Can Musicians Think Freely? with Winston Marshall (S3 Ep.20)
Jun 18, 2022
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Guest Winston Marshall, founding member of Mumford and Sons, discusses his time with the band, the influence of Jordan Peterson on his thinking, cancel culture in the music industry, and the lack of conservative ideologies in art and music.
Colorblindness should be embraced as a way to address race in America and move towards a society that embraces equality.
There is a need for a cultural shift that celebrates a range of viewpoints and encourages artists to explore alternative perspectives.
The celebration of hip-hop culture coexists with progressive ideologies that denounce themes like material wealth and success, highlighting contradictions within the current cultural landscape.
Deep dives
The Importance of Colorblindness in Addressing Race
Colorblindness is a concept that is often criticized but should be embraced as a way to address race in America. The current trend of focusing on race and emphasizing identity can actually hinder progress towards racial equality. The author argues for a national reset on race, where skin color is seen as an irrelevant and meaningless variable in forming one's identity. The goal is to move towards a society that embraces the principles of equality, procedural fairness, and the treatment of individuals as individuals, rather than members of a racial group.
The Need for a Cultural Shift
The author highlights the prevailing narrative in art and culture that promotes a specific progressive philosophy. Many pieces of artwork and cultural expressions are infused with ideas from intersectional feminism, critical race theory, and anti-capitalism. The author questions the lack of diversity in perspectives and voices within the cultural sphere, challenging the existing dominance of progressive ideas. There is a need for a cultural shift that celebrates a range of viewpoints and encourages artists to explore alternative perspectives to create a more diverse and inclusive cultural landscape.
The Influence of Hip-Hop and Pop Culture
Hip-hop and pop culture, especially in the United States, have often celebrated themes such as material wealth, success, and the pursuit of the American dream. Interestingly, these themes align with conservative values such as free-market capitalism and the aspiration for upward mobility. The author discusses how this plays out in the paradoxical nature of some progressive circles, where the celebration of hip-hop culture coexists with progressive ideologies that denounce these themes. This highlights the contradictions and complexities within the current cultural landscape.
The Challenges of Speaking Out
The fear of being cancelled and the potential consequences of expressing non-progressive opinions are discussed. The author recognizes the challenges faced by individuals who fear losing their livelihood, social standing, or personal relationships by challenging prevailing ideologies. While it is important to encourage honest dialogue and the exchange of ideas, these challenges must also be acknowledged and understood. The author emphasizes that the decision to apologize or speak out should be based on an individual's genuine beliefs and the context of their circumstances.
The Possibility of Progress
While it may be unrealistic to expect a perfect society, the author argues that progress can still be made in striving for a more colorblind nation. The goal is not complete eradication of racial tensions, but rather a critical mass of people in power embracing principles of fairness and equality. By shifting the narrative towards a colorblind approach and rejecting race-based policies, the author envisions a future where racial divisions are minimized. The acknowledgement of historical challenges and a commitment to enlightenment ideals can guide society towards a more harmonious coexistence.
My guest today is Winston Marshall. Winston is a founding member of the Grammy Award-winning band "Mumford and Sons", in which he played lead guitar and banjo for 14 years. He left the band after writing a tweet that praised a book by Andy Ngo. As many of you may remember, Andy Ngo is a journalist that got beaten to a pulp by Antifa extremists. Winston wrote a pretty mild tweet approving of Andy Ngo's book on Antifa and as a result, was pressured to leave Mumford and Sons and he eventually did. He now has a podcast called "Marshall Matters" which this conversation will also be aired on, so you can go check that out.
In this episode, we discuss Winston's time with Mumford and Sons. We discuss the influence of Jordan Peterson on his thinking and even on his songwriting. We talk about cancel culture in particular with regards to the music industry in Hollywood. We talk about my position on reparations for slavery. We also talk about the differences between America and the UK and much more.
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