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Censorship | Munk Debates

SEASON TWO - EPISODE #75

Censorship

Be it resolved, what you call censorship, I call power struggle.

Guests
Karen Attiah
Kat Rosenfield
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About this episode

“You can have Rogan or Young. Not both.” So threatened Neil Young to Spotify in protest to the vaccine and COVID misinformation being spread on Joe Rogan’s incredibly popular and lucrative podcast. As more artists began to pull out from the platform, and users deleted their accounts, many decried what they viewed as the latest episode in an ongoing battle over control of the information landscape. Those claiming censorship argue that the Joe Rogan/Spotify episode, following in the footsteps of recent controversies such as Dave Chappelle’s Netflix special, is part of a worrisome trend reminiscent of authoritarian style information control that seeks to silence opinions of adversaries that deviate from the “accepted” mode of thought. The continuous effort to de-platform, ban, silence, or tarnish the views of others cannot be allowed to prevail in western democracies.

Others argue that this is not censorship, but rather legitimate protest: people using their money, art, voice, and agency to stand up against views they disagree with. In fact, they maintain, this type of protest should be championed as proof that democratic freedoms remain strong. Furthermore, demands of free speech are often aimed at protecting views which have negative impacts - views that should not be allowed to gain traction and influence audiences via massive platforms like Spotify or Netflix.

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Guests

Karen Attiah

“This is a power struggle. Marginalized people who've traditionally been outside of the centers of power are voicing their experiences in an effort to try to gain power, and those who have traditionally held power are looking to hold on to it.”

Karen Attiah

“This is a power struggle. Marginalized people who've traditionally been outside of the centers of power are voicing their experiences in an effort to try to gain power, and those who have traditionally held power are looking to hold on to it.”

Karen Attiah is a columnist for The Washington Post. She joined The Post in 2014 as a digital producer in the Opinions section. Attiah often writes on issues relating to race, gender and international politics, with a special interest in Africa. Previously, she reported as a freelancer for the Associated Press while based in the Caribbean. Attiah was the winner of the 2019 George Polk Award and was the 2019 Journalist of the Year from the National Association of Black Journalists.  

Honors and Awards: 2019 George Polk Special Award; 2019 Journalist of the Year, National Association of Black Journalists; 2019 Harriet Beecher Stowe Freedom Writer Award; The Root 100, 2019; Essence Magazine, "Woke 100", 2019; Salute to Excellence Award for Digital Commentary, National Association of Black Journalists 2018.

Kat Rosenfield

“Democracy requires tolerance for dissent. People need to be free to express themselves, to bring forth ideas, even provocative or offensive ideas. They need to be able to have conversations.”

Kat Rosenfield

“Democracy requires tolerance for dissent. People need to be free to express themselves, to bring forth ideas, even provocative or offensive ideas. They need to be able to have conversations.”

Kat Rosenfield is a culture writer and novelist. Her work has appeared in numerous outlets including Playboy, Entertainment Weekly, Reason, Tablet, and Unherd, where she is a regular columnist. Her most recent book, No One Will Miss Her, is currently nominated for the Edgar Award for Best Novel.

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