Does Music Affect Your Actions?

[Cr0wley]

Being an avid heavy metal music fan, I'm always getting slack from people. Even my family teases me about it sometimes, saying that if I keep listening to people yelling about killing their parents that I'll try it.

Now I know they're joking, but does music affect you? Personally, most people I know were depressed before listening to Marilyn Manson, were chasing guys before listening to Britney Spears and were mad at their parents before listening to Eminem.

What do you guys think?

 

[Druidus]

Being an avid heavy metal music fan, I'm always getting slack from people. Even my family teases me about it sometimes, saying that if I keep listening to people yelling about killing their parents that I'll try it.

Now I know they're joking, but does music affect you? Personally, most people I know were depressed before listening to Marilyn Manson, were chasing guys before listening to Britney Spears and were mad at their parents before listening to Eminem.

What do you guys think?

I'll let Homer answer this one:

"Noble and manly music lends bravery to the wavering man and the coward."

Or something like that. (If anyone knows the exact quote, tell me please)

My answer: When you are listening to the music, yes, your behaviour is changed. Heavy metal really gets me going. Some Chimera or Candlemass will kick up my intensity notch greatly. When I listen to some works of Tchaikovsky, I will grow calm. Listening to Pachabel's Canon in D Major performed with violins (NOT piano) will fill me with wonder.

As to long term effects, I doubt it. Music is noise, and just that. It will not change you permanently.

 

[anami]

Being an avid heavy metal music fan, I'm always getting slack from people. Even my family teases me about it sometimes, saying that if I keep listening to people yelling about killing their parents that I'll try it.

Now I know they're joking, but does music affect you? Personally, most people I know were depressed before listening to Marilyn Manson, were chasing guys before listening to Britney Spears and were mad at their parents before listening to Eminem.

What do you guys think?

Music changes the appearance of water molecules, we are mostly water.

Check out
Emoto's
The Hidden Messages in Water.

http://www.whatthebleep.com/crystals/

 

[sondadareas]

Music changes water? I'll check it out!

Before we got industrialized & urbanized music was made by everybody, not like now, by professionals only & the masses just watch.

Everybody sung. All day & at night. For all occasions like birth, death, planting, harvesting, etc...In some traditions a man is even given a song only to be sung by him as he lies dying!

Music has a direct connection to our emotional self.
And I believe we are slightly neurotic because nowadays we don't sing enough & we are reduced to watching people like Michael Jacson sing!

Humans are made for singing. If you don't believe me try singing daily before you leave home & upon arriving. And when you're depress sing your heart out & see what happens!

peace,
sondadareas

 

[CaptainXeroid]

...Personally, most people I know were depressed before listening to Marilyn Manson, were chasing guys before listening to Britney Spears and were mad at their parents before listening to Eminem...

I concur. People are responsible for their own actions, and I find blaming music a bit silly.

Many people tend to listen to music that fits the mood they are already in, but I do the opposite. When I'm feeling down I listen to upbeat music, and I find mellow classic rock chills me out for the drive home in ATL traffic.

...Humans are made for singing. If you don't believe me try singing daily before you leave home & upon arriving. And when you're depress sing your heart out & see what happens!...

Very nicely stated! Frubals to you.

 

[Fat Old Sun]

Some Chimera or Candlemass will kick up my intensity notch greatly.

Is Candlemass still around?

I listen to all different types of music. My choices often mimic the mood that I'm in, but sometimes I pick music to alter my mood. It does have impact on my emotions, as good music should, but it does not change who I am or what actions I am capable of.

 

[Druidus]

Is Candlemass still around?

Not sure if they still produce music, but I still listen to it.

 

[SoliDeoGloria]

There is a very interesting video series on the subject you can buy at http://www.artofthecovenant.com I saw it and was impressed at the research this group did.

