@xwwg1wgax277]

@Nemesis Enforcer I agree with you wholeheartedly except one thing : most of us STILL dont care about the message lol.

[@jmagowan12]

Surely deliberately not talking about Politics is a political statement in of itself.

[@shantheman6879]

Being apolitical is definitely a statement.

[@jmagowan12]

@@shantheman6879 Ya can't escape it, so we should have Politics that are good & I believe those are one that serve the liberation of the working people & humanity generally.

[@soulcrusher807]

If done deliberately sure. But not everyone who does not make political songs is doing it consciously. Some people genuinely don't think about politics.

[@jmagowan12]

@@soulcrusher807 well The powerful are always thinking about how to control & influence the the peoples thoughts, I see what ya mean there, though this fecklessness does have its political economic context.

[@jmagowan12]

@Jose Ureste A choice of what?

[@flogginga_dead_horse4022]

Five Flavor Fruit Punch...

[@MrHURRICANE43]

Idk why but this made me laugh way harder then I should have

[@kiduallno]

Finn, thank you for sharing your thoughts. I appreciate how you expand this idea to apply to more genres, musicians in general, and celebrities of all types. This opens my perspective on what it means to support others when they speak out and to really observe what they are saying and where they are coming from.

[@ThePunkRockMBA]

🙏🏼

[@tarynstouffer3282]

Just binge watched all these videos. So glad I just found all these. Might actually be the most accurate channel on youtube 👁

[@theheadbangguy5985]

Also I respect how level-headed you are about all this Finn. I wish more people were like you. Now if you'll excuse me I'm gonna go protest the election fraud that just took place over here in my country :D :D

[@HaloBro003]

Stay safe out there!

[@Mitchery]

Where do you come from?

[@PunkRockPundit]

A very well balanced approach to the topic. I'm all for freedom of expression no matter the person or the topic but please, for the love of God, if what you're saying doesn't add to a constructive conversation on the issue (no matter which side) you should probably just shut up.

[@robmoney]

More like the Punk Rock Centrist

[@eevee5jdm483]

robmoney punk rock but not really more like Bootlicker MBA

[@HenritheHorse]

@@eevee5jdm483At least he doesn't like communism.

[@Rapture-Asuka]

@@eevee5jdm483 better then being you.

[@Culled]

@@HenritheHorse no one likes communism Jesus Christ. So the people who want you to vote for them tell you the people running against them are communist and you just believe it. Because they have told so much truth in the past, especially the past 4 years. It’s McCarthyism all over again it’s so stupid. Idiocracy gave us too much credit

[@aquienpuedainteresar4188]

More of looking from the outside and realizing how ridiculous all of this is. True wakefulness.

[@jakobthonen9411]

I'll be honest I got nervous when I saw the title of this video, but as usual it's another great level headed video with a lot of good points. Respect.

[@V9incent]

In the 1970s the ABBA producer was asked why isn't he making any stance about politics. He said: "Cause I want to make money - and if I take a stance - I'll lose half of my profits" ABBA was one of the most prolific bands of the 1970s

[@ohalistair]

When I was about fifteen, a punk band from my town released their first album. Mostly the standard throwaway punk songs (that I still love), but one always stuck out to me. It was basically about the life of a young girl in SE Asia being sold into sex slavery by her parents, who couldn't afford to keep her, and then comparing it to his own privileged upbringing. The moral was sort of about how a lot of westerners are ignorant to many issues in the world, much like you said. One particular line that was huge, in my opinion, goes "My silence speaks as loud as acceptance", which I interpreted as them saying if people have something they need to say, they should say it, because staying silent isn't going to help anyone.

[@ultimadum7785]

kind of like Dead Kennedy's holiday in Cambodia! where the college rich kids are always complaining, while a brutal war was occurring across the sea.

[@Redman8086]

I would argue this is true everywhere though. To add to your point, people in SE Asia are generally ignorant to the problems in the West as well. In fact, going pretty much entirely off of what they see in Hollywood movies, many times they assume all Westerners are rich and beautiful, but we have plenty of problems too, big problems. And there is a "privileged" class of people in every country, even the poorest ones.

[@raphaelleclair2688]

This is a old question that goes back to plato, for him art should bring awareness, critical thinking and not be mere entertainment because they can be a dangerous delusion, art is (mimêsis) a life imitation (fictious or real) process which can be dangerous when wrongly use. The dangers of art is that it can eventually trap you inside your own plato cave.

