Deaf

Bloom’s ideas on rock music are that it is decreasing the morality of children by allowing them access music that is highly suggestive which may lead to sex, violence, or drug use. Or at least this is what I understood his article to be about in Music and Culture. In my opinion, he makes a very valid point. Before, music wasn’t so easily accessible to kids and it was wholesome. Now that we have the internet and the invention of iPods and CDs, music is everywhere. There are radios in every car, television channels dedicated to music, and there’s even music being played in elevators or when you are on hold. It’s like the world doesn’t know how to function in silence, like we need to be constantly amidst chaos. Perhaps if music was the same as it was in the 1940’s it wouldn’t be considered so detrimental to youngsters. Unfortunately, today’s music is saturated with profanity, sexually suggestive lyrics, and references to drug use. Are these the kind of messages we should be sending to the people in control of society’s future?

Children of today learn early on that being successful means being rich, beautiful and famous thanks to the media and glamorization of celebrity. Working hard at an ordinary job isn’t what kids are aspiring to anymore. They want it all and they want it now. Bloom wrote that because students "cannot hear what the great tradition has to say," they "find they are deaf." I think this means that Bloom wants today’s youth to appreciate all the work older generations put in to pave the way for them. Our parents and grandparents worked very hard to achieve the American dream and they did it not just for themselves but to ensure that their children would have greater opportunities. Regrettably, young Americans are commonly without a strong work ethic and a proper education. They expect everything to come easy and fast just like everything else in today’s world. Nonetheless, whose responsibility is it to make sure that children “hear what the great tradition has to say”?

I’m sure many people, especially rock stars, would disagree with Bloom’s ideas. I personally agree with his ideas but I do think that today’s youth is not completely hopeless or “deaf” as he put it. If parents practiced instilling good morals and ethic in their children the world would be a better place. I know that there are good parents out there that are showing their children how to “hear”. Monitoring what kind of music your children are listening to, shows they’re watching, and internet sites they access is very important and your right as a parent. We should be teaching children by example what it is to be a good person with strong work ethic and respectable morals. Encourage them to partake in extra-curricular activities, go to church, help others, and be the best they can be. We cannot just turn a blind eye to parental responsibility and blame it all on society and the media.

Ways of Communication

I like to think that I am a spontaneous fun person. I like being on the go and having places to be, things to do, and people to see. I like living adventurously. I do things somewhat impulsively at times but so far nothing too bad has happened as a result of that. My idea of communicating with friends and family is by doing things with them. I go out with my friends to parties or to a friend’s house to hang out because that’s how I communicate that they are important to me. I go shopping with my mom or help her cook and that’s how we bond. My father and I like to go out to eat and travel to different parts of the world. As you can see, I do different things with different people depending on what it is we have in common. The point, however, is that they know I want to spend time with them.

I communicate how much I love people with how much time I spend with them. How I see it, if I didn’t care for you why would I spend a vast majority of my time with you? I have a limited amount of free time and there are lots of things I need to get around to in any given week. Relationships need to be nurtured and require real effort from both parties in order to maintain it, I know that. I have to spend my time wisely in order to balance my social life with school. But, I always make sure I spend even just a couple of hours with those that are important to me.

There are many different ways that people communicate, like through sports or music. Like Mr. Dara said, "When we get together, there's no words thrown away, no idle talk. We'll sit down, play drums, and just conversate musically". I have lots of friends who play instruments. When I hang out with these friends they usually all have their guitars in tow and end up “jamming” at least once before the end of the night. Other people like playing basketball, baseball, or hockey with their friends and bond over their common interest in the sport they play. If you don’t have any hobbies or talents like sports or music, you can do what I do. I use my personal/social life to communicate with others. I like to get friends together and go out to eat, to the movies, to a party, to the beach, wherever! The possibilities are endless! A good thing to remember is that there is no “right” way to communicate.

Making Connections (In response to prompt 1)

If a stranger were to take a look at the music library on my computer he or she would probably be a little confused. I don't listen to just one type or genre of music. In fact, if you looked at my playlists you would notice that I make each playlist according to genre or band. When I listen to music, I like to listen to one type of music at a time. It's actually kind of weird.

