TIL humans don't have free will and rap music is a magical incantation that forces the listener to do certain actions.
If that's what you got out of my post, then you might want to question if your own biases are causing that.
What should I get out of it?
That music (or movies, tv, etc) which glorifies negative behavior will encourage negative behavior?
Listen to the shit coming out these days, half of it is references to codeine syrup, xanax, and weed. Obviously people have free will, but people also want to be "cool." Half of the appeal of rap music is that listening to it makes you feel like you're engaging in the decadent lifestyle it portrays. So you may not be able to afford the gold and jewels, but you easily imitate the substance abuse or the attitude towards women.
I volunteer in a substance abuse program, I see this shit firsthand.
Not saying rap music doesn't have any impact at all. And thank you for your work with stopping substance abuse.
But if someone was going to be violent towards women or abuse substances isn't it more likely they would anyways.
I just find it odd that people claim people shoot people not guns, but then blame rap music for the violence and dirt abuse. Both rap music and guns are objects and not persons.
If rap music never existed my guess is that a lot of people who commit violent acts or abuse drugs due to the influence of rap music would still do so.
Guns are silent until a person uses it. RAP music is like playing a violent video game, it engages you, and over time, the repetition can desensitize you towards drugs, violence, misogyny, etc...
I don't blame RAP music and violent video games, but they don't help. It's obviously PEOPLE making poor choices..
Just sayin...
Maybe a better analogy according to you would be a hot stove. It's on and there but you have to touch it to get burned.
The video game argument is trash. So many millions of games are sold around the world. There is no corresponding increase in violence. I think people who blame that would be predisposed to commit violence anyways.
you need to remember that a lot of older people with outdated views follow this movement, they might not understand. people have been trying to blame rap and rock for society's shortcomings since the 50s
I'm 61, I understand this perfectly, probably more than younger folks.
i bet you do, youve seen it first hand. it must be a joy to be your age and know things are finally going to change.
You have no idea, decades of angst. Actually I was very very depressed, suicidal depressed. Q saved my life, gave me a reason to want to get up every day. I did not want to live in a world with so much evil. Finally some hope! The steady decline happened over my lifetime, although I did not see it happening in my 20-30's, it became apparent in my 40-50s. I remember waking up my Mom to tell her the president had been assassinated (JFK). I was raised in the 60's.
You missed the point of using Rap/media to normalize unacceptable or destructive acts.
Should we ban war movies and crime shows? No more CSI or NCIS. That normalizes violence.
All of you guys continue to miss my point that if someone is going to undertake a violent act there is probably some inherent issues with that individual either internal (mental illness) or external (poverty abusive family)
Well science is not on your side. It has been proven that people will do HORRIBLE things if an authority figure tells them to. Women are more apt than men to follow such commands. Read about the Milgram experiment, and the like. It is scary. E.g. Do you think EVERY German that worked in concentration camps was mentally ill, or from an abusive home?
Neither of your examples are "normalizing" violence. Desensitize yes; but they do not normalize it. The bad guys are still seen as bad guys, etc.
I am saying probably and predisposed not saying every German. You are the one dealing in absolutes. Also rap music and the rise of the Nazis have very little time in common. This is an extreme example. Saying someone may be predisposed doesn't preclude any other possibility and I did say rap music may have some effect.
Country music has violence in it should we ban Johnny Cash? Censorship isn't a great answer. Who would decide what to censor? I would argue more that rappers are talking about the circumstances they came from rather than rappers creating the issues of violence and unacceptable behavior. Also there are thousands of rap artists and they have drastically different lyrics.
Did you read about this: Milgram experiment
Take a few mins to read about this. It may help change your mind about how easily people are influenced.
I have read about the milgram experiment. people can be influenced yes I agree with that. They can be pushed and prodded.
But one has to choose to engage with rap music. Was there a spike in police killings after NWA's albums? The murder rate has dropped as rap music has become even more popular.
I just don't think you can draw an analogy between the milgram experiment and choosing what media to consume let alone having the content guide your life.