[@Eirik_Bloodaxe]

I guess the short answer is “Well yes, but also no.”

[@TheDuelist]

Hey Finn, I love that you do such a good job of distilling the noise out of topics like this instead of just being another inflammatory voice. Love the content man! Keep it up!

[@chronometa]

Politics are typically just opinions anyway, so why not 🤷🏾‍♂️.

[@MrJonne2000]

Unfortunately some famous people like to bash on the opposing side more than talk about their own opinions.

[@MayorOfEarth79]

I mean should you stop believing in something moral/that affects you personally just if a celebrity is cringey about it?

[@alfredoaran3372]

@@MayorOfEarth79 He just said that it's unfortunate, that's not implying someone should change their view based on that. Either way, I do believe that when uninformed people with a big audience speak shit, it has consecuences.

[@MacMyKitty]

No because they influence peoples vote, when We should teach people how to think smart, and critically.

[@GizmoFan1]

It must be fun to not have to worry about a government taking away your right to exist.

[@bry10101]

As a "red state rocker" I've been more than been used to dealing with bands that disagree with me on almost everything. If the music is good though, I will listen to it 🤷‍♂️

[@shockt9610]

Same man, it’s tough to go against the grain. I’m also a Christian on top of that. There’s people in bands that I’m “friends” with that will write you off if you support Trump or anything conservative whatsoever.

[@owlobsidian6965]

As a conservative and fan of heavy music myself, I find it difficult to listen to a lot of bands because of the message in their music. I'm not saying I can't listen to music if it doesn't agree with everything I believe, I am ok and understand others will have different opinions than myself. But I find it hard to support, and by that promote, ideas that I find truly harmful to society or listen to songs that mock or demonize my personal beliefs and opinions. Things were so much simpler when I was younger and unaware haha.

[@microchrist6122]

Move to Peoria Illinois, thank me later

[@bry10101]

@@shockt9610 I'm a christian too but telling people that makes them automatically assume I'm some bible thumping 2003 Let's Invade Iraq type conservatives. Also if you haven't heard of them Demon Hunter is a great christian metal band. They go harder than most "metal" bands.

[@bry10101]

@@owlobsidian6965 I hear ya on that. If you lean more Libertarian you should check out Backwordz. Great band that isn't all lefty preachy. Calling the left preachy is not something I'd ever think I would say, especially the way the right was in the 90's/early 20's but it's basically a religion at this point.

[@MayorOfEarth79]

So a problem I have with this video is that I think Finn is perhaps subconsciously suggesting that all of these problems with "politics" or "artists being political" is simply a problem of tribalism or the lack of knowledge. It has to be stated that not every issue is simply two people who can't compromise; sometimes it can be a black/white issue that someone happens to feel very strongly apart. Considering some bands are kind of...openly about promoting hate speech, that doesn't mean we can just close our eyes and shrug "Well they just have a different opinion from us." It's also important to understand that a search for a type of centrism in-and-of-itself is a type of political position as well. Like if I'm going to use two examples you unironically brought up. So you used the clip of Ricky Gervais telling celebrities to not be political and not sure their platform. Does no one consider that Ricky Gervais is also being a massive hypocrite by saying that? He's also a wealthy celebrity just like everyone else in that audience who has used his platform to take certain political and social positions? Everyone wanted to give him credit for "Taking one to celebs" when he's guilty of doing just about everything like that. Even at the end of the awards ceremony, he said at the end to support Australia through the wildfires going on like many other celebs did. Also at some point in the video, you've said "The Marketplace of Ideas is a wonderful thing." Well, how do you even define the Marketplace of Ideas? Does that include all ideas, including misinformed or uneducated ones have a seat at the table? And although I'm not accusing Finn of having these attributes; I've usually seen the "Marketplace of Ideas" as a way to reinforce a type of free speech absolutism where all ideas, even hateful ones, are valid. I mean you can make claim for a desire that people need to study and make a dialogue from time to time, but if that doesn't result in any action then does it actually accomplish anything? Personally I don't think there's anything wrong with people wanting to talk about what issues bother them specifically. And we're human, sometimes we make mistakes in how we come up with these ideas. But it's important that we understand that while this might be boiled down to an "Us vs. Them" partisan problem; it's worth pointing out there's lots of people who just refuse to care or listen or become involved in any problem that comes there way. It's why we have lots of disillusioned, apolitical people who think they are "above" any conflict but in all actuality, they are simply avoiding conflict.

