Mike, I love your work but recently, you are drifting into politics. Please keep away from that domain. There are plenty of political podcasts that I could listen to. Stay neutral, silent and/or avoid that mess. Thx Jim Rummell.
Hi Jim
I appreciate the feedback, and I understand your concern. Podcastlandia is filled with political pontificators, and I have no wish to join their ranks or alienate myself from those who listen. For the record, I’ve never endorsed a political candidate or encouraged anyone to vote one way or another. (I don’t even encourage people to vote in general, and I have no intentions of doing so in the future.) With the exception of Vivek Ramaswamy, who I’d planned on interviewing before he announced his candidacy, I haven’t had any political figures on the podcast. But it’s difficult, Jim, not to “drift into politics,” when politics is drifting into everything around me, including me.
Consider the mask debates, the lockdowns, the school closures, and the vaccine mandates – all of which I’ve spoken about at length. There was nothing inherently political about opposing or supporting any of those things. And yet, each of those issues became highly, painfully politicized. Should I have avoided these topics on the podcast for that reason? What about the transgender debate? Climate change? Fossil fuels? Gun control? Artificial intelligence? Immigration?
I don’t want to wander too far outside my lane, but in this environment, what is my lane, exactly? For the last 15 years, I’ve run a foundation that’s deeply involved with education and workforce issues. Consequently, I talk a lot about student debt, which of course, has become very political. I also talk a lot about the dangers of pushing college as the best path for the most people – also a very political topic. And don’t even get me started on unions. I can’t run a foundation like mikeroweWORKS, and simply ignore the existence of unions – even though they are profoundly and undeniably…political. Should I really avoid discussing these topics on the podcast, simply because our society has politicized them?
Over the years, I’ve been in business with lots of people who would prefer I said nothing about anything remotely political, and I can understand why. Big brands like Discovery, Ford, and Caterpillar don’t want their representatives or ambassadors weighing in on political topics. Likewise, the people who work with me at MRW get nervous when I discuss political issues, and I don’t blame them. Cancel culture is a very real thing, and today, it cuts in both directions. Many people who used to drink Bud Lite no longer do. And last I checked, Target was down $15 billion. Oops.
Again – I appreciate your feedback, Jim, and I take the issue seriously. I always have. And today, I’m more worried than ever that our country is turning into a dual economy, where a person’s preferred bank, department store, coffee shop and amusement parks are all indicators of their political party. I really don’t know what to do about all that, beyond trying to express my views as respectfully as I can, on those occasions when I simply can’t find the willpower to keep my big mouth shut. After all, what’s the point of a first amendment if we’re too scared to exercise it every now and again? And what’s the point of good manners, if we never apply them?
Anyway, that a long way of saying The Way I Heard It will not be turning into a political podcast. However, regular listeners will have a pretty good idea of where I stand, on the issues that matter to me.
Mike
PS. The current episode features a really good, non-political conversation with a remarkable Marine named Johnny Joey Jones, who I now consider a friend, and who risked his life to save yours and mine. If you haven’t listened, here’s a link. I bet you’ll like it.
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