[While going through old posts, I found a comment that I felt deserved a post of its own. Since the author is a relative of mine and a guest blogger here, I took the liberty of editing the text and publishing it here. Funky]
Violent music, aggressive thoughts linked
“Violent lyrics in songs increase aggression-related thoughts and emotions and could indirectly create a more hostile social environment, according to a U.S. a study released yesterday.”
Quite some time ago, Funky off-handedly related this article to gangster rap. Indeed, gangster rap music feeds the need to feel empowered, to feel righteous in the fact that anyone who crosses you shall be an ant to be squashed. You feel less frightened, but you continue to support the environment that you fear. Everything is a fight for life.
“DESTROY THE THREAT! ASK NO QUESTIONS! DO NOT HESITATE!!!”
You have to romanticize your screwed up social environs. Otherwise, you won’t feel good behaving in such an inhumane, psychotic manner. So, yes, it induces aggressive thoughts. It helps to have these when everyone else is about to pounce on you and destroy your life! Or so you think.
That’s the real problem, though. People often behave stupidly when they perceive a threat. Take reactions to 9/11 , for instance. One day I hope they make a study about American foreign policy showing that it can “increase aggression-related thoughts and emotions and could indirectly create a more hostile social environment.”
We get military recruitment and glorification during all school kid viewing hours and a president who spends more time speaking in front of, on top of, or inside weapons of mass destruction than anywhere else. You have sentiments being tossed around such as: “Just 1,000 kids died during our fight to get one guy. There is much rejoicing!” Gee, does this mean I can rid the school of some bad kids with my wacky, retired marine uncle’s gun cache?
We also go ahead and execute people with the weakest of convictions. When the “adults” go around solving their problems collectively with fists and MOABs, there isn’t much hope that kids will think about things from a peaceful perspective. Mommy and Daddy liked watching the houses go boom in Baghdad, Laos and Kosovo, so I guess I can listen to the violent music and play the violent games that let me get in on the fun!
“DAD, LOOK! I downloaded that game the Army made where you kill A-Rabs! Oooh, and I got that country song where the guy says we will burn the pacifists and pound all towel heads into submission!”
Something sound fishy and disturbing about this? Just wrap yourself in a flag, and all will be well!!! People bled for it in Vietnam where they defended our right to trial by jury! WE WILL PREVAIL!
You have an America today that would rather blow people up instead of trying to find any kind of peaceful resolution. The media has an orgy over this jingoism. Parents yell at the TV when the foreign diplomat tries to speak reason. They see people cowering beneath the wrath of others as they say any talk about innocents is terrorist, pro-9/11 talk.
“They are all around you, son! Don’t worry, I got the shotgun in the closet!”
“Dad, don’t worry, I got the pistol in my locker. I got the knife in hand while on the street!