[@HenritheHorse]

"hate speech" all I needed to read...

[@hecticenergy1233]

I agree. “I don’t know enough about it to talk intelligently about it” should be a larger part of all of our vocabulary.. or just prefacing your opinion with “I haven’t looked into it a ton, but my current thought on the topic is...” and at least being open to hearing good counter arguments. ...IMO anyway 🤷‍♂️

[@papichurro2115]

Dude, bravo. Seriously love your take on all this and I hope yours becomes the new zeitgeist. The one where we let people figure things out and pace our judgements instead of exploding with passion in what could be an embarrassing way years down the road.. I was gonna clarify my point, but then you clarified your video just as I was editing this so yeah, you’re still right in my book 💪🏼

[@justaguy2365]

Art is supposed to be a reflection of the times and moves people like nothing else will. Some of the best music has been written during tumultuous times. Music is one of the finest art forms. So yeah, I really think politics belongs in art. I get bored with superficial "Baby Baby" lyrics.

[@thevfxmancolorizationvfxex4051]

That's why fan entitlement is so bad

[@Soldano999]

There's making a statement about society and then there's telling people who to vote for and calling a nazi everyone who doesnt.

[@justaguy2365]

@@Soldano999 agreed

[@milowolfface9392]

I mean, its their beliefs. Their music is literally about how they see the world. So, yeah. Anyone who says different is just plain silly. I don't believe they have an obligation to be saints, but I also believe they should recognize their influence. So yeah.

[@ThaCho23nJuan]

I never talk about politics or religion.

[@paulsweet7867]

This was a very well thought out and articulated message to musicians and music listeners. I feel like everyone should be this thoughtful about political things before posting them on the internet or social media, no matter how big or small their platform is. The issues of our world are COMPLICATED. If they were simple, they’d be fixed. Well said!

[@ThePunkRockMBA]

Exactly - this shit isnt simple

[@dadamager3000]

God bless you, one of the few channels worth watching in my YT feed lol

[@brett5569]

I never understand why Americans get so pissed at musicians/actors/athletes for saying their opinions on politics. They are people too and have every right to say how they feel about the country they live in. Just because they are celebrities and are rich doesn’t mean they don’t have emotions.

[@HenritheHorse]

They get pissed because most of them are so out of touch with real life and virtue-signal without knowing anything about the subject.

[@brett5569]

@@HenritheHorse yeah but you can’t assume every single one of them doesn’t know what they are talking about. That’s an ignorant statement. You don’t know their life and what they know

[@HenritheHorse]

@@brett5569 All I can tell that vast majority of them are clueless and dumb with what they talk about. It could be that the most ingnorant ones are the loudest too.

[@brett5569]

@@HenritheHorse yeah i agree that I’m sure a lot of them don’t know what they are talking about. But I do know not all of them are dumb. I just personally don’t care if any sort of entertainer says how they feel because at the end of the day they are just a citizen of this country like you or I. I do agree with Finn though that when it comes to people just bashing the left or right without actually saying anything intelligent. It’s pointless and does not help any sort of solution or discussion.

[@royalcat10]

A big issue I personally see with celebrities voicing their opinions on political subjects is because it goes directly against the reason I seek them in the first place. Almost all popular celebrities are going to fit into the "Entertainer" category, of some sort. We get battered with the doom and gloom of politics and life in general every day we exist. We seek out these Entertainers for a brief reprieve of it, to reset our minds and be mentally reposed for the next day. When these people just bring in these issues, that we explicitly came to them to NOT think about, it feels like a violation and betrayal. They compound the issue by causing burnout. Of course, they have a wide audience and platform and this makes them the perfect beacon to get a message out... But when they do it too often or poorly timed, it just becomes irritating dreg. Obviously, this really only applies to celebrities who generally aren't political. For those that politics have always been a part of their platform, then I would put the blame on the consumer if this issue arises for knowingly seeking a person that will speak of politics.

[@SelectCircle]

Pop musicians should support the PEOPLE - not the elite.

[@SelectCircle]

@@PavelJagen You might be confused - but no one else is.

