Phil Vassar is not a fan of social media. The 58-year-old has been heartbroken as he watched, especially in the last year, the way platforms like Facebook, Twitter and others, have brought out the worst in others, at a time when people need to be united more than ever.

“It’s hard, isn’t it?” Vassar tells Everything Nash. “It’s hard for everybody, but in the end, I don’t think we’re in control. You know, I think we can only control what we have, what’s right around us. Of course social media is giving everybody this platform just to be completely ridiculous, I think a lot of people, it makes them feel important to say whatever they want, like anybody cares.

“I hate that,” he continues. “I think that the thing I hate the most is, it’s like decorum has sort of left the building, and nobody’s nice. Everybody’s mean, and they can shame people or talk mean about them. They’re trying to find something on anybody. Cancel culture, it’s just horrendous. Nobody has a sense of humor anymore, and nobody has compassion or love. And I hate that.”

While Vassar misses performing, misses going to live shows, and misses just gathering in groups of people, the thing he misses the most, more than any of that, is kindness towards one another.

“I think that’s what I miss the most is people just being nice to each other,” the singer shares. “I think it’s gonna really backfire on these people, and I think we’re seeing that, I think just in the actions of these folks — and it isn’t just a few people, The country is split right down the middle. So somebody needs to bring everybody together somehow and not just argue or fight with the other side, and try to stick it to them. It’s gonna backfire, and we’re going to be right back where we were about 150 years ago. That’s what I think.”

Vassar just announced that he is returning for a third season of Songs From the Cellar, and is launching a new podcast as well. Keep track of updates at PhilVassar.com.