The Genuinely Interested Podcast Ep 55 - Konstantin Kisin - The Right To Speak
Konstantin Kisin is a Russian-British comedian, podcaster, writer, and social commentator. In 2018 he refused to sign a university “behavioral agreement form” which banned jokes about religion and atheism and insisted that all humor must be “respectful and kind”. Safe to say, this made headlines everywhere.
Konstantin and I had a conversation about the current landscape of comedy in the age of cancel culture, and how the suppression of speech is a chief issue for comedians at many venues. We also discussed the difference between the US and the UK in terms of history, culture, and free speech laws. We covered what role Twitter and the media play in the current social division that is spreading like wildfire - and if it's fair for trans athletes to compete against biological women.
These are all very important topics to discuss. For a democracy to thrive, we need to be able to have genuine conversations on all topics without being scared of the repercussions. We need to stay focused on the content and topics at hand. If we don't talk about things that make us uncomfortable, we will never be able to move forward on issues in a healthy fashion.
I hope you enjoy this episode.
My Take: Many of us have become so afraid to offend, or be offended, we forgot that conversation, and open communication, between all groups is the only way forward. If we kowtow to anyone without really analyzing, thinking things through, and letting the best ideas float to the surface - we ultimately will lose as a society. We all want the same thing - an equal, prosperous society for all. We just disagree on how to get there, and this is why communication via these platforms is pertinent.
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