The power of technology now a days has allowed us to play music whenever and where ever whether it be through a speaker or even through a small mp3 device. Whether music is being played in the military or on your iPod, music somehow plays a role in our lives. When comparing the uses of military music to the uses of iPods, many people might not think these two have anything in common. But uses of military music and the people’s uses of their iPods have different purposes but very similar uses.
In Pieslak’s chapter from Sound Targets, it talks about how military music is used as a weapon in the Iraq War. I think it can be comparable to the article about iPod culture because the uses of iPod can be identified as a form of weapon but with a different purpose from military music. Military music plays a role as a weapon in the Iraq War because of its equally potential to frustrate and irritate. The U.S. military sometimes plays music through loud speakers, in attempts to harm insurgents’ ability to fight. They abuse the use of music to force insurgents to answer questions in interrogation when they are unwilling to. In the iPod culture article, the author uses the term called Audiotopia which refers to “both the intense pleasure described by iPod users as they listen to music and to their desire for continuous, uninterrupted use”. (528) Many people now a days uses their iPod as a weapon to block themselves from the world. I use the term weapon not in the sense that the uses of iPods can physically hurt anyone but the fact people use it as a sense to protect themselves from others. Many iPod users in this article state how they use their iPods as a shield to prevent others from interrupting their own privacy bubble. One iPod user stat...
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... the ear, many interrogators are forced to follow their orders. While in Bull’s article, Ipod Culture, the loudness of music can be harmful to us. As stated in the article, “iPod users who turn up the volume to about 90 percent for on average 2 hours a day, 5 days a week can develop significant hearing loss”. (539) Many iPod users are unaware of how loud their music is playing. They adjust their volume according to their surrounding background noises.
In conclusion, the uses of military music and the people’s uses of their iPods have different purposes but very similar uses. While military music is being used as a weapon to harm others, loudness to forced interrogators to follow their orders, and using heavy metal to signify the military’s power, iPod users use iPods as a weapon to protect themselves, loudness of music to block sounds and viewing power as choices.
One subculture within the United States is that of the US Army. The Army defends the nation against all enemies, foreign and domestic. It is an exclusive group since not everyone in the country serves in the Army.
The Army’s history includes many unique global events such as World War I and II, the Vietnam War, the Korean conflict and most recently operations Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom. An in depth study of these historical events is beyond the scope of this paper however, the origin of the Army is relevant in discussing the Army’s overall culture.
The American Civil War was a bitter, grief-filled conflict with oddly musical overtones. A Southern soldier, Alexander Hunter, recalled that “There was music in plenty,” (Lawrence 169) just as Charles Frazier’s character Stobrod in Cold Mountain remarks that “there was so much music back then” (407). While both the Union and the Confederacy placed great import on music, Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier focuses primarily on the Southern perspective of the war, in all of its aspects. Spiritual music gave soldiers hope, gave them something cheerful to listen to after their days of slogging through the grime of human remains, as Inman discovers during his journey. Songs of homecoming and perseverance also strengthened the women, children, and parents left behind, waiting with fearful hopes for the return of their loved ones. Ada’s continual reference to “Wayfaring Stranger” illustrates this point beautifully. Finally, the musical natures of both armies created a bond that otherwise would not have been possible, forming brief alliances among enemies. The impact of music during this period of American history was so great that General Robert E. Lee was heard to say “I don’t believe we can have an army without music” (Wiley qtd. in Waller and Edgington 147). Charles Frazier’s Cold Mountain exemplifies this statement, interweaving music throughout the struggles of Ada and Inman, using it as a tool to express emotion and to give a common thread to the broken culture that was the American South. The dissonant harmonies of Civil War-era music both complemented and contrasted itself, creating new forms from old ones and forging bonds where there had been nothing.
“A Person cannot be diagnosed with PTSD without having experienced a traumatic event.” (Hunt and McHale, 2010, p.13). The purpose of this essay is to discuss how Music Therapy can be used to help veterans suffering from PTSD to cope with their traumatic experiences and manage their symptoms.
Martin, Geoff, and Erin Steuter. Pop Culture Goes to War: Enlisting and Resisting Militarism in the War on Terror. Lanham: Lexington Books, 2010. Print.