A couple of interesting notes to take into consideration here is that, for one, music has a direct role to play in many religions, one of the most extreme example's being Shamanism. The very word music comes from a word that has religious implications, the word muse:

Wordnet (r) 1.6
Muse
n 1: in ancient Greek mythology any of 9 daughters of Zeus and
Mnemosyne; protector of an art or science
2: the source of an artist's inspiration; "Euterpe was his
muse"
v : reflect deeply on a subject; "I mulled over the events of
the afternoon"; "philosophers have speculated on the
question of God for thousands of years"; "The scientist
must stop to observe and start to excogitate" [syn: {chew
over}, {think over}, {meditate}, {ponder}, {excogitate},
{contemplate}, {reflect}, {mull}, {mull over}, {ruminate},
{speculate}]


The other thing to take note of is that it has been scientifically proven that music releases endorphins into the body. Here's a good website with quite a bit of info on the subject: http://www.piney-2.com/MuEndorp.html


Sincerely,
SoliDeogloria

 

[hail-satan-666]

music is just another style thst you have its not the music that makes you different its your style you could listen to country and be a cowboy that thinks he a big hero or you could listen to metal and be some heavy metal punk (wich iam not putting down metal i listen to it)but im saying its not just the music that makes you act differ its your style

 

[timpeters]

Anything you think, feel, or believe will affect your actions. Music usually causes people to feel quite a bit, and sometimes to think a bit too.

Music with a bad message really can affect people in a negative way. For example, most Hip-Hop music glorifies expensive living, $120 shoes, designer clothing, blings, etc. Along with the more general Hip-Hop culture, this causes people who listen to it to have extremely materialistic values. Not to mention homophobia, misogny, glorification of crime, etc.

And sondadareas: music is still made that way Ever heard of netlabels? When it comes to electronic, IDM, and ambient music, there's a huge amount of people who make music as a hobby, and not to make money, but to share it with the world. "IDM" music is known for having an extremely musically-involved group of listers. For example, when I walk into an IDM chatroom, about half of the people there also make their own music! Some suggested net-releases and labels include:

Crashed by Car's wonderful untitled EP on 8bitrecs (one of my personal favorites!): http://www.8bitrecs.com/cgi-bin/artinfo.cgi?artist=Crashed+By+Car
The well-known Monotonik records: http://www.monotonik.com
Kahvi Collective: http://www.kahvi.org

I listen to ambient music, and it can make me really relaxed and peaceful. That's a good thing.

 

[michel]

music is just another style thst you have its not the music that makes you different its your style you could listen to country and be a cowboy that thinks he a big hero or you could listen to metal and be some heavy metal punk (wich iam not putting down metal i listen to it)but im saying its not just the music that makes you act differ its your style

Oh, err...........maybe; if I could understand what on earth you're talking about!

I find music affects my moods, and moods do affect our actions - so I guess I'd have to answer 'yes'.

I also 'use' music - and singing - as a method of 'distress tollerance' - my familly can always tell if I'm under pressure, in really bad pain - the louder I am, the worse I feel.

 

[Crystallas]

If im thirsty, i drink something. If I need something to fill my glass of music to match my mood, well there I go. Music can sway moods, but i dont think you can asume someone who is a certain way is due to their music. More like...someone is a certain way, thats why they relate to certain music.

 

[EnhancedSpirit]

I do not think music effects the actions of an individual, but it can certainly fuel their emotions. This applies to everthing from 'hate' music to 'love songs'.

 

[Yerda]

As a musician I must say I hope so.

 

[Fluffy]

most people I know were depressed before listening to Marilyn Manson, were chasing guys before listening to Britney Spears and were mad at their parents before listening to Eminem.

Hmm I hope this is true because, otherwise, as an avid fan of all 3, my future looks fairly bleak.

Hows about this argument (Just playing devil's advocate for the moment). If I am exposed to a certain idea enough then it becomes less vile/unusual. Therefore if I listen to enough music where the theme is to kill my parents then I will become desensitised to the idea and therefore the concept of doing such a thing would seem more concievable.

Additionally, subliminal messaging is a very effective way of getting people to do things (such as buy your products) so, unintentionally, music might implant these ideas into our subconciousness.

Not that these arguments would be enough to give up listening to my favourite bands but they might hold some truth.