Music Can Be A Vice
Some people will agree that there are too many youth in these current generations who are misguided, disrespectful, dishonorable, violent to the detriment of our own communities etc… It is in my strong opinion that too much of today’s musical lyrics have influenced the younger generation of our communities into a cesspool of degradation, dishonor and violence!
Some people see music as something to wind down to. Some see music as something to dance to. Others may see music as a form of art. Although the above mentioned are true, it doesn’t matter what era you’re born into, or what ethnic and cultural groups you belong to, music can also be used to manipulate and influence the minds of people. When you talk to people who grew up in the 50’s and 60’s, they will tell you that the lyrics in the songs were all about love, unity, peace and happiness. In the late 60’s through the 70’s, the lyrics were about promoting peace, protesting the war, social consciousness, civil rights and that herb called marijuana. In spite of all the hatred, prejudice and injustice that was carried out against certain ethnic groups during that time, there was still happy music, encouraging music, make you cry music, make you fall in love music and make you shout, clap, and stomp your feet music. No matter what people were going through in life, there was always a song that one could relate to.
Today, the lyrics of this generation are spewing out violence, promoting the sale and usage of drugs, free for all sex, how many material possessions they have, degradation of females, baby mama and baby daddy drama, gang violence, police brutality, and so on.
Let’s take a look at the family structure of earlier times when it consisted of a father, who went to work so he could provide for his family and a mother who basically stayed home and raised the children, (daycare was unheard of) made sure her house and children were cleaned. Dinner was cooked and on the table and everyone ate together. The father and mother taught their children to respect their elders and themselves. There are very few families today that are like the earlier times. Sadly, the roles have reversed.
Now, don’t get me wrong, it’s not just the uncensored lyrics that have a stronghold on our communities, it’s social media, politics, television, movies and ones peers. When I’m on the road driving everyday, listening to the radio, at least five stations in certain communities are looping songs that advocate violence, sex, drugs, etc. But, when I get to the next county, I can’t find that type of music anywhere on the radio.
I can go on and on about this topic, but, I’ll leave you with this, we as parents need to take control of our children by teaching them values, self-worth, accountability, how to love and not hate one another. Parents also need to explain to their children how not to get caught up in the negative influence of social media, television, videos, and the horrible lyrics displayed in some of these songs. My hope is that the next generation will be more socially wise as to not listen to and be led by the carnal influences of the music today because Music Doesn’t Have To Be A Vice.
