From Cat Stevens to Charlie Kirk: What Do We Lose When We Tune Out?

Yesterday, with the help of Gemini, I curated a playlist featuring some of my favorite songs spanning the 1970s to the early 2000s. The usual suspects made the cut: Dave Matthews Band, Al Stewart, Joe Jackson, Van Morrison, Joe Cocker, Jackson Browne, Paul Simon, Gerry Rafferty, and Jim Croce. You get the drift: soulful, storytelling-driven music that’s aged like fine wine.

Curious, I asked the AI who else might belong in this musical circle. Without hesitation, it suggested Cat Stevens. That name stirred something in me.

For years, I had a personal ban on the artist formerly known as Cat Stevens, who converted to Islam in 1977 and took the name Yusuf Islam. He was allegedly linked to the fatwa calling for harm against author Salman Rushdie, following the publication of The Satanic Verses. That association deeply troubled me. How could someone who wrote and sang “Peace Train” publicly support violence against a writer exercising free speech?

Out of confusion, hurt, and, if I’m honest, immaturity, I stopped listening to Cat Stevens altogether.

But as Gemini reminded me of the beauty in his music, “Peace Train,” “Wild World,” “Morning Has Broken,” “Oh Very Young,” “Father & Son”, I felt something shift. The 2025 edition of Greg Sturgill said, “Grow up. Reclaim the music you love.” So, I did. Even if these songs age me, I’ll listen to them proudly, even in public.

This reflection led me to a deeper question: What other artists, authors, or creators have I blocked out because of their flaws or controversial opinions? Truman Capote, Pete Townshend, Mel Gibson, Johnny Depp, Charlie Sheen, just a sampling. What would I have missed if I gave them the same treatment I gave Yusuf Islam?

Recently, I’ve seen similar divisions surrounding Charlie Kirk. I’ll admit, I know very little about him and have no desire to dig deeper. However, the public reaction to the tragedy surrounding him has, in my opinion, revealed some of the worst aspects of online discourse. It feels like a modern-day flashpoint—one that could tear communities apart. Companies are even firing employees for expressing their constitutionally protected beliefs.

So I ask you: Have you ever blocked someone or an entire group out of your life because of their character flaws or differing opinions? If so, what did you lose in the process?

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