Background sounds and music heavily affect who controls the conversation in All Quiet on the Western Front. Comparing the chaotic, almost annoying sounds present during the soldier’s conversations to the heroic marches or absolute silence behind the older generation’s propaganda, the audience and other characters are more easily influenced by the clearly heard
In Virginia Heffernan’s article “Against Headphones” she is arguing against the use of headphones. In her argument, she explains how the use of headphones leads to the risk of permanent hearing loss in teenagers and children. She also argues that headphones help isolate people and that people should start listening to music etc. together as a family. She uses several kinds of argumentative strategies which include: euphemism, propaganda such as the testimonial device, and the rhetorical appeals pathos, ethos, and logos. Heffernan’s argument in her article is effective because she has plenty of logic, facts, and statistics to support her thesis. She also tugs on her audience’s heartstrings by using their emotions. The strengths in her article such as the many facts she put in it greatly outweighed the weaknesses in it.
Throughout time, music has been an influential part of society. As a form of entertainment and expression, its impact has always been felt both economically and emotionally. During the Vietnam war, music evolved into more a form of expression rather than pure entertainment. Emotionally charged songs became a method to oppose the war, and vent frustrations. While many songs opposed the war, numerous others focused on peace and happiness. They provided a positive perspective in an otherwise depressing time. Along with incorporating passion into music, cultural diversity increased in music greatly. Black artists became progressively more popular and accepted in the musical scene. This respect carried over to society slowly but surely. During the Vietnam war, music played a crucial role in the societal evolution into a state where emotions fueled actions, more emphasis was put on equality, all opinions counted.
The youth of today would benefit greatly from less violent music blasting in their ears. This has been proven by researchers at Iowa and the Texas Department of Human Services in Austin. They held a series of five experiments, involving over 500 college students that examined the effects of different music. They took seven violent songs by seven artists and eight nonviolent songs by seven artists. All of the students received the same songs to listen to. As they were listening they were asked to do some psychological tests. This helped researchers be able to measure any aggressive thoughts or feelings the participants had during the experiment. Some of the tests included classifying words that can hold both an aggressive and non-aggressive meaning, such as rock and stick. The results of the experiment were amazing. It showed that the violent songs led the participants to more violent words. It also increased one of two things. The first being the relative speed with how people read aggressive and non-aggressive words and the second being the proportion of word fragments. For example, the fragment h_t, was filled with an aggressive word such as hit.
The idea that music leads its listeners to participate in deviant acts can be left up to each individual’s opinion. The truth is, is that there is not sufficient research to prove or disprove whether music has a strong influence, if any, on the listener’s choices to engage in deviant behaviors. One thing for certain is that music can influence a population’s appearance and culture. Whether or not music causes listeners to be deviant, music will continue to be produced and played around the world.
An article by Time Magazine, titled “Against Headphones,” discusses the cons of wearing headphones in a world where privacy is a necessity. According to its sources, “One in five teenagers in America cannot hear rustles… according to a study published in August in The Journal of the American Medical Association” (Heffernan). Virginia Heffernan, the author of this article, explained the target population for headphones was people who could not hear sermons in church. She thought this invention created a culture of “submission and denial.” She said headphone use was antisocial. In some cases, this statement would be incorrect. Music and learning materials can distract others. These would be scenarios
If one were to look back into the world’s history, one would find that an important and consistent element is the world of music. Music has presented itself in various forms throughout its spread and through our identification of its magical realm, people have been fortunate enough to come across a means of relation. Whether it is blues and reggae or rap and pop rock, there is music out there for everyone. Music can serve as a stabilizer for some, a relaxant to others, and to many a form of inspiration.
There have always been discussions of the effects music has on ones behavior, and how it’s related to Psychology. The truth has never really been verified among common knowledge, but it’s usually something that intrigues people. They say heavy metal and rap can make teenagers violent, sad and depressing music can make teenagers sad and depressed, and some say it’s best to listen to classical music when doing schoolwork because it makes your brain more active. There have been many people that reported how music has effects on their behavior. It can lift their mood, “fuel the fire” when they’re angry, or even make it easier for them to fall asleep. People never really get the chance to research the actual science of music, and how it changes people attitudes.
Paxton, Tom. (2011). "Music as a Tool of Social Protest." Squidoo: Welcome to Squidoo. Retrieved November 13, 2011, from .
Music has been many different things to people, an escape, a revolution, an experience, a feeling, a message, a memory, a single moment, peace, class, etc. Music has played a large role in the lives of many. The story of music and it’s evolution is beautiful, from ancient melodies being plucked on a harp, to the british invasion and the popular revolution. Music has changed, and it has effected so much. In the recent decades popular music has manipulated humanity into acting inappropriately.