The examination of ‘the Joe Rogan Experience’.
Mr. Joe Rogan created controversy by engaging in a conversation about COVID-19 with Dr. Robert Malone, on his podcast 'The Joe Rogan Experience'. I like his podcast and I listen to his content regularly, but this was not an easy podcast episode for me to listen to because of my own biases. I have since had conversations with my wife, who is an immunologist and my friends, who are physicians and academicians about the role of such controversial media content.
The role of free speech in society was highlighted by Socrates. Plato's Apology describes Socrates' trial in which Socrates compared himself to a Gadfly that pesters a stallion. The stallion here being the Athenian republic. He used the right to free speech to urge his fellow Athenians to examine their lives. He believed that an unexamined life was not worth living because examination was a pre-requisite to developing virtue. He wanted to help his fellow citizens live a life of virtue because a virtuous life was a good life.
For his expressions of free speech, he was found guilty of poisoning the minds of the youth and he was put to death. During the trial, in the audience there were several young men who were followers of Socrates. These men were well educated and had the leisure to follow Socrates around as he went about accosting the regular folk in the Athenian marketplaces. As a result of their education, leisure, examination of their own lives, and the ability to engage in civil discourse, these young men formed their own opinions about what was True and False. They were not swayed by public opinion or the words of the Political, and Social elites of their society.
Plato was one such follower of Socrates, after his mentor was put to death, he went on to immortalize Socrates through his works, the 'Platonic Dialogues'. These works are the foundation of western thought and the basis of modern democracy. The important thing to remember is that at the time of the trial, Socrates was considered to be an instigator, and a rogue element. The popular opinion was that he needed be silenced. It was not only the free speech of Socrates but also the critical examination of his words by select individuals that led to his immortalization and eventually to the formation of modern democratic republics.
How does this relate to Joe Rogan? Joe believes in free speech and he has a wide range of interests; from mixed martial arts to the understanding of human consciousness. He has been able to acquire a large audience through his podcast 'the Joe Rogan Experience'. He hosts guests who are experts in these topics. Some of these experts have the same infamy as Socrates had during his trial. The socio-political views of such guests create the controversies that sway public opinion. This leads other media outlets, political, and social elites to call for a ban or censorship of his podcast. They want to put Joe and his guests on trial in an effort to silence them.
The trial of Socrates teaches us that we should not silence the free speech of Joe’s guests or his platform. But like Plato, we should only concern ourselves with the critical appraisal of the content of his podcast. This requires using our education, and leisure to examine our own lives first. Only by living an examined life, would we be able to engage in civil discourse about the issues raised by Joe, and his guests and form our own opinions about what is True and False. That way, we would not be swayed by the opinion of others, and we will not the fear free speech of the so called 'instigators' or 'rogue elements'.
-Aneesh