The Unifying Power of Music
mu·sic
vocal or instrumental sounds (or both) combined in such a way as to produce beauty of form, harmony, and expression of emotion
Music is a huge part of the world we live in and people listen to a ton of music: “The report finds that the average person spends close to 18 hours a week listening to music… That means ‘2.6 hours – or the equivalent of listening to 52 three-minute songs – daily.’” (“Here's How Long the Average Person Spends Listening to Music Every Week”)
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once said that "music is the universal language of mankind," and this quote truly summarizes the ultimate value of music. Music can bring people together on a deeply emotional level, and this is immensely important.
In order to understand music and how it can bring people together, it is essential to look at its philosophical, psychological, and religious implications.
Music and philosophy:
"Rhythm and harmony find their way into the inward places of the soul."
Plato
Music is a phenomenon that implicates its fair share of philosophical questions, such as, “what is the definition of music?” Compared to other subjects within philosophy, music is one that the average person has a lot of experience in: “However, unlike philosophy of science, say, the target of philosophy of music is a practice most people have a significant background in, merely as a result of being members of a musical culture. Music plays a central role in many people’s lives…not only can most people quickly grasp the philosophical questions music raises, they tend to have thought about some of those questions before encountering the academic discipline itself” (“The Philosophy of Music”).
The same Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy paper titled “The Philosophy of Music” talks specifically about the emotional reaction humans have to music and addresses two main questions around this: “The first is analogous to the ‘paradox of fiction.’ It is not clear why we should respond emotionally to expressive music when we know that no one is undergoing the emotions expressed.” The paradox of fiction is the dilemma of how people can experience strong reactions to fictional things, and music is almost always a form of fiction to the listener. The paper continues, “[t]he second is a variant of the ‘paradox of tragedy.’ If some music arouses ‘negative’ emotional responses in us, such as sadness, why do we seek out the experience of such music?’” Sad music is very popular and many people enjoy immersing themselves in a sad song, but people don’t enjoy experiencing sad feelings in real life.
Sad music is popular today, but it hasn’t always been. Plato, an ancient Greek philosopher, didn’t support sad, slow music: “Plato discussed music as part of the training of the emotions of the Guardians of society in his book The Republic (380 BC). He thought Lydian and Ionian harmonies ought to be banned because they express sorrow and relaxation respectively. Only Dorian and Phrygian harmonies are to be allowed, because these express courage and temperance” (“Music in Philosophy”). This goes to show how much the views of music have changed, considering sad and slow music is common.
As you can see, the philosophy of music takes mysteries around the musical experience and turns them into concise philosophical questions. Because today’s world is so full of music, the average person can understand all of these questions and think about them in relation to their own experience listening to music.
Music and psychology:
Looking at music from a psychological point of view allows for a scientific explanation behind human responses to music. The psychology of music also can answer many of the philosophical questions about music.
To start off, music is psychologically proven to make us happier and to relieve stress: “Pleasurable music may lead to the release of neurotransmitters associated with reward, such as dopamine. Listening to