The Increasing Normalization of Censorship and Canceling

"Fantasia" -- Collaboration with Dream by Wombo

The title of this blog post comes from an interview with Jordan Peterson titled Jordan Peterson: The radical Left is guilt-tripping the West into oblivion.

The description for this podcast: Dr Jordan Peterson discusses how to win the culture war, with insights from Soviet and Nazi dissidents who stood up against tyranny and compares their struggles with clampdowns on free speech today. He sits down with The Telegraph’s Steven Edginton in a wide-ranging discussion from why Britain was a miracle for the world to whether he is addicted to Twitter.

Best quote so far: "Courageous people are quite rare, much rarer than I thought."

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I continue to be fascinated with the ways AI can be used. The above was my intro to a blog post about a Jordan Peterson interview with Steve Edginton. You can read what I began to write initially. I intended to draw attention to some insightful quotes. The first that jumped out at me is cited above.

Then I changed my intent by having ChatGPT rewrite the same introductory comments but in different styles. Here are the results of making this request. 

Formal and Analytical Style:
In this thought-provoking podcast, Dr. Jordan Peterson delves into the strategies for prevailing in the ongoing cultural conflict, drawing upon the experiences of dissidents from the Soviet and Nazi regimes who bravely opposed oppression. By juxtaposing their struggles with contemporary challenges to free speech, Peterson provides insightful commentary on the current state of societal discourse. In an engaging conversation with The Telegraph's Steven Edginton, topics range from the exceptionalism of Britain on the global stage to Peterson's contemplation on his own relationship with social media, including his reflections on the scarcity of genuine courage in today's world. Amidst this exploration, Peterson's observation that "courageous people are quite rare, much rarer than I thought" resonates as a poignant reflection on the complexities of human nature.

Conversational and Reflective Style:
So, picture this: Dr. Jordan Peterson, right? He's diving deep into this podcast, talking all about how we can actually win this whole culture war thing. And get this – he's using stories from these real-life heroes who stood up against some seriously messed-up regimes like the Soviets and Nazis. It's wild, man. Plus, he's chatting it up with The Telegraph's Steven Edginton, shooting the breeze about everything from why Britain's kinda like this miracle for the world to whether Peterson's got, like, a Twitter addiction. And hey, you know what's got me thinking? That line he drops about how "courageous people are quite rare, much rarer than I thought" – it's hitting me right in the feels, you know?

Sensational and Provocative Style:
Brace yourselves for the ultimate showdown in this electrifying podcast as Dr. Jordan Peterson unveils the secrets to victory in the culture war! Prepare to be blown away as Peterson draws inspiration from the harrowing tales of dissidents who dared to defy tyranny under the shadows of Soviet and Nazi rule. But hold onto your hats, folks, because the shock doesn't stop there – Peterson isn't afraid to tackle the hot-button issue of free speech crackdowns head-on! And in a no-holds-barred interview with The Telegraph's Steven Edginton, Peterson spills the tea on everything from Britain's global significance to his own social media habits. And if you thought you'd heard it all, think again – Peterson's revelation that "courageous people are quite rare, much rarer than I thought" will leave you on the edge of your seat, questioning everything you thought you knew!

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So, what's the point? My intent was actually to share this observation: it takes courage to speak out and take a stand. Would you agree? 

Related Link: What Good Am I?

What good am I if I know and don’t do If I see and don’t say, if I look right through you --Bob Dylan

Psalms, Proverbs and the Dylan Archives

Over the course of a lifetime there have been years in which I would start my day by reading a chapter from the book of Proverbs in the Old Testament. There are 31 chapters, which is pretty convenient. You can read a chapter for each day of the month -- chapter one on the first, 2 on the second, etc.-- and in six of those months you will get all 31. (Or you can read that tribute to the "wife of noble character" as a bonus track on the other six months.)

This periodic ritual was recently brought to mind when I attended portions of the recent TU Institute for Bob Dylan Studies in May. On the first morning several people presented aspects of the kinds of research Dylan archivists were undertaking. Nathan Blue talked about the bags of fan mail that had never been opened and what they were revealing about fan culture in the 60s. (The title of his talk was, appropriately, "Don't Send Me No More Letters, No.") 