Some days I wake up in a very relaxed mellow mood and I end up just listening to reggae all day. Other days, I may be be really excited about something and want to be super pumped up so I blast techno. You see, I go through phases. Sometimes the phase may last a day, a week, or even months. It all just depends on my mindset.

As you age, you grow both physically and mentally. Your mindset changes as you go through different stages in your life. My musical choices have also changed as I went through those different stages. There are a lot of artists in my music library that I haven't listened to since I was in high school. It's like their albums are just there collecting virtual dust. I have thought of just deleting the music files, knowing that I will probably never want to listen to it again since my taste in music is now so different, but I can't bring myself to do that. I think it's because every time I see it there in my library I might not want to actually listen to it, but it reminds of when all I did was listen to that band or that type of music. It reminds me of a different time in my life.

For example, rock bands like Armor for Sleep, Senses Fail, Dance Gavin Dance and Hit the Lights are all bands I saw perform at Warped Tour in Ventura, Ca when I was a sophomore in high school. Listening to their songs takes me back to that day. Almost like a mental slide show. I remember what I was wearing, who I was there with, the crowd, how excited I was to see them perform, everything. That is what is so great about music; it represents eras. Just like listening to The Beatles reminds you of the 60's or what you could at least imagine the 60's were like if you weren't alive yet. This is why I can't just delete the files, stop wasting iTunes space, and call it a day. It would be like looking through my yearbook and tearing out the pages. Memories would be thrown away.

I know that I may be into one particular kind of music right now, but that I will soon be on to something else. Why? Because soon I will also be in a different place in my life. Whether it be new friends, a new career, or new surroundings, the end result is always just a “new” me. Well, a new STAGE of me, and the music I will be listening will represent that stage. I can't wait until I am fifty and I can look back at how much my musical choices have changed throughout my lifetime.

Music

Music has played a substantial role in my life. My parents are not only loud individuals when they speak, but like to be in loud environments and they have successfully passed the trait on to me. My dad is known to blast music as early as 8:00am and sometimes not only wake me, but the entire neighborhood. Some of my earliest memories are of my father and I going to concerts or singing along to the radio in the car. I still love turning up the volume and belting out lyrics when I'm on the road! My mom is actually constantly surprised by how many songs I know the words to. My taste in music is all across the board. From country to rap. I enjoy it all! I think it's more so the lyrics of the song and if it catches my attention than the genre that attracts me. I am often looking to attend concerts and music events when possible. I was actually just recently trying to purchase a ticket to Coachella but they sold out before I got the chance. Coachella, for those of you who don't know, is a 3 day music festival that takes place near Indio, California every year. I can't believe they sold out of tickets so quickly but I suppose there is always next year! It's probably for the best anyway...I shouldn't be spending 300 dollars on "events" right now.

My boyfriend introduced me to a band he discovered, Rebelution, a couple of years ago after a trip he took to Santa Barbara. Most would consider their genre to be reggae. They are a perfect example of how music has directly influenced me and my life. A few of their songs are "Bright Side of Life", "Feeling Alright", and "Courage to Grow". They have made me see life in a completely different way than before and have inspired me to be a true optimist and to never take anything for granted. I have seen them live twice and am going to another show of theirs on April 2 for my birthday.

Music has influenced so much that I even have a tattoo that represents peace, love, and music.

 

It's fascinating how artists such as Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, and Katy Perry have become world-wide megastars and that their music is something that not only English-speaking people can relate to. Music crosses borders with ease and impacts every culture. My family members in Mexico have many of the same songs on their Ipods as I have on mine. Music is something that people bond over and sometimes the root of friendships. For example, one of my good friends plays guitar, and he started a band with classmates from high school. The band didn't go very far, but he is still friends with the band members and still invites them over at times so they can "jam". I think learning about about music may possibly change my views on the matter or maybe even enlighten me on new or different types of music. I could possibly even be inspired to learn how to play an instrument!