What has happened to the music industry? Looking back at the artists of the past like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, Tony Bennett, James Taylor, right up to Michael Jackson there was greatness about them.
Now I realize I have missed many of the great bands of the past, and even a few from today. It is not my intention to leave anyone out of the lists of great artists. Each and every artist is great in their own way, however today’s music seems to be more destructive then constructive.
Instead of singing about loving and respecting women, we are listening to songs about treating them like trash. How do we actually let these songs play on the radio? Now I don’t want to sound like the hoards of media, or some religious groups that condemn today’s music. I do however want to point out the fact that some people cannot tell the difference between a song, and how to act in reality.
Do I feel like music played a part, or contributed to some of our darkest days like Columbine? No, I don’t think music had anything to do with what those two had done. They were listening to the same songs some people listen to too get pumped up for their football game, wrestling meet, or any other normal activity most of us partake in. These kids were outcasts, picked on, and sorry but obviously ignored just as much at home as they may have been at school. How else could they have put together that arsenal without being noticed even a little? I can guarantee you this, the artist playing on the radio did not reach through the speakers and hand them the guns.
The problem now seems to be that the lifestyle portrayed in today’s music has somehow become cool. There is little or no regard for women, police, neighbors, or family members. There seems to be little or no consequences for one’s actions because going to jail is now the cool thing to do and if you have not been incarcerated then you’re not cool. How screwed up is this? I never wanted to get arrested, not only because I did not want to go to jail, but also I knew my father would have all but put me through a concrete wall. Kids today know there are no repercussions for there actions. Parents are no longer allowed to reprimand their kids or they can face jail time as well.
So the songs continue to come out about smacking women, selling drugs, shooting people, going to jail, and drinking at the clubs. Wow, that sounds like a number one hit. Not in my house!
The only hope we have to turn this current mixed up view of life around is to stop promoting it like it is the best way to live. Locked up, stoned, dealing, shooting, and beating on women is no way to live life. We all have our vices, weather it be drinking a little now and then or possibly other things, no problem as long as it is in moderation, and is not your full time job and way of life.
Let me try to explain it another way. For those of you who have kids, and for those of you who don’t, pretend for a minute you are a father or mother of a son or daughter. You love your kids more then life itself, every parent does. You would do anything for your kids, take any pain they feel onto yourself to make them feel better, switch places with them for any reason if you could to save them difficulty or sadness. This is your son or daughter you brought into this world. They are as pure as it gets, they have no understanding of how the world works, no preconceived notions of race or color or what’s wrong or right.
Everything they become and learn is because of us, how we live and what we teach them. They learn just as much by watching us as they do from us telling them what to do and how to do it. They listen to the music we play and the Television we watch. Yes, as they grow up they are introduced to new things through their classmates at school. But the foundation we set from the beginning will always be there. If the foundation is strong, they will be fine. They will like the music of the day, but it will not be their life. Their life will be what we have taught them. They will surround themselves with the right people, and influences. This is why it is important for us as parents to be the biggest role models in our kid’s life.
We need to surround our kids and ourselves with positive influences. From the TV shows we watch to the music we listen to. We need to teach them how valuable life is. They need to know that no matter what the circumstance it is never right to hit or degrade women. Hopefully by doing this at home from the very minute they are born, we can begin to get life back to the way it was supposed to be.
After all, when our time is just about up, it will not matter what kind of car we drove, how much money we had, how many houses, or boats we owned. The vacations we took, it just won’t matter.
The only thing that will matter, the legacy we leave behind will be measured by how well we raised our kids. The people they have become, because of our influences, will be the only thing people will judge us by. That is the true measure of a man or woman, were you strong enough to raise your kids to be good people. Or were you to weak and concerned with the money and material things in life that no one will remember anyway to invest your time in what truly matters?
