Music and Ethics
When we think of ethics, it is likely that social issues come into mind. However, there is a relationship between music and ethics. As a musician or music creator, what are your duties when it comes to your music, what is considered right or wrong from a moral point of view? What about as a listener? Are there responsibilities that we should adhere to and keep in mind when enjoying, appreciating, or listening to music?
Songs have been banned across the world for a variety of reasons. Most of the time the topic of the song is the reason for the ban. In the cases of topics, the time the sound was released typically had a large influence on whether the song was banned or not. Usually banned songs will have to do with sex, sexuality, drugs, religious reasons, and violence. Today it seems that songs are less restricted than they were in the past; this may be due to changes in our society.
It’s a slippery slope, particularly being aware of the fact that music has such a drastic impact on our emotions. As such, we are heled responsible for keeping our emotions in check, right? Well, it can also be bad to stir up the emotions of others. Where does the line of who’s responsible come into play? We know that people respond differently as individuals that when they are in a crowd, so does the environment also play a role in music ethics?
There is a lot to consider when it comes to music and ethics. Ultimately, while very little may change, this is an excellent thought experiment. In the past people seemed to be significantly more restrictive over the types of songs that could be played, that’s not to say that in some areas of the world listening to or playing certain types of music won’t get you into trouble. As we move forward, we must not only keep in mind that our experiences are unique to us and our geographic location also plays an important role in this.