Music

[Chubbsie]

So I just had a conversation with a close friend and we touched a very sensitive subject of mine.  Music. 
My question to you is this. 
Do you think that music may change someones beliefs and even their actions?

[The G Rebellion]

Yes. Music is incredibly powerful. It has the power to change moods and, as a consequence, actions. Their beliefs, well I suppose it is possible. It would depend on the meaning of beliefs you are referring to I guess.

[Khablan]

I'd say music can make a person think, and in that way it can lead to a change in a person's opinions and beliefs.  But it depends on how strongly someone believes their way of thinking is right.  If they're very stuck on it, then music isn't going to have any affect that way.

Music can sometimes help in venting whatever a person is feeling. 

I wouldn't say it can change a person's life, except in the above ways.  I suppose, for instance, if someone had an anger control problem, maybe using music to help vent could become helpful in controlling it, but it certainly wouldn't change their natural tendency.

[LLANYDERN]

Music is one of the most important modes of human expression, I'm not a very demonstrative person but the right music can make me very emotional.

[Talmann]

As a musician myself, I personally believe that people are affected by music. Now, I must say in advance that I have been raised surrounded by classical music, so my beliefs may be biased.

Now, I must agree with Khab that music helps a person vent specific feelings. But I will add that if people continue to vent a certain kind of feeling repeatedly, they and their actions will begin to change to suit the music. For instance (and remember, this is my bias), I tend to see violence and promiscuity around me... and I note that those with more of these traits like to listen to rap, punk, and the like.

Now I also look around me in the music department at my school and see different things. For instance, my friends that have played piano since they were young, or some band acquaintances of mine that work hard to play their instruments well, they tend to be calm, collected, nice, and smart. I'm not sure whether the intelligence level is really connected, but I know that, in Texas, the average SAT score for All-Staters is around 1950, and most of these people (outside the orchestra, at least) are not Asian (I add this because people think that music people are smart because they are asian, and all asians are smart. I do not believe so, for I am not racist, but there are people out there who are.).

This is my belief, and I do not care if you will believe it or not. If my belief is scientifically proven true or false, it will not sway my decision. I have made up my mind. Here it is, take it or leave it.

[Khablan]

Talmann, you could very well be right.  It's hard to tell in matters like these, whether music would be the cause, or whether people with certain personality traits just naturally gravitate toward the certain type of music.  The same goes for the violent game controversy - does playing them too often cause violence, or are people with violent tendencies also just attracted to violent games.  (Not to bring up a whole different subject, just using it as an example.)

It would take a heck of a lot of research over quite a period of time to really know for certain.

[Chubbsie]

Khab,
I respect your idea to bring gaming into the subject and i thought about doing the same because i think music and gaming might have similar responses.  take http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070403-study-finds-stable-personalities-unaffected-by-violent-games.html
just a small exsample of some of the studies on video games and violence.  Ohh and in case your were wondering what side i took on the conversation, i think that music has very little change in someones beliefs.  but i when i think of someone in this study of mine, i dont include 16 yr old weak minded, turn of the hat individuals.  Because like you i was one, once a long time ago, but i grew up and eventually decided what was wrong and right. 

[Solnath]

I'm right, yay!

Music is influential, but as mentioned, its effect depends on the mental integrity of the person in question. Like fire and most other things, 'tis a good slave but a poor master.

[constant confusion]

yeh, music is influential. you always hear how people say that they can relate to songs whatever their mood. whether it's rock or rap, we can someone remember it. for instance linkin park - meteora is brilliant if you've had a break up or something similar

[Algerianbania]

The day when music changed the way you think was 20-30 years ago. In the 60's, 70's and 80's, music was a big influence in people's lives. Key examples:

Deadheads and the Grateful Dead. These people followed this one band around for years and would always wait outside a concert begging for tickets.

Hippies. Nuff said.

John Lennon. The government actually got worried that Lennon and the Beatles' politically protesting song would make the people revolt. Since so many people listened to the Beatles, this wasn't so implausible. But today, people really just listen to music because they like it, but it has no effect on their life.

[Allama]

I think music can have a profound effect on people's lives, but this is in the same manner as any other medium can in that people can find inspiration for a personal change within.  I do not believe a song can literally "change someone" but I do think that the spark that starts the fire can occur there.  Human beings react strongly to our environment and almost anything we see, hear, or feel can be the catalyst we need to begin the process of change.  We may not even recognize it consciously.

Of course, in most cases a person must be prepared for the change already.  This is why I make the distinction between something causing it and something helping it along.

[Solnath]

The sound of rain drumming against the roof or windows while you're lying in bed beats all music.

[Myroria]

Sure it can. Just look at the controversy that surrounded Rammstein after Columbine. But that doesn't mean Rammstein doesn't still kick ass.

[Khablan]

Chubbsie - thanks for that link.  It's an interesting study.  I'm never one to completely trust the results I read from any scientific studies.  I think much of the reason that some turn out conflicting results is that their scope is so narrow.  They seem to ask a small set of questions that tend to ignore other outside factors.  In this particular study, I'd have asked (for one thing) whether each participant had any experience with this type of game, and a general idea of how much, to determine whether frustration over learning to use the controls and such might have been a factor in their anger level upon completion.  It's that sort of thing that can really skew the interpretation of the results.  But in this case, I think the major point of the study is valid, since a large majority were not affected either way, and that speaks for itself.  I'm just not convinced that those whose moods did change would necessarily have been a direct result of the violence in the game rather than some other factor.

The day when music changed the way you think was 20-30 years ago. In the 60's, 70's and 80's, music was a big influence in people's lives.

Well, I was there.  And music was a huge part of my life.  To say that music was the cause of all those changes would be wrong.  It would be completely ignoring all the other influences we had in those days.

In the sixties, we were surrounded by the news reports.  And then there was a huge amount of speakers who gave their opinions about the war, about traditional lifestyles, marriage and family, etc.  And just like today, someone who has a knack for that sort of thing can be very convincing.  We were also surrounded by people on a daily basis who had an impact on our opinions and experiences - friends, family, schoolmates, co-workers.  We saw how our parents' lives were playing out, and how happy they were with their lives as a result, and that colored how we wanted to live our own lives.  ALL of those things had influence on our thinking.

If a person hasn't formed a solid opinion on something, then -everything- they see and hear about it can affect whatever conclusions they come to.  That includes the opinions of people we're surrounded by.  It includes what we're told by the media.  It includes whatever life experience (or lack of it) that we've had on the subject.  Music is just -one- of those factors, and not necessarily the most prevalent one.

Just as someone already said in this thread, people who have strong opinions are more likely to stick with them and be less affected by these influences.  Those who haven't are more likely to be open to them. 

Of this, I have absolutely no doubt - the music didn't change how people thought, back in the sixties.  The way people thought changed the music.  Music was the expression, not the cause.  As an influence, it was only one of many.