You can’t have a contrary opinion.

Let me restate that…you can’t VERBALIZE a contrary opinion. You’re supposed to adhere to the orthodoxy of your tribe, or else you become a pariah.

You can’t say that Biden is old if you’re a Democrat. You can’t say you support Israel in Gaza if you’re a Democrat.

This is political. Unfortunately, the Democrats are becoming who the Republicans said they were. Let’s start on college campuses. Everything is seen through the lens of oppressor and oppressed, facts be damned. If you’re the little guy, you have the advantage, someone must support David in his battle with Goliath, even if David is a terrorist.

And then there’s the woke orthodoxy. And this is complicated. Because I don’t believe that many are woke as the term is incorrectly defined by the Republicans. But they’re afraid to stand up and say otherwise. If you’re a Democrat you’d better beware of the language you use. You must employ the right pronouns, you must not step on anybody’s toes, you must be fearful, for if you make a mistake you might be excommunicated from the tribe, your career might be ruined. Funny how the party that’s supposedly a big tent requires everybody to have the same viewpoint.

I’m not saying we shouldn’t look out for everybody’s rights, I’m not saying all people are not created equally, I’m not saying that racism doesn’t exist in America, it’s just that Democrats believe we live in a fantasy world more akin to a Disney movie than reality.

As for the Republicans… They were the first political party to demand absolute fealty with no questions asked. The Democrats may deny that Biden is old, but the Republicans see a doddering old man who can’t put a sentence together who demonstrates no knowledge of the political landscape and is a convicted felon and say…THAT’S MY GUY!

We can add in the ignorance leavened into the equation by the internet, where everybody gets their own news from a different source, and only the news that supports their view, but what I’m lamenting here is the lack of discussion, of analysis in America, to its detriment. And sure, many people who’ve been taught to the test lack the power of analysis, but even those who possess this skill have parked it for fear of excoriation.

And it’s not only politics. If you don’t think Taylor Swift is a talented cultural icon, the biggest act in the world, who can do no wrong, then you’re wrong. And will be shouted down by every female in America.

At least K-pop fans used to keep to themselves. And One Direction fans before them. But now, if you believe in an act you must let everybody know they’re inviolate, and nothing opposite can be said.

Which is kind of why there’s a news blackout in the “left wing press” about the success of Morgan Wallen. These outlets are fearful that their readers will go bananas if something positive is written about the country superstar. Didn’t he use the “N-word” (in a colloquial way that he learned from rap records) and throw a chair off the roof? Furthermore, no one on the left can see why anybody would support Wallen. And his fans know it. You know when you sit on the wrong side of the fence. Even if you’re silent.

Today’s music is as good as it ever was. Look at the statistics, Mariah Carey, Swift, others have the same chart numbers as the Beatles! Never mind it’s not the same chart. And SAT scores are higher, never mind that they were so low that they added a hundred points to everybody’s score a couple of decades back.

Problems either don’t exist or they’re the worst in the world. Climate change? There can be no rational debate on that, not if you’re on the right side of the fence, and I mean Republican. You’ve got to fall in line if you’re an elected Republican official. Want to know how it works? If you were anti-Trump, if you thought he needed to be impeached, you lost your seat. Doesn’t matter if you toed the line on every other Republican issue. Can you say “Liz Cheney”?

And if you’re a Democrat you cannot fight back vociferously. You cannot live in the twenty first century. You must be civilized, because the Republican game is dirty and uncouth and if you employ it you will be stooping to their level and lose. When they go low, we go high. How’s that working for you Michelle’s minions?

And groupthink goes even further. Isn’t there anybody who’s going to say enough with the 808? A four decade old computerized sound which seems to appear on every hit record?

It goes on and on, ask any questions and you’re the problem. You need to be quiet.

Meanwhile, those outside the discussion scratch their head and laugh. Biden is old and presents old. Sure, Trump is almost as old, but doesn’t present in the same way. He isn’t physically stiff and doesn’t beam into the crowd like a Moonie.

America was founded by the rugged individual, we’re drawn to they who have an individual opinion, that they’ll fight for, who have charisma.

Today we’re told to fall behind an intellectual construct, that oftentimes doesn’t align with our emotional state. Follow your instincts, your gut? If you do that today you’re going to find yourself out of step, I hope you like it alone out on the prairie, because that’s where you’re going to be. And that’s lonely and most people can’t handle it, they need to be a member of the group.

And there is nothing I’ve said above that you don’t know. Everything is evident and obvious. But you’ve been taught not to acknowledge it, not to believe your eyes. And ears.

Yes, the movie and music businesses are so busy trying to hit grand slams that they keep releasing me-too product that doesn’t resonate with the majority of the public. You’d think someone would go a different way, but not the major labels. And then these same labels try to rig the system in their favor, wanting more streaming payouts for stars and less for non-stars. Why? To ensure the longevity of their game. Which is kind of funny, since they’ve been disrupted again and again in the last twenty five years and never have they seen any of it coming. And Daniel Ek single-handedly saved the recorded music business, SINGLE-HANDEDLY! But if you don’t say he’s the devil, if you don’t think streaming payments are unfair for small artists and wannabes, you’re sold out to the man and your opinion doesn’t count.

And sure, many of the opinions above are my own, but the dirty little secret is they’re working for me. By expressing what people feel inside that they’re afraid to say…that’s the key to my success. What are you gonna do, read a trade publication saying everything’s groovy? Or a consumer rag that avoids the real issues, and when it stumbles on them gets them wrong?

Hell, I get a monthly music magazine that gives every act a positive review. Each and every record. How does that help the reader?

Let your freak flag fly. That’s how you’ll gain success. And stop whining that the game is rigged against you. The game is just the game, you have to learn how to play it so you can win. And in life there are so many ways to win. I could delineate the multiple potential revenue streams of a musical act today, but all I’ll get in response are STREAMING RATES ARE TOO LOW!

An artist goes down the road less taken. And you never know where inspiration will come from. And institutions oftentimes breed conformity. Which is why so many college graduates are bores going through the steps, whether at the bank or the tech company.

One person disrupted politics, Trump. One person disrupted recorded music consumption, Daniel Ek, but we’re continually told the individual doesn’t matter, and if you don’t fall into line you’re done.

This is untrue.