Blog Response: Parents Influence on Music

This is a response to Kyle's question, "Can one force themselves to enjoy music that they originally dislike?" To be honest, I don't think they can, however it does depend on certain situations. For example, I didn't really have a childhood environment around rap music, but some of my friends listened to it, I saw some music videos (which made me dislike it even more), and whenever the radio was on I would just grit my teeth and bear it (especially when listening for a chance to win a contest or something). To this day, I still have no fancy for rap music, and think it a pointless genre. I don't think I can bring myself to listen to rap and try to "force" myself to like it.

I guess it all depends , also, whether or not a person is open minded. I mean don't get me wrong I am open minded, and will listen to something to see if I would one day like it. Though this is the case, once my mind is made up and I know that I wouldn't like it, there is no ands, ifs, or buts about it. I think if a person is open minded enough to try to listen to something new, that is all that matters. I say this because, there are those who just here about a genre and automatically dismisses it. Also, A person makes generalizations (if we want to go into the topic of categories) and only listen to one song or one band and then make a conclusion that they don't like the genre or band as a whole just basing it off of one thing.

I can say that I don't like rap music, because I have heard many songs, many artists, year after year after year. Now that I think about it, I can say that the closest thing that I listen to that can be associated with rap is Christian "rap". So do I think one can force themselves to enjoy music that they originally disliked? I don't think so because if you didn't like it originally then what would make you like it now. However, things change, people change, situations change, so who knows? But I wouldn't use the word "force". I would think about the question can people bring themselves to appreciate music they never did before? The word force makes it sound like they are doing it against their will. However, if one day the radio is on and a song comes on that you never thought you would like, and you find yourself appreciating it I think that could happen. I guess it is all about being open minded and giving things a chance.

My question can be connected to this entry. One of the reasons I don't like rap is that I feel it has a negative influence on society and degrades women. So my question is do you think music affects how we act? Does it affect how we view the world and each other?