How Can the Lyrics Be Blamed?

As I have noticed on many occasions many of the problems of today’s society are blamed on music and lyrics, along with many other forms of entertainment. For this specific article I will only concentrate on music and lyrics since they are blamed the most. The idea that music can really control or make someone do anything just because of what a song says is completely ridiculous.

With this conclusion comes two main sides to this fueled argument. The side that blames lyrics for all the worlds problems, and the side with something called sense. I take side two, since I know that the music a person listens to cannot make them do anything that they don’t want to do.

So how can music be blamed for making someone do anything? Now some people will argue that the lyrics put ideas into the heads of other people, mainly today’s youth, and they will then go out and act upon these ideas. But in reality that would in fact mean that the said person or youth would have already had a blurred sense and understanding of right and wrong.

Anyone with a level-head and common sense knows that it is only lyrics, you don’t have to go out and act out the lyrics of whatever music you listen to. For further example of the truth of the previous statement I made consider this. If a person who listens to music with no violent lyrical content goes out and commits a violent crime does that mean it is still the music’s fault?

I will use myself for further example on this, except minus the violent crime mainly because it is easier to think of the song I’ve chosen to prove my point. I like rock music and especially love hard rock. For many people that is unacceptable, and I have met many of these people who look down upon me for my choice in music. And although this infuriates me it also makes me laugh, because I do understand that I don’t have to go out and act out the lyrics of my musical preferences.

I’ll use Buckcherry’s song “Lit Up” To prove my point of what I’m trying to say and make clear. The song’s lyrics are mostly if not completely about cocaine. I however do understand that it is music, and even though I like the song I would never go and beginning using cocaine.

Lyrics cannot be blamed for the faults and crimes of those who listen to it. Even I cannot stand rap or hip-hop and mostly that is due to the lyrics of most of the songs, but I don’t blame it for what people who listen to it do. If someone wants to commit a crime then they will, and they will do it whether the music they listen to has lyrical content about it or not.

If they have sense and understanding about the difference from right and wrong then they won’t do things that are wrong or commit crimes. It is as simple as that.