If free speech means anything, then we ought to be able to use our voices to engage in rational debate, but also to be annoying or silly or frivolous, or to say the truth about how we really feel about others, even if it hurts feelings or damages reputations.
In this context, Joe Rogan should be able to say anything he wants even the n-word, but others should also be free to use their voices to impose a reputational cost on him and on Spotify for their odious speech.
Freedom of speech and freedom of association go hand in hand. People should be free to disassociate themselves from Rogan and from Spotify, not just because of what they say, but because of where they stand. We get to choose whom we stand with.
Besides, how is it that free speech lets us call on Spotify to dump Joe Rogan because we hate his comedy or we think he sounds funny, but if we make a more substantive argument about his content, we're suddenly seen as anti-free speech authoritarians? Makes no sense.
If you've gotten this far, you might think I support taking Rogan off of Spotify/Youtube/etc. I don't.
I've personally listened to hours and hours of Rogan including the most recent Jordan Peterson episode. This is not unusual for me. I listen to things I disagree with all the time. I listen to people *because* I disagree with them. I think I'm smart enough to handle it.
I appreciate Rogan's podcast because I can see the guest's brains working in real time. It's hard for a person to talk for 3+ hours without revealing the quality and character of their thought. Rogan's podcast would be educational for me even if 100% of the content was false.
I think other people are smart enough to handle listening to bad arguments too. But even if they aren't, I don't think it's my right to make that choice for them.
If I stopped giving my money to Spotify, it would be because I no longer stand with them, not because I want to control what other people hear. Freedom of association means I should be allowed to stand with whom I want.
Concerning the n-word issue. On the one hand, as a black man, I like that non-black people can say the n-word if they want. Lets me know where they stand. On the other hand, also as a black man, I'm never going to lose any sleep over somebody getting fired for saying the n-word.
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