[@SelectCircle]

@@PavelJagen If you believe there is no objective basis of judgment - then you're infected with postmodernism and very confused indeed.

[@SelectCircle]

@@PavelJagen Maybe you smoke too much pot? Because you sound like every stoner I know. "False dichotomy, man." There's something about marijuana that promotes relativism. But the rest of us haven't lost our discernment. : )

[@SelectCircle]

@@PavelJagen Despair is a sign of confusion. I assure that the postmodern Democrat Party knows who the People are - and they deplore them. We're watching Gramsci put to the test here - rule by Marxist cultural elites ... and their pathetic little mini-me's - all the elite-wannabes who style themselves SJWs. Why did the ratings for the NBA tank this season? The People know who the elitists are - and vice versa. Quote Mark Cuban: "I don't want THOSE people watching our games anyway." BOTH sides know who he's talking about! There IS no confusion in anyone but you.

[@SelectCircle]

@@PavelJagen Or in other words - you lost the argument and are now trying to save face. : )

[@GizmoFan1]

Did you seriously say a cringy rap song is worse than genuinely saying the president staged mass shootings that tore families apart?

[@TheSpencerSB]

This is what I was thinking. I think it was poorly written in the video. Him just making a song that said "trump sucks" isn't adding anything to the conversation. But holy fuck what Dave said is a million times worse and is actually damaging.

[@toribiogubert7729]

Plus almost every time he said "you need to know bout what you are talking and you need stop share fake news" there was a member of RATM appearing on the screen.

[@SJRenkola]

I cringed at that.

[@FenixDown87]

Yes, that rap song was trash asf

[@AndrewChristian-bg6vr]

Absofuckinlutely. But hey that Obama guy did build those cages so there’s that.

[@Apocalipcy]

Finn: musicians talking all out there ass Tom Macdonald: hold my beer

[@DarthWinterMadness]

Thank you very much! I've been watching you're content for a while, but somehow I wasn't subscribed until recently. So I missed this video when it came out. My position on the subject is that politics can be part of music. Freedom of speech is freedom of speech. But I wish some musicians would be better educated on what they talk about, like what you said about Fidel Castro. What I liked with your video is that you didn't try to act like you know better than other people and did not take a side. Depending on the subject (economics, climate change, healthcare, etc), one side will be more right than the other, but you did not take a side. Sorry for repeating myself, but that's really respectable from you. A lot of people cannot help but spew out their political opinions. It's often a lot of cringe. Again thank you for being the bigger man. Cheers from France! 🍻 *Edit* I forgot to mention that in the beginning of the video, you took a jab to both sides of the spectrum. That was great and balsy whey you think about it (knowing people will hate you for favoring one side, the other or not having one in the first place).

[@Jankovic21412]

First and foremost, musicians (and other celebrities, for that matter) should at least be educated and well informed on the subject they want to talk about, otherwise you get the FFDP anti-mask fiasco of a video, or any number of conspiracy theory mumbo jumbo posing as ''valid opinions, revolutionary statements'' and so on.

[@caseyjc5]

Listening to the mainstream 'experts' doesn't necessarily make one educated 🙄

[@Jankovic21412]

@@caseyjc5 If you don't want to listen to ''mainstream experts'', that's fine. But for the love of everything that is holy, please do not walk around like you've actually researched some topic better than those mainstream experts when, in fact, you have actually just watched couple of KZbin videos that pander to your worldview.

[@richardturner7560]

@@caseyjc5 yeah all these people that spend their lives dedicated to becoming great at something.... What a bunch of losers. Maybe they should've tried to be a Renaissance woman master of everything like yourself...

[@caseyjc5]

@@Jankovic21412 If you think people like me only think certain things (that go against the official narrative) because of watching a couple KZbin videos, you are very much mistaken. Nice try, though...

[@caseyjc5]

@@richardturner7560 I never even implied they were losers, and way to assume that ALL science and health experts agree with each other anyways 🤨

[@midnightgreen8319]

They can talk about whatever the hell they want to.

