Music and Bias(English Editorial)

Music expresses many ideas, beliefs, and opinions. Many of these can be skewed or taken the wrong way, so how should a person really understand the music they're listening to? Many times we can read into what a writer is saying to the point that we miss the main message of what he/she is singing about. And yet there are other times when we don't even pay attention to what we are listening to, and miss the joy that it can bring us. All music is biased; all music is an expression of the moods, feelings, and beliefs of the writers. If a writer is feeling hopelessness or at a loss, he will express those moods and feelings in his music. If a person has a cause for hope or joy in their life, they will express it; and yet either of these moods among many could be expressed in any song. When we listen to a song what kind of feelings does it invoke? Is there something wrong with feeling the same feelings as the writer, and identifying with him?

Just as emotions are communicated through music, beliefs are as well. Listening to a song doesn't particularly mean that we agree with the belief being communicated, but by listening to it we can understand the belief. By listening to this music we understand the author better, and those people who do feel the same as him. It is fine to listen to music passively, but at other times we gain the most from it by hearing the message and mood of the song and thinking about what we can learn from it. Is what's being communicated something that should be embraced or avoided? If you take the time to recognize and consider the bias, mood, and message without over-analyzing a new world of communicating opens up to you.