Suite101 is a site about nearly everything, whose contributors seem diverse and professional. This isn’t a knock on them. I’m sure they do good stuff. It’s also not a knock on Alex Keshen. I’m sure she’s a fine writer with a good head on her shoulders. At least, I’m sure she is when she’s not talking about the music industry. A recent article published on Suite101 by young Alex was brought to my attention for several reasons, and I’d like, if I can, to use her as an example on how not to write a column about music.
First of all, the opening: “As different styles of music are often representative of different groups of people, can they also represent different types of behaviors?” Is this a question? Is it a thesis? What types of behaviors are you talking about? Because in reading your article, it seems you mostly want to concentrate on murderers and hooligans. As a leading sentence, this is about as vague as it can possibly get.
Then, the first paragraph ends with “But, are they just innocently listening to their favorite tunes? Or are they in for something more?” This makes it seem that you’re leading me to a sinister conclusion. As well, by suggestion that the listener is there “for something more,” that they are in fact looking to take some kind of message or permission from the music. That is to say, they’re already criminals and are searching for an excuse.
The next section is what really gets me. It also completely disqualifies Alex’s argument from any and all anchors to logic and reality: “In the media it seems that certain groups affiliated with particular genres of music, often seen with rap – typically African-Americans – and hard-rock/heavy metal – often misfits or troublemakers – are pinpointed when something within their community goes awry, as having been strongly influenced by the music they listen to.”
There are four things terribly, terribly wrong with that paragraph: a) Beginning with ‘in the media’ and not providing any sort of citation means that you’re either taking the media at their word (which is almost always a mistake) or that you’re simply making up a ‘media’ so that you don’t have to take the imperative in your b) blatant racism and stereotyping. We know this isn’t an article about music at all; it is in fact a smear piece against African-Americans, fans of hip-hop, and fans of metal. c) Are these always the people pinpointed in a society when things go awry? What society? What is going awry? Finally, d) this paragraph is atrocious. It is grammatically incorrect in at least three different ways. Some serious red marker is in need here.
The line that follows this paragraph kills me: “But does it truly work this way? Can the content of a song influence one’s actions and/or behavior?” It’s as if to say “I’m not accusing anyone of doing anything. I’m suggesting a connection, but who knows if it’s even real?” Rule #1 of editorial journalism is to own your opinion, Alex. Is this column an argument that the groups you suggest are causing all this alleged trouble? Or is it passive-agreesive semi-anonymous finger waving at groups you know absolutely nothing about? Are you even a fan of music, Alex? Or are you only a fan of a certain kind of music, say, a kind that doesn’t offend your precious un-awry society?
“According to an article in the Stanford Online Report, the average teenager listens to up to five hours of music per day, a number which seems to be steadily growing with the ever-growing popularity of mp3 players.” This sentence informs me that this article was actually written in 2000. Ever-growing popularity of mp3 players? Really? That’s like suggesting in 1997 that CD players might just take over the Walkman market. It’s 2008, Alex. People have mp3 players in their toothbrushes now. Get with it. Also, what article in the Stanford Online Report? We couldn’t get a link to that article, could we?
This next part is the king-fish of the column, however: “As the popularity of music among youth grows, the number of teens who are becoming more violent, more sexually active and who are experimenting with drugs is steadily increasing. The parallel seen between the two analyses sparks questions regarding a connection; does music influence potentially harmful behavior?” Okay, even if the Stanford report exists somewhere that says we listen to 5 hours a day (I listen to far more than that, let me tell you), what’s the other report telling you that teens are turning into the cast from Escape from LA? It’s very possible this section was written in 1954. What’s next? The kids’ll start hanging around on motorcycles and roughing up soda shops?
So what evidence to we have of any of this? Columbine, of course. Alex quotes Marylin Manson, an artist who’s been de-fanged completely. Alex then brings up a slightly more recent case: “Similar to, but not to the same extent, the media made a point to mention that Kimveer Gill, the shooter at the more recent Sept. 13, 2006, shooting at Dawson College in Montréal, Que., followed the music and lifestyle of a Goth. Why would the media have mentioned this, if it was not attributing it to the shooting?”
Let’s repeat that last sentence, just to give it the proper gutspa it deserves: Why would the media have mentioned this, if it was not attributing it to the shooting?
Let’s forget the fact that the article ends here, leaving me wondering where else Alex might have gone with this asinine passive-aggressive ramble on moral righteousness. Let’s also forget the ridiculous uses of Columbine and Montréal as examples for why metal music is evil (also, what happened to those African-Americans and hip-hop fans you mentioned earlier? Don’t they get an under-researched example?) This line about the media is what got me to write this response. Alex, I feel sorry for you. Believing the media’s speculation, especially in incidences involving pop culture they don’t understand (metal, hip-hop, etc) is what helps create paranoia in society. The media doesn’t have the first clue as to what they’re talking about, and shouldn’t be considered authorities on anything. They are reporters looking for an angle to sell, and that’s it. By believing them, swallowing their hype, and spewing it out yourself, you’ve become one of them. Your opinion is misinformed, and your uneducated and unresearched bias is an insult to music fans, an insult to music journalists, and an insult to your readers, especially considering the article was placed in the child psychology section.
Good day.
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Addendum
If you read the comments section of this post, you’ll find a fueled conversation between me and the author of this piece (as well as others) that resulted in the article being altered in significant ways. Check it out yourself. It’s a good day when criticism leads to change. It doesn’t happen often. In fact, that’s the lesson of the day. If you see something out there that doesn’t seem right in your eyes, say something and stand by it. Who knows what might happen.
