Music

I think that music is underestimated in our culture. It seems (to me) that for most people, music is a filler, a noise provider when silence is unwanted. A few people are enthusiastic about music, but most have their "favorite group" or "favorite song" with little appreciation for the art. This is dangerous. And it is so because music is powerful. And it's power is spiritual. Which makes it more dangerous than heavy machinery or nuclear weapons. It is also dangerous in this particular culture because we do not generally think of music as having a spiritual quality. This makes us more susceptible to being manipulated by it without our even knowing it. It seems that that we think we can listen to something and not be affected by it without ever thinking that the very reason we enjoy music at all is that it makes us feel some way that is desireable to us. This is why different musical genres are closely associated with different social groups. As I said before, there is a group of us that doesn't care that much about the music as long as it fills the silence and doesn't annoy us. But a good many of us have certain styles we like and often listen to . The fact that we are offended when our musical tastes are considered less than tasteful is a testament to the fact music has a big part in our self-identity. Indeed, it does help shape who we are because we are not aware of it's power. We are extremly unscrupulous of it's message, and not just lyrically, but its musical message. And when moments arise where we feel a certain way, but do not understand why, it is curious to me that we consider the food we ate or didn't eat, or the circumstances of our day, before we consider what we have been putting into our souls via the music we've listened to.
For the record (and this leads to a bigger discussion for a different day) I do not believe that certain muscial styles are bad in and of themselves. But anything can be bad with bad motives behind it, but this is a matter of motives, not the thing. So you can listen to certain styles because you want to feel a certain way and if this is a distraction from things that you ought to be doing, well then this is wrong. (Again, a discussion on morality is for another day. For now it suffices to state my opinion without defense. I know, but it's America). Also, anything, except prayer, can be a vice if it is done in excess. But also, most things can be used for good, and this is certainly the case with music, even if it purports negative emotions. Negative does not automatically equal bad. It simply means not positive. What is clearly bad in this case is to be ignorant of the spiritual nature and the spiritual power of music. It is when we are in this frame of mind, that music can be a controlling agent, and a dangerous one at that. Because the more ignorant we are of its power, the more power it has over us.