This
I Believe: Music is my Philosophy
I truly believe music has power. Just think
about how a song makes you feel whenever you are upset or how it makes you feel
when you are happy. Music can be a gateway into our thoughts and feelings of
the time or can take us back to a moment in the past. The only other thing in
this world that has that impact on your emotions is someone you love and care
about. I remember listening to my grand father’s favorite radio station, V
101.1, after he passed away. While I drove down the busy interstate of Memphis
and listened to the old music of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, the tears just ran
down my face. That is something powerful in my book. I believe most of the
great philosophers we hear about who have strong opinions on just about any subject
matter didn’t spend enough of their time listening to music. In my eyes we
should view composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,
Ludwig van Beethoven and all the other greats as philosophers. The music they
all composed was a way for them to all express themselves and to share their
thoughts with the world. Sometimes music can be the only way to express
yourself when you don’t how else to let it out, even if you are just the
listener. Listening to your favorite song can be your philosophy of the day or
even life. After listening to a song that you can identify with is like
following the teachings of your favorite philosopher. In today’s society the youth
is more likely to listen to and follow the words of a music artist rather than
a political figure or an author of a book. Music artists like Kanye West, Blake
Shelton, or Lady Gaga have more influence on a person’s life than ever before.
If Plato or Socrates said everything they thought about the world to the melody
of a song we would look at them a lot differently. We as humans love things
that sound good to our ears. Even when we were babies we loved when our mothers
or fathers would sing to us to calm us down or to get us to fall asleep. One of
my favorite memories as a child is when my dad would yell this loud song he got
from his army days. He would only do it when me or my younger siblings were
being loud and annoying him or to get a reaction out of my step mother. I
always remember that song and it takes me back to my childhood and that
experience. As I said, I believe music has power. It has the power to transport
our minds to a time, a place, or a feeling that otherwise would not be tapped
into. It is a way to get in touch with our emotions. It can impact how we view
the world; it becomes our philosophy.
I agree with you on this point. As an example of the power of music, I like to think about my times sitting in church. As they had the invitation to be saved, very emotional music would always be playing. When I was younger, I felt the feeling I was getting was from god. I was always taught that was him trying to save me. Now I realize music was the cause of this. Also, have realized how many people cry when songs are played at a funeral?
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ReplyDeleteIt's funny to me that you mention Kanye, Late Registration was the first CD I ever owned and I could probably write out the lyrics to every song backwards if I tried. "Hey Mama" is easily my favorite song from that album and as I got older, it became important to me. I am an only child of a single mother and definitely have had moments where I wasn't proud of myself. She pushes me towards success and at times I keep her sane.
ReplyDelete"Hey mama, I want to scream so loud for you
'Cause I'm so proud of you, let me tell you what I'm about to do (hey mama)
...
I appreciate that you alive for me, I just want you to be proud of me (hey mama)"
Kanyes music is so powerful and influential. People refuse to believe so because of how tabloids have portrayed him.
Delete"One of my favorite memories as a child is when my dad would yell this loud song he got from his army days." - what was that song?
ReplyDeleteMaybe take a look in your next installment at what Nietzsche and Schopenhauer said about the power of music? Or more recently, Oliver Sacks...
Section 8- Commentary
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree with you on how powerful music can be to someone. Most of my favorite memories have a song or melody of some sort attached and even memories I thought were long and forgotten can resurface with a particular song. It's incredible.