I Reserve the Right to Be Wrong

I recently heard about a phenomenon in the university settings in which students — not the teachers mind you, but students — are afraid to voice any opinion at all while in the classroom environment.

Now it has been the case for some time that faculty are afraid of saying “the wrong thing” for fear of causing offense to a young person who, let’s face it, needs to learn the value of being offended. But that’s another discussion for another time.

In this case, it’s the students who are afraid to say anything. Why? Because their peers are recording the class on their phones, sometimes openly, sometimes secretly. And when a student inevitably says something that is not in keeping with the accepted cultural narrative, they’ll be “featured” on that student’s next TikTok video. Shamed for simply saying what they think is right at that particular moment. Or not even sure they’re right; but they want to know what’s right.

Experience breeds wisdom.

A college campus is the one place where a young person really needs an environment to “be wrong,” i.e. figure things out. Anyone who has ever been 19 years old knows that the way you view the world at that tender age and the way you view the world at a later stage in life are two very different things. That’s the stage in life in which the brain is coming of age, literally crossing the threshold from childhood into adulthood.

So one would think that if there’s an environment that encourages people to “be wrong” on any topic, it would be that one.

You certainly hope the faculty are not the ones shaming these kids into submission for holding unapproved opinions. And while I’m sure that happens from time to time, I’d be willing to bet that is not the norm.

But it turns out it’s the students themselves censoring their own peers by publicly shaming them for saying something “wrong” according to the status quo narrative of the moment.

The kids just decide it’s not worth the risk to their reputation, so when it comes time to discuss anything in the open, no one says anything.

Keep in mind I’m going off what I read in a single article a few weeks ago, so take what I say with a grain of salt. But knowing what I know about humanity in general and the youth culture in particular, I have to believe there’s at least some truth to the story.

Crucified by the Trumpet Mob

Years ago when I was operating a podcast that served the trumpet community, I said something to a young girl, fresh out of college mind you, in a private Facebook message, which ended up becoming something of a viral moment. The young woman had taken exception to a comment someone had made in a Facebook group I owned at the time that appeared to suggest that women aren’t as proficient on trumpet as men.

I think the comment was something like, “Can women play trumpet as well as men?” It’s kind of ambiguous as to what the guy may have been asking now that I think about it.

This young lady messaged me privately about the comment, and it was clear her expectation was that I reprimand the individual who made the comment for even suggesting something so audacious as women aren’t as good on trumpet as men.

For the record, I don’t think either males or females make better trumpeters simply because of their sex. Men don’t have any real advantages when it comes to the physicality of playing the instrument. If anything, the natural differences in personality and emotion between men and women give the craft a lot of balance and nuance.

At any rate, I replied to her that it was a single comment, that there didn’t appear to be any malice behind it, and there really was nothing to worry about.

Next thing I knew I was receiving emails from previous guests of the podcast who were female trumpeters, rebuking me for being insensitive toward her. My new friend had evidently shared our private conversation with them.

Next thing I know, an individual I had partnered with on the podcast took it upon himself to post in the largest trumpet Facebook group in the world that I had said something misogynist, sexist, basically responsible for the downfall of humanity.

Literally within hours, James Newcomb was the talk of the trumpet world — well that tiny corner of the trumpet world anyway — and for all the wrong reasons.

Because of an otherwise completely innocent private message to a girl who interpreted my words in a way I did not intend. Brought on by a mob of trumpeters-turned-social-commentators who thought they would try their hand at a mob-style character assassination.

I guess they thought all the kids in school are having such a good time with it, why shouldn’t we take part?

To be clear, this is not why I’ve left podcasting for the trumpet market for good. But the experience definitely left an impression.

For my part, I reacted to the situation poorly. I tried to defend myself and my actions (or non-actions). I appealed to the owners of the Facebook group to intervene and put an end to the blatant libel which was occurring on their watch.

All in vain.

In hindsight, I should have just let it blow over, as these things always do, and then called out the true perpetrators. The immaturity of the girl who reacted in malice because she felt offended. The business partner who publicly threw me under the bus for a moment of self-gratification.

All in all, it did do some damage to my reputation, but that had more to do with my own reaction to it.

Oh, and the guy who made the post to begin with? He lives somewhere in Eastern Europe, where male and female roles are much more clearly defined than in America. The comment was made in complete innocence. He truly wanted to know if women play trumpet as well as men, because he simply didn’t know.

Fabricated Moral Outrage

Evil is, well, evil. It’s bad. But it’s also useful. For when evil is present, we can see the good in things.

You may have heard the saying that darkness is not an actual phenomenon as much as it is the absence of light. Cold is the absence of heat; it is not a separate entity.

This analogy has been used to rationalize the presence of evil in the world, that being evil is the absence of good. Let’s face it: humanity has seen some things in the last century and a half or so that require serious rationalization.

So I ask, is there evil in this world? Most definitely. I would argue it’s not the absence of good. It is as much a real power as good. Maybe not equal in proportion, but it is real and present.

The mob culture distorts this idea of good and evil, taking otherwise innocent or careless statements made in public, almost always without malicious intent, and then twisting it to fit into a carefully-crafted narrative.

Why? Because we humans love a villain.

I became the villain of the trumpet world because I said something in a private message that would have caused Katie Couric to raise an eyebrow in disapproval.

Unpleasant to be sure. But my experience was mild compared to legit trauma others have endured.

Tenured college professors, senior executives at major corporations are fired on the spot for a single tweet. Basically anyone who might in any way represent the views of a communal organization are forced to walk on eggshells, terrified that everything they valued would be gone should they step out of line with an Instagram post.

We can all recall the very real consequences endured by people for simply saying what was on their mind about George Floyd, Covid vaccines, whether or not to wear a face mask in the 2020-21 timeframe.

These were completely valid opinions, especially knowing what we now know about Covid.

And George Floyd? He was a lowlife, a career criminal. He was being arrested for doing something that people get arrested for. You know it, and I know it. He didn’t deserve what happened to him, but to elevate him to some sort of pseudo-sainthood, to see murals of him on buildings while driving throughout Minneapolis is problematic.

So you’re saying you don’t like what I said about George Floyd…

Then prove me wrong.

Not with a screenshot, or behind my back in your Facebook group. Not by demanding that I recant something I’ve said to someone in private.

Prove me wrong the old-fashioned way. Make an argument. Use logic and persuasion to show me the error of my ways. And a little bit of grace to soften the blow.

And if I’m wrong? I’ll own it.

Because I reserve the right to be wrong.

Not because I want to be wrong, nor because I refuse correction. Not every thought that passes through my head is worthy of approbation.

But if I say something wrong, then I can learn how and why I am wrong.

That will never happen if I stay silent out of fear of the mob, whether that mob is made up of trumpet players, computer geeks, academics, or anyone else who mistakes offense for moral authority.

Which brings me back to those students sitting silently in classrooms.

They are not afraid of disagreement. Disagreement is how we learn, how we refine our positions on important matters.

They are afraid of being reduced to a singular thought that isn’t even fully formed. They are afraid that one clumsy question, one half-formed opinion, one attempt to think through something difficult in real time will become the public record of who they are.

That is no way to educate young people.

It is also no way for adults to live.

When we lose the ability to say things deemed wrong by the faction of the society that has bestowed upon itself the title of guardians of responsible thought, truly honest speech becomes impossible.

Because when honest people are shamed into silence, the only ones left talking are fools.

And Mama didn’t raise no fool.