[@drguck7126]

I love your content man and I’ve discovered a lot of great music from ur vids but that Che Guevara quote is def taken out of context. The firing squads he’s referring to were meant exclusively for the people who committed crimes on behalf of the military dictatorship that the Cuban revolution overthrew. I’m not a fan of the death sentence personally, but these were truly evil ppl, and it was only a few hundred. The trials were backed by the Cuban public, as they wanted to punish bautistas war criminal goons. The trials also featured defense lawyers, witnesses, and prosecutors, and they generally followed standard judicial decorum. Fuck Castro but Che Guevara isn’t not at all comparable. Castro is a dispicable human being but Guevara is all around pretty based.

[@theredlie1988]

Che was also literally radicalized after he witnessed the US orchestrate an unbelievably bloody coup in Guatemala in the 50s.

[@aitorterra8720]

Guevara would did the same as Castro, just died earlier. Cuba went the way they went because the US embargo and the CIA financed coups in Latin America. Just some days ago, Chile burned their constitution (in force since Pinochet's dictatorship) and Bolivia vote massively to restore their socialist government.

[@halo2d]

There’s no context needed for that quote. But it says a lot you defended it. Like a whole lot. You know what they show in the movie wasn’t like his whole life, right?🤦‍♀️

[@drguck7126]

@@halo2d idk what movie ur talking abt lol but whatever ig. Also if ur gonna say “so and so says a lot abt u”, u should actually go into detail abt what is says abt me. Somehow that’s not even the worst part of this comment considering that u opened with “there’s no context needed.” That’s such a weird thing to say in a discussion of history. I don’t think a single historical discussion has ever been had where context wasn’t necessary.

[@halo2d]

@@drguck7126 Hit dogs bark loudest and watching the motorcycle diaries is not the same actually reading his published works. If you did, you would actually know why the context didn’t matter because he spent about 10 years advocating but lol whatever

[@bdr113080]

Dude thank you so much for this video. I wish more people that had platforms would stop picking sides and as you put it “ Blue team bad or red team bad”. Out of all the people I know in my life I can honestly say that between family, friends, and coworkers I might know two other people besides myself that realizing that one political side is right and honest and everything good in the world and the other side is evil for the sake of being evil is a really stupid way to view the world of politics. They are good and bad people on both sides there are good and bad companies and organizations on both sides. I’m so sick of people taking the actions of one person or one organization and then throwing a blanket over everyone else and saying that everyone else is exactly like them. There is misinformation given out on both sides and the problem with this is that when you have people crying wolf so much it gets to the point that the scene normal people to start tuning out anything now. Look at all the different conspiracy theories that have been thrown out there in the last six or seven years and how many of them have ever came out to be true? Every time we have an election you get told by both sides that if the other guy wins it’s the end of America. Every time! Another example is the “ if the guy from the blue team wins he’s gonna take our guns away” yeah it hasn’t happened yet. And the left does the same thing they use scare tactics to get people all riled up, clearly I’m not saying everyone on the left us like that and not everyone on the right thinks if a Democratic president wins that all of our guns are going to be taken away. I really don’t know where we got to a point in this country where people were so blind to think if someone views politics the same way they do that must mean they’re one of the good people in the world. But yes man thank you so much for Pointing out that blind political party loyalty isn’t helping at all because it is really making things so much worse.

[@RanterInShades]

Very nuanced approach to this! Appreciate that very much. I'm still of the belief that social media and live performances aren't exactly the place for political rants since it (generally) doesn't have anything to do with why you follow them in the first place (Trapt and Senses Fail are my go-to examples of this on either side). But your point about being informed, tactful and confident in your takes and asking yourself if this is really your battle is precisely why I've been making a point to not involve myself in political discourse, mostly for the sake of my mental health and not stressing myself out. Also very much agreed about the "obligation" part, since I believe at the end of the day, you should be the one making the choice to speak about something, and not do so because you have some sort of "obligation". That just makes it sound like you're doing it for someone else and not for you.

[@IOxyrinchus]

*Henry Rollins has entered the chat*

[@IOxyrinchus]

@xn0 disagree, I think he was a great frontman and role model to a lot of people. Had some ok boomer moments but apart from that and some weird political opinions he’s honestly not that bad

[@IY4554]

@xn0gaming what defines a poser? and Why is Henry one?

