The Effects of Music and Media on American Culture and Society - Essay Example

The Effects of Music and Media on American Culture and Society The Role of Music Music plays a role in the culture of the society because it has served as part of human activities. Culturally influenced, music has made a mark in the society because of how it is used as a tool for expression among people of different culture all over the world. Accordingly, music was created for people to gather and share their feeling, thoughts, and also their experience in life. The use of music was not just for emotional expression, but also it is utilized by the people to express their faith and religious belief. Furthermore, the role of music was not only limited within the boundaries of culture, but the style of music from a different culture influences another culture, and in turn, create a new style of mixed music of different cultural perspectives. Hence, the present music today has influenced different cultures and had created an effect towards the society (White; Cross; “How Music Affects”). Music and American Culture The existence of music within the United States has played an important role in establishing the country’s different and unique culture. There are different kinds of music that have molded the American culture, and these are jazz, rock and roll, rap, folk music, and also the popular music (Chappell). Accordingly, music served as a mind opener for different people of different ethnicity to draw upon a new set of principles and a change in the American culture of racism and discrimination. The different style of music from different culture has created an impact to the culture in the United States, which has brought a new perspective in having a new interactive entertainment that has closed the gap among different ethnicities and enjoyed the essence of music. For example, white people can now enjoy listening or creating music that are in line with African American style of music (Greene; Levine). Hence, music has created the modern American culture that gave importance on freedom of expression, individuality, talents, and respect in religious and ethnic diversities. However, music has not totally expunged within the American culture the negativity of hatred, racism, and Atheism (Luger; Stafford). Music and American Society The presence of different kinds of music in the United States has been widely accepted by the American people in the American society. In fact, with the growing acceptance of music within the American society, many musicians, composers, and singers have emerged and created their style of music according to their preferred genres. The role of music has given the American society a tool for inspiration, amusement, and encouragement to utilize the musical abilities of the people. However, the effects of music in the society have negated because of how it influences aggressive thoughts, feelings, and actions especially the portrayals of the artists in music videos. According to researches, majority of members of the society who listen to music are the young people, in which music plays a significant role in their teenage lives. Specifically, American adolescents mostly listen to kinds of music such as hip-hop, gangster music, rap, and heavy metal that have a significant impact to the minds and behaviors among youth. For example, teenagers who are fond in listening rap music or gangster music tend to dress themselves as a rapper or gangster based on how music videos display its genre. Hence, despite the fact that music has brought racial unity in the American society, it had also brought negative impacts especially to the minds of the young people in America (“The Negative Effects”). The Role of Media The media have been used by people all over the world, from a different race, culture, socioeconomic status, and also across ages because of how it served as a tool for knowledge, teaching, amusement, and advertising. The media are responsible for delivering credible and reliable stories, news, and facts to the people around the world. Accordingly, the principal role of media is to provide real and impartial information that would give the best of the public interest, and it is also the role of the media to generate a source of public information in order to practice democracy and freedom for open communication. Consequently, with the existence of media, people have gained awareness to their environment or society and created their own perspective with regard to the information provided by the media. Hence, the role of media has become increasingly important because of how it significantly impacted the culture of the people and also the society (Jalani; Shakeel). Media and American Culture The media, as part of the American culture, were held as an important tool for democracy among American people. The media have influenced the political culture of the American society, in which the political structure in America had undergone different changes and new perspectives that will serve social equality to the people. Relatively, the American culture in the past is created based on prejudice and discrimination upon minorities, but through the influence of media, the traditional viewpoint in the American culture has been modified. Hence, the media are the source of tradition and practices that shaped the American culture (“Effects of Mass”). However, the influence of media in the American culture is not widely beneficial to the interest of the general public, but it has also a downside that creates misperception and false belief in the American culture especially among adolescents. For example, majority of the media displays are usually involved of drugs or premarital sex, in which the media have portrayed it into either two messages of negativity or its abundance in the American culture. Consequently, young people who are the principal viewers will perceive that the actions displayed in the media is what the general public is up to and the popular culture among American youngsters. Hence, the role of media can also create a bad impression to the culture of America and to the other cultures all over the world. Nevertheless, media has served as an important element for people to practice their independence and also their freedom of expression (“Mass Media”). Media and American Society The American society had used media as a tool for entertainment and information through books, films, televisual entertainment, periodicals, advertisements, and online networking. Accordingly, the American society is principally molded by the functional role of media within the lives of the people. Nowadays, the most utilized and influential technology for media is the internet because of how it provides all the portrayal of information and amusements. Furthermore, television is widely used in the society because of its accessibility by the people and attracting more preference rather than listening to a radio or reading periodicals. The media portray different kinds of information that could alter or create different perspective in the minds of the people. For example, people in the society would perceive that the figure of a model is what the society wants, and in turn, tend to have similar figure of the model. In addition, the media also portrayed the decreasing discriminatory practice within the American society, in which people who are homosexuals or of different races are showed in the media. Hence, the society has been influenced by the evolving of media in bringing out information to the people, in which it creates beneficial effects and also negative effects in the minds of people (Tonic). Conclusion Music and media have both gained popularity within the American society and became part of the American culture. However, the role of music and media had become stronger and had influenced most of the culture and society in America. Particularly, the existence of music has created an American culture and society that respects different races or ethnicities as people get along through the desire of creating wonderful music. Moreover, the media have created an American culture and society of independence and also the freedom in expressing information that are important for the American people. Hence, the music and media have the important role in shaping the culture and society to the best interest of the people. 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