Does music really have an impact on you?

A little bit of history

“One quick way to destroy a society is through its music” (Vladimir Lenin)

Do you agree with this statement?  Is it true that music can destroy a society? The impact of music on the society has been discovered a long time back. Let’s go back in history, more precisely over 2000 years before birth of Christ. At that time, the emperor of China, Han Wu Di, set up a music bureau so as to influence the behaviour of his citizens. He regulated the music that was created so as to prevent anarchy in his Kingdom. The power of music was seen as a weapon that can be dangerous for the emotional state of each individual in his civilisation.

What about this century?

Nowadays, music is divided in different genres like pop, rock, new age, classical music, rap, hip hop and many more. Each genre comes up with a message either through the musical instruments used or within the lyrics that accompany them. Still, the interpretation of different genres can impact either positively or negatively on society. 

Source: Internet (Google)

Music can impact on people at a very young age. Classical music from Mozart, Beethoven and Bach are believed to have an influence on the intellectual development of children. It helps to boost their creativity as well as their motor skills while they are moving with the beat of the sound. Music likewise, affects positively the society as music therapy can contribute to a less stressful society. It is believed that music with slow rhythm contributes to slow down the brainwaves and the heart rate of an individual. Thus, it reduces the tendency of an individual to be anxious and to fall into depression.

Then can music destroy a society?

To one extent, music can be destructive particularly with rap and rock music that have a tendency to revolve around drugs, violence, sex and suicide. Those lyrics can be interpreted badly by individuals and lead to a sick society. For example, Marilyn Manson has been accused to encourage killing in her song KILL, KILL, KILL.  Afterwards, this singer was accused to have influenced two students to kill their classmates in the columbine shooting by claiming that, “Marylin Manson rules”. Therefore, do you think that music influences the society or is it our interpretation of music that impacts on the society?