Trump keeps using Taylor Swift music in his TikToks.1 She is not the only person he’s used lately,2 but she’s the story and he keeps going back to her. People feel she should say something and that since she is big and famous her political speech in general is valuable. Should she? Should famous people talk about politics, just in general?
To my mind, this question is really three questions:
Should this famous person talk about politics (because they’re people who should be able to participate politically, like everybody else)?
Should this person talk about politics (because they should feel free to speak their mind)?
Should this famous person talk about politics (because their fame means they have a lot of influence over events)?
The answer to the first two questions is yes. The answer to the third question is no. If you think famous people should talk, or at least feel free to talk, about politics for reasons of principle, that is one thing. But if it’s a matter of pragmatism, that is a di…
