Hello Jim and List,
I'm sorry for my inappropriate comment about "substandard music"
which showed me to be a snob. This comment, a response to one
individual, was not intended for the whole list. I thought that "Remail"
in my tool bar only went to one person, since there is also a "remail
all". Please forgive me.
My snobery can be traced back to being "abused musically." In
school, i suffered through many painful years of forced listening to
rock music. I endured it in cafeterias, bus rides, school "radio
stations", plays, concerts, dances (which i couldn't attend as i hated
the music), and even in the church. This rock music continuously
referenced and encouraged behaviors resulting in sad consequences.
(illicit sex, substance abuse, violence, rebellion). It was loud,
abused my hearing, obnoxious, gross, hurt my spirit, and lacked
significant harmonic developement and i couln't just turn it off or get
away from it. Interestingly, much of the contemporary music at the
university level also abused me.
I have strong feelings about music and that it has considerable
influence on culture and the state of the world. Music education of the
classics is poor. Rock music is ubiquitous where children are and is
usually placed there by adults who think and expect children to like
it. (By this, children are taught from an early age that because they
are young they should like rock, so they do) This constant abusive
brainwashing didn't quite work with me because i had a reasonable
exposure to the classics.
My children may listen to any music, provided that it does not
teach or encourage immoral behavior. Our ten year old boy has
interestingly chosen Mozart. (part of this is we don't have a TV, and he
attends a christian school and was home schooled). He has also had
plenty of exposure to rock and other popular music as it is everywhere.
The LORD has commanded us not to judge others. I do however have the
right to judge any human made thing, which includes pianos, cars, boats,
and yes -music.
-Mike Jorgensen
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