Music is an essential part of our lives; listening to music is a significant way to connect to yourself and others. Everyone enjoys listening to music while working, travelling, or as a relaxing activity. Teenagers spend a lot of time listening to music. Now, people can access and listen to music through various social media platforms such as Spotify, YouTube, etc.
Can music negatively impact an individual?
Music is not intended to influence any individual negatively. However, the choice of lyrics and visuals may be negatively impactful towards many individuals.
- Intimate visuals may become a negative influence on young children and teenagers. They might attempt to do a similar thing or believe it is appropriate behaviour for them to try. They might also question their parents about it, making it difficult for them to explain it to their children. Some parents may not succeed in giving an explanation to their children, which makes them even more curious about it.
- Usage of alcohol/cigarette smoking or other drug use in music videos can also negatively impact an individual. Young children or teenagers may consider using such substances as a regular thing and may want to experience it even after being restricted by their parents or teachers. If the music videos are of an individual’s favourite singer/actor or band, they might get encouraged to do it and justify it being their inspiration.
- The portrayal of any violence or discrimination in music videos can be negatively impactful as well. Teenagers or young children will use those videos as references for their behaviour and may not differentiate between right and wrong as it is publicly promoted through the music videos.
- Lyrics are essential for any music, and they are also crucial in terms of an individual’s understanding and behaviour. Lyrics these days use slang and other vocabularies that are explicit. It can also be negatively impactful, and children might start speaking those languages without understanding the meaning or might refuse to stop using them.
Music is not a dangerous thing for the youth, but certain aspects harm how individuals talk, behave, and think. Therefore, parents must pay special attention to what their young children listen to and watch. Parents should explain clearly without being harsh about the destructive factors in inappropriate music which their child chooses to watch/listen to or accidentally come across.
