Paul Newman once stated that being an actor need not diminish your activism for causes that you support. Thus, because you have become famous you don't give up your rights as a citizen. True enough. Actors and celebrities have a right to make their political views known, however uninformed they might be.
Enduring Influence?
During the hearings conducted in 1947 by the House Committee on Un-American Activities, movie stars, including Humphrey Bogart and his wife Lauren Bacall, as well as a host of others traveled Washington to air their displeasure with Committee. These individuals were well within their rights and in many instances had reasonable arguments.
Today, we are beset with celebrities of all kinds, particularly rock stars but also internet influencers, who have large followings. No one likely has a larger following than Taylor swift. She is among the most recognizable people on the planet. She's an international superstar, one of the greatest of them all if you count box office revenues, recordings sold, and the number of committed, zealous Swifties. Her ability to maintain vigorous fan support is well documented.
Taylor Swift did not go to college but she is highly intelligent and throughout her career has made statements which reflect her intelligence, certainly in her own field of music and, on occasion, in relation to business, human affairs, and positive thinking.
The question arises however: do we pay attention to the political views of such people? Does Taylor Swift have anything viable to say in the political arena such that others should take heed? My take on this is no. Allow me to explain.
The Smartest Person I’ve Ever Met
Throughout grammar school, junior high school, and high school I had a very good friend, with whom I hung out on many occasions. I'll call him Phil. We’re still in touch at least monthly. Phil is probably the smartest person I've ever met. He became our class president, student council president, and valedictorian. He was adept at all forms of math, English composition, French, physics, chemistry, and other academic disciplines.
Phil went on to Rensselaer Polytechnical Institute for a science degree and then Cornell for a fellowship and Ph.D. in biochemistry. Thereafter, he became the head of a world-renowned research and development health laboratory located in the Midwest.
On matter small and large, Phil has much to say, much of it insightful. Yet, when it comes to politics he is a derelict. While he is as intelligent a person as you'll ever find, politically speaking is bereft of logic. He believes that anyone who voted for Trump or intends to vote for Trump in the forthcoming election is twisted.
He has voted Democrat his whole life and fancies himself as a liberal and probably a progressive. He’s okay with multimillions of gate-crashers invading our borders. He thinks that Biden has been good for the economy and world affairs. He believes that children should be able to choose their own sex. I could go on, but you get the picture.
Everyone Has an Opinion
As to Taylor Swift – unquestionably she's entitled to her opinion, but in politics does she profoundly influence anyone? Recently, a survey indicated that perhaps 8% of her fans are influenced by her political views, while double that number are repelled by them. Hence Swift’s endorsement of Harris has had a negative effect.
This development is heartwarming to Republicans as Kamala Harris is unqualified to be president, let alone vice president. How was she ever elected to the senate? Left to her own devices, she cannot speak coherently for more than a couple minutes and then breaks down into ridiculous word salads.
When asked how she would deal with inflation (that she and Joe Biden actually caused) she discusses what it was like when she was growing up and her family didn't have all that they might have. She did not answer the question and in general she does not answer questions. She deflects. She dances around the periphery. She offers non -convincing anecdotes and says nothing related to the original question.
Silence is An Option
To Taylor Swift and other celebrities who have voiced their opinions on the forthcoming election, go for it. Seek to influence as many people as you can. In reality, you're not going to have much of an impact. As with Taylor Swift, you might end up having a negative impact. If you realize that this is so, maybe, just maybe, you'll want to keep silent.
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