Sunday, June 21, 2009

Influence of Music on Self and Society


Throughout history the language of music has exerted powerful influences on individuals and societies. “Felix Mendelssohn once remarked that music is more specific about what it expresses than words written about those expressions could ever be.” There is no question as to whether music has the power to express, convey and illicit powerful emotions. In fact, most music is written based on a person’s emotions. The artist usually conveys their emotions in their lyrics. “Ancient cultures held strong beliefs in the moral and ethical power of music and as such it was imperative for artists within those cultures to exercise a certain moral and ethical responsibility in their creative endeavors.” David Eaton feels that “any thinking, caring, probing musician should seriously contemplate a series of questions regarding music's origins, its spiritual, religious and mystical properties, its moral and ethical power, its transcendent qualities, the role of the arts and artists and the importance of art in general, and music in particular.”

Works Cited:
Eaton, David. "The Influence of Music on Self and Society."www.tparents.org. July 2003. 20 June 2009<http://www.tparents.org/library/unification/talks/eaton/eaton_influence.htm>

8 comments:

  1. Music is definitely one of the most fascinating topics for me. Someone once told me that music can bypass the soul and go straight to your spirit. I believe this theory to be true. Music can bring around any emotion just by the words sung or written. It can make you mad, bring you to tears, bring you to rage, or put a smile on your face. Music IS a form of a deep impressionistic art. It sways the listeners to feel what the artist was feeling at the time.
    Society, I believe, needs music. It drives life. What would we do on the commutes to work, what would we do without music in our movies to build tension? Even before speaking parts were in movies there was music. Drama is played out through music and I couldn't live without it now that I have it.
    -Brittney

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  2. “One good thing about music is that when it hits you, you feel no pain.” That sentence sums up almost everything I have to say. Music has an outstanding impact on our society. It can be seen everywhere. Music is playing in the background of every television show, advertisement, and in every shop we walk in. It is something that we are constantly surrounded by. Music is a form of expression. It has such a unique impact on daily life. Artists can express their feelings through their works. Listeners can relate to the feeling or vibe given off through the song. A song can change someone’s mood or brighten someone’s day. Personally I can match a song with every significant event in my life. It is something that will be with me forever.

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  3. Music I feel has stayed the same, the marketing, labels and content is what has evolved. Real music comes from the soul; it is a story being told. Society uses music as an everyday part of life. It is used for enjoyment, therapy, research and entertainment. Society also blames music for the faults of others. In my opinion though, the world lives in a free will society and we only have ourselves to blame for our actions! Music is the art to the soul, music will never die!

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  4. I think music has a huge impact in our lives. For some people music is everything for them. Just like me, I cannot go through a day without listening to music. Music is like a meditation for some people, like it helps them relax, get energy, and helps in any way they desire. For me music helps me relax and often give me an extra energy boost. Now there are also some negative impacts on young kids. Sometimes music implicates some aggression into real life through a person with an aggression.

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  5. Approximately 4 and a half minutes ago, my mother walked into the room and asked with a curious expression on her face, just how I could be concentrating on my homework with music playing in the background. I looked over my shoulder and simply shrugged. "Isn't it a distraction?" she asked. I thought about it for a second and told her that "in all honestly, it's calming and actually seems to help me concentrate more on what I am supposed to be doing here at the computer rather than the kids and dogs running around outside or the annoying dishwasher clinking plates around as it washes. It keeps my interest right here where it should be. Currently listening to a mix of my favorite bands and specifically, at the moment, as I listen to a cover of "Outside" done by the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, I realize just how important music is in my daily life. As soon as I wipe the morning "boogies" out of my eyes, I head straight for my 5 disc player and hit the "shuffle" button. As I fall into my car to drive to school I blast B101 or 106.1 playing the only music on the radio at that time in the morning as others host "The Morning Beat" and "The Chio in the morning show." I am almost ALWAYS listening to music. It surely keeps me going when I need that extra little push, and picks me up when I'm having a rough day (or week for that matter.) I have always shown an interest in music since my childhood, playing the flute, clarinet, drums, and of course Guitar Hero in my recent past... I am sure that music will always be a huge part of my life, and I can't wait to see what the future has in store for the world of music in the years to come.

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  6. I find music to be very inspiring in my life. Sometimes I hear a song that I can totally relate to, happy or sad, and it helps me to realize that the events I encounter in my life are experienced in some form by others. Music also has the ability to make you feel a certain way. There are some songs that can take me to my “happy” place because of it’s positive lyrics and upbeat melody. I listen to music all day at work, when I am in the car, when I am at the gym, and when I am at home. It is very much a part of me.

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  7. The music someone listens to can probably tell you a lot about them. Musicans write songs about what is going on in their life, their struggles, triumphs, and beliefs are what their songs are about. Most people listen to songs that they can relate their own experiences to, which is why people listen to certain bands. People want to know that the artists that they are listening to share similar expirences. This is also how music can bring people together. People who listen to the same band share similar expirences because they can both relate to the songs that the band plays. Music is something that is a part of everyone's life. You hear music in the can, in stores, the elevator, and in the doctor's office. It is nearly impossible to go through a day with out listening to music

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  8. I had a teacher in high school that whenever we had to sit and read to ourselves in class she would put on classical music to help us be more comfortable and retain more information. Music had a profound influence on my life in high school. I played trumpet in the marching band all four years. It kept me busy, I enjoyed it, and it kept me out of trouble. Music propelled me through my younger years. I agree that music has a definite impact on society and self.

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