[@layladystay]

Would love to see you interview brace belden, marxist punk musician turned ypg fighter. My opinions: "families affected by communism" is usually code for "fleeing from our families' slaves revolting". Not an accusation, just saying cuz my mom, to this day, still think Allende was a bad. The "communism" your talking about is US entanglement and backing of coups/opposition i.e. operation condor. We never give a kill count to laissez-faire economics. Capitalism is literally killing 3000 people A DAY here alone. And thinking the ruling class should be the working class is still considered taboo? Have you honestly read theory with an open mind? You never read Marx in college? Lastly, there are 2 reasons why the best doctors around the world are Cuban.

[@ThePunkRockMBA]

Bro you are so wildly off here - nobody owned slaves in vietnam my duder. Books are cool but the real world is where we live

[@chrisperez3614]

@@ThePunkRockMBA there was exploitative relations in Vietnam though. Only listening to the people that fled a revolution is a pure case of selection bias. It's like saying that the emancipation of slavery is crazy because the confederados who have fled the US after they lost the civil war said it's bad.

[@maciejnowak666]

Cuban doctors are great at cleaning my room at the resort. You ever been to cuba?

[@mikehunth5765]

Celebrities and Musicians have a very disillusioned view of the world so I don’t listen to any of what they have to stay regarding to politics

[@TheRealDarklock]

Regardless of what your politics are agreeing and disagreeing healthily is the best way to move forward and keeping an open mind and being civil. I've always loved punk, hardcore and metal but my politics has rarely if ever aligned with it... but I can still appreciate their perspective and others perspectives and disagree with them.

[@stevphen]

Good video. Would be interesting to consider musicians talking about politics not just in the content of their music, but in the organization of their craft. For me that was one of the main takeaways from the punk scene, learning to set up DIY networks, venues, shows, labels, etc... rather than waiting or relying upon large corporations and what have you. So definitely a politics, but more in the sense of 'how we we want to organize how we live, make stuff, and interact with each other' more so than voting of this or that person, or supporting this or that movement (though those things are still important as well of course).

[@daysinncolumbusairportcolu6812]

another banger from Finn. 2020 isn't THAT bad.

[@CH-ml4rz]

/remindme 14 days

[@philmaynard5738]

I dunno, there's just something a little funny about someone discussing "should musicians talk about politics?" in front of a Dead Kennedy's logo. Also kind of fascinating to hear simple criticism of a party or person being misaligned to "red/blue team bad" when issues like climate change are very much a one sided issue

[@ThePunkRockMBA]

Good point, I keep meaning to print some new flyers to cover up that DKs logo

[@Sonyim414]

Republicans are weak on climate change and healthcare Democrats are weak on crime and spending Both parties suck, and are unfortunately partisan. So unfortunately, we're left with picking the best of two evils, and that's different for everyone.

[@MayorOfEarth79]

@@Sonyim414 Keep in mind, the "two party system" is something that is very specifically American. You do have more neutral and more partisan political parties in other countries like Canada, the UK, and Australia. However, let's not beat around the bush proclaiming that the people in the center have their own issues as they try to avoid being called right or left.

[@AndrewChristian-bg6vr]

@@Sonyim414 or if people are as socially liberal and fiscally conservative as they say they are they can go libertarian. Too bad all their politicians are weak and the lack of pandering to a certain base doesn’t help their numbers grow.

[@TayLybb]

I don't know where everyone got the idea that you have to agree with someone to be civil or kind or a friend. I don't watch the NBA or the NFL anymore because I don't tune into sports to watch politics, but that just me.

[@CH-ml4rz]

Its very healthy to walk away from things that trigger you.

[@eamonmac2751]

You’re a boring loser

[@ClikcerProductions]

Honestly I can understand why some people can't be civil with people because they support the Republicans. If you're an LGBTQ+ person the Republican party is actively trying to make your existence hell, so I can fully see why people struggle to be civil with people who support them

[@ShenLung13]

I trully appreciate and respect your neutrality and impartiality on politics.

[@jose-ramonraytroche9159]

Thanks for posting yet another thoughtful video! You articulated this in a way that I've struggled with for a long time. On one hand, I enjoy connecting emotionally to artists who share their political opinions (hence my bad Crass records tattoos that I still keep getting at 40 years old). On the other hand, I'm concerned that many fans are not prepared/motivated to verify the new ideas they've encountered by researching peer-reviewed, academic resources with credible citations. I have the sneaking suspicion many punk intellectuals are satisfied too glean their beliefs from extremist sources, half-finished Michael Moore books, or social media news feeds.

[@ThePunkRockMBA]

Bingo