music and voilence
... at the center of the controversy, and while some argue First Amendment rights, artistic license and music reflecting the reality of life, others argue crass commercialism by "artists" and the music industry, and a total disregard for social responsibility. At a Senate hearing on "The Social Impact of Music Violence" Dr. C. DeLores Tucker, founder/chair of the National Political Congress of Black Women stated "No corporation should be allowed to exist if engaged in activities that contaminates, poisons and infects the minds of children". She was most disturbed with demeaning pornographic and misogynistic nature of the music, and particularly on how it effects and reflects on blacks in our society. Dr. Tucker went on to say "Those malicious lyrics grossly malign black women, degrade the unthinking young black artists who create it, pander pornography to our innocent young children, hold black people (especially young black males) universally up to ridicule and contempt, and corrupt its vast audience of listeners, white and black, throughout the world". While it may be difficult to prove, there is a growing conviction among social scientists that music has a profound effect on behavior. It is clear that we make a stronger emotional connection to music than to pure visual media. Music has been part of religious ceremonies for centuries, it is used in medicine to help cure both mental and physical illness. It is part of every wedding and celebration as well as every funeral. We connect strong emotional experiences in our life to specific songs and lyrics. You never hear a romantic couple saying "they are playing our movie". The sheer volume (time not decibels) of music that adolescents listen to rival their time in the class room. The Parent's Music Resource Center reports that teens listen to an estimated 10,500 hours of rock music between the 7th and 12th grades alone -- just 500 hours less than the total time they spend in school over 12 years. Music is an essential part of adolescent socialization and is an important influence in teenagers' search for independence and autonomy. Rock music speaks to young people about sexuality, drugs and alternative lifestyles, which are often subjects largely taboo at home and in school. Risky behavior and rock music Cause and effect is more difficult to establish than guilt by association. Adolescents are society's risk takers. One study of risky activities for adolescents, such as sexual intercourse, smoking marijuana, and stealing, found a positive correlation between engaging in more risky behaviors and spending more time listening to radio and watching music videos and movies on television. The correlation held regardless of race, gender, or parents' education. White male adolescents who reported engaging in five or more risky behaviors were most likely to name a heavy metal music group as their favorite. Heavy metal and shock rock musicians are the adolescents spokespersons for unconventional attitudes toward drug abuse, sexual activity, and violence. Research suggests a strong correlation between heavy metal music as a teen's first choice, and substance abuse or chemical dependency. Again, association does not mean cause and effect. At the very least parents who have teens that are particularly fixated on heavy metal rock should take this as a potential warning sign of other problems. What needs to be done to better understand the possible harmful effects of music violence on adolescent behavior, and help guard against those effects? The American Academy of Pediatrics has developed some recommendation to help address this question. Research should be developed concerning the impact music lyrics and videos have on the behavior of adolescents and preadolescents. The music video industry should be encouraged to produce videos and public service messages with positive themes about relationships, racial harmony, drug avoidance, nonviolence and conflict resolution, sexual abstinence, pregnancy prevention, and avoidance of sexually transmitted diseases...