A Loss of Meaning

                As I've been in cars with some of my friends lately, I've taken note on the type of music that they play and in most cases I find a common element, deterioration.... By this I mean the deterioration in the quality and meaning of music. While this is merely an opinion, there may be some valuable insights behind it. While this is not something that would commonly be considered a social issue, I believe it undoubtedly is, and I also believe it is predominant in modernized societies.   Social issues are prevalent in every society across the globe, and I believe that the first step fixing them is to analyze and vocalize them. While this topic does not cause us harm to our health, or have a detrimental effect on the earth, it is still a social issue to some magnitude. I mentioned before that the loss of meaning in music is not harmful to our health, I was speaking of physical health. I believe that our psyche and mind is affected greatly by this loss and the resulting repercussions are rampant in our daily lives and our social culture.
                Music has the ability to be a spiritual experience and to comfort us when seemingly nothing else can. Best said by Ludwig van Beethoven, " Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life." Music has/had a way of bringing us to peace and uniting people in hard times. It spoke of cultural issues, global tragedies, or injustices when they needed to be brought into the light of society. This was a type of pop music for the 50's, 60's, and 70's, the generations that brought about a spiritual, sexual, and social revolution.
              How can we find peace and unity in today's music when that is what it speaks against?  Some of the music on the top hits chart promote drugs, rape, murder, gang violence and much more. Not to say all of today's music has become  corrupt, but a good majority of the popular music has taken a turn for the worst. Much of today's generation couldn't tell you anything about the music of the 60's or 70's and I would bet that less than half of them have heard of Donovan. More importantly, they couldn't tell you about the meanings behind the songs or the attached message. Music is undoubtedly inspirational and influential, with new music being no exception. This becomes negative when the  impressionable fresh minds of our generation are influenced into what is promoted in the music, such as the aforementioned drugs and violence.
               I don't believe that I have to tell you of the repercussions in our society, when you could just turn on the news and see for yourself. Music should be more than just a means for publicity and monetary gain.      “Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything." - Plato

Lauren H