The next presenter was Michael Kramer. His talk was titled, "One Should Never Be Where One Does Not Belong: The Elusive Magical Mysteries of John Wesley Harding." 

Kramer opened by noting that Dylan was immersed in the counterculture yet repudiated it. John Wesley Harding became a pivot point in his early career, from high profile ultra hip to reclusive mystic. 

"Dylan has always been private," Kramer said, "But here his privacy is revealed. His archives show him doing what we might expect." His diaries during the JWH period show him to be re-thinking where his music should go. It was a new style in that he didn't speak "for" his generation but rather "to" his generation. It was also a new style that drew from history and was not distancing itself from it.

Kramer then shared how Dylan was doing a lot of Bible reading during this time, quoting the Bible extensively in his journals. This was all taking place against the backdrop of a war in Vietnam, post motorcycle crash. Dylan was "looking back to look forward," Kramer said, "beyond sex, drugs and rock & roll, looking back to foundations."

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The next speaker, Shawn Latham, continued with this deeper dive into Dylan's notebooks. Latham, who had done serious study of James Joyce's archives, noted that studying a man's archives while he is still alive is most unusual. 

Latham's focus was on the notebooks of 1966-1969. This was a period in which Dylan was sorting his life. He used different colors of ink throughout. One challenge was that many entries are undated. 

A recurring theme in this period was Dylan trying to decide what he wants to be and his relationship to the world. For what it's worth, my forty years of journals have had periods in which I've wrestled with the same thing at various junctures. 

Latham, too, pointed out Dylan's fascination with the Bible. There are lists of Bible verses, with much interest in the Psalms and Proverbs, and the role of the prophets. He was asking himself, "What is my responsibility toward being prophetic?"

He was fascinated with Old Testament Messianic passages. Psalms were also a strong interest, a source of primal songwriting material. On one of the pages it seemed like a rough draft of a song, grabbing words from I Samuel, another Old Testament book. 

He was also intensely interested in the present current events... the riots, the serial killer Richard Speck. You can even see the start of the Never Ending Tour. His '66 to '69 notebooks are a significant piece of music history. 

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A number of commentators have noted that John Wesley Harding is filled with Biblical references. It's not surprising that these spiritual influences continued to re-emerge throughout his career, in subtle and not so subtle ways. 

Here's a Proverb that he must have read many times over the years. Followed by a song that may have been birthed from this seed.

If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor
he, too, will cry and not be answered
--Proverbs 21:13

What Good Am I?

What good am I if I’m like all the rest
If I just turn away, when I see how you’re dressed
If I shut myself off so I can’t hear you cry
What good am I?

Full Lyrics: https://www.bobdylan.com/songs/what-good-am-i/

For more about the TU Institute for Bob Dylan Studies visit:  https://dylan.utulsa.edu/ 

What Good Am I?

The season of Christmas is often associated with charity and is a time of giving. All too often, after the holidays we go back to our usual ways, neglectful of the spirit of this selfless season. In thinking about those less fortunate than us, I am reminded of this poignant song by Bob Dylan from his critically acclaimed 1989 album "Oh Mercy."

What Good Am I?

What good am I if I'm like all the rest,
If I just turned away, when I see how you're dressed,
If I shut myself off so I can't hear you cry,
What good am I?

What good am I if I know and don't do,
If I see and don't say, if I look right through you,
If I turn a deaf ear to the thunder in the sky,
What good am I?

What good am I while you softly weep
And I hear in my head what you say in your sleep,
And I freeze in the moment like the rest who don't try,
What good am I?

What good am I then to others and me
If I've had every chance and yet still fail to see?
If my hands tied must I not wonder within
Who tied them and why and where must I have been?

What good am I if I say foolish things
And I laugh in the face of what sorrow brings
And I just turn my back while you silently die,
What good am I?

Copyright © 1989 Special Rider Music