Identity is something that an individual constructs over a long period of time. This identity is fluid in that it can change at any time. With regard to the youth, they are in the early stages of identity formation and the identity that they poses at their young age will be different from the one the poses at their mid thirties. An individual’s image says a lot about that particular person. We all strive to build desirable images. There are many influences on a person’s image building these include our families, society, peer pressure and the most influential is the media.
Music has a large influence on identity. The music that many people listen to says a lot about them for example people who listen to religious music on a continuous basis have an established identity that they are religious. Katherine Hamley says in her article that popular music is always listened to within specific social settings and locations, and used as a background to any number of activities from courting and sexual encounters, dancing in clubs, to surviving in work, or to defeat boredom in the home (aber, no date, paragraph 19). The new media constantly portrays musicians such as 50 cent, Eminem, Snoop Dogg (famous rap artists) etc, as icons and many of the teenagers aspire to be like them and see these icons as role models. This influences the teen’s identity in that they behave the way that these icons do, they copy their style of dress, speech etc. Many of these rap artists such as
P. Diddy and Jay Z among many have established their own line of clothing therefore influencing their fans to dress like them. Music also has a negative effect on peoles identity. Artists such as Snoop Dogg, 2 pac, etc promote negative behaviours, such as taking drugs, gang violence, etc in many of their songs. This may also influence people’s behaviours in a negative way.
There are many technological apparatuses that provide people with new ways to enjoy music now days. iPods and cell phones are technologies that play music and therefore teenagers have to have them to keep up to date. Mtv is a TV channel available on satellite TV that provides the public with music videos and also the latest releases. This is likely to be watched by teenagers as they are exposed to the new trends and styles of their icons. These images have the power to influence ones identity in the way that they behave, dress, speak, and act in society.
Music also has cultural backgrounds. For example you may find that certain cultures or ethnic groups listen to very distinct types of music.
With the Hindus, for example, music plays a big part in their cultural beliefs. This helps to give one their identity in terms of culture.
Reference: Aber (no date) media [online] available at: http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Students/klh9802.html
Music has a large influence on identity. The music that many people listen to says a lot about them for example people who listen to religious music on a continuous basis have an established identity that they are religious. Katherine Hamley says in her article that popular music is always listened to within specific social settings and locations, and used as a background to any number of activities from courting and sexual encounters, dancing in clubs, to surviving in work, or to defeat boredom in the home (aber, no date, paragraph 19). The new media constantly portrays musicians such as 50 cent, Eminem, Snoop Dogg (famous rap artists) etc, as icons and many of the teenagers aspire to be like them and see these icons as role models. This influences the teen’s identity in that they behave the way that these icons do, they copy their style of dress, speech etc. Many of these rap artists such as
P. Diddy and Jay Z among many have established their own line of clothing therefore influencing their fans to dress like them. Music also has a negative effect on peoles identity. Artists such as Snoop Dogg, 2 pac, etc promote negative behaviours, such as taking drugs, gang violence, etc in many of their songs. This may also influence people’s behaviours in a negative way.
There are many technological apparatuses that provide people with new ways to enjoy music now days. iPods and cell phones are technologies that play music and therefore teenagers have to have them to keep up to date. Mtv is a TV channel available on satellite TV that provides the public with music videos and also the latest releases. This is likely to be watched by teenagers as they are exposed to the new trends and styles of their icons. These images have the power to influence ones identity in the way that they behave, dress, speak, and act in society.
Music also has cultural backgrounds. For example you may find that certain cultures or ethnic groups listen to very distinct types of music.
With the Hindus, for example, music plays a big part in their cultural beliefs. This helps to give one their identity in terms of culture.
Reference: Aber (no date) media [online] available at: http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Students/klh9802.html
1 comment:
yes in most cases music plays a huge part in contructing someones identity. people relate to the people or singers who sing and try to be like them e.g dressing, talking, walking ect.sometimes also negative behaviors that the rap artists are seeing doing. most of the time these fans see their role models through music videos e.g Mtv
Post a Comment