Music Violence
Throughout history, people have been attracted to music. For the past decade, references have been made to link violent and deviant behavior to music and certain music categories. The one category that has been under controversy is rap or "gansta" rap. If indeed there is a direct correlation between violence in music and violence in adolescent behavior, it is important to look at where the connection lies. By simply understanding the adolescent stages of human development and the influence of music in a historical perspective, one can learn the underlying adolescent vulnerability and susceptibility to violence in music. The violent vulgarity and sexually explicit lyrics act as a conduit to strengthen learned aggression and release this aggression on society. A child faces many influential experiences during the stages of human development. Parents have a tremendous power to moderate that influence. Music has been around since the beginning of time and it has evolved just as much as the people that created it. Throughout history, people have been attracted to music. Whether it is a part of a ritual, an emotional release, religious reasons, or just for listening pleasure, music has been at the center of society. Peopl
It was a type of music that was popular among the younger crowds, especially with the teenagers. As with most social behaviors, we acquire aggression by watching others act and noting the consequences" (Myers, 1999). Rock 'n' Roll emerged with an exiting and heavy beat that just caused people to dance. Parents bear the responsibility because they can limit the constant exposure of the young minds to the violence in movies, television, videos, and music. On March 24, 1998, Mitchell Johnson of 13 years and Andrew Golden of 11 years, armed with seven handguns and three riffles, killed four young girls and a teacher at Westside Middle School in Jonesboro, Arkansas. It lessened racism to some degree and started opening people's minds to other forms of dancing. By understanding the adolescent stages of human development and the influence of music in a historical perspective, one can learn the underlying adolescent vulnerability and susceptibility to violence in music. The social and cultural influences are the two critical aspects in human development. In spite of the accumulated evidence, the debate surrounding violence in music and its implications on adolescent behavior will continue for some time. "It is raw self-expression that sometimes features profane lyrics, misogyny, and violence" (Jet, 2000). There are also other forces in the social environment such as peers, teachers, and schools that can also significantly influence the behavior and carry this behavior over into the fifth stage of Erikson's psychosocial theory. What do we know about music? For centuries, music has always been used toentertain people and has had the ability to manipulate the emotions and feelings of the listeners. There is an inherited instinct and it's called aggression. Music today is one of the biggest industries ever. That's just one more factor that goes into the mix" (Christoffel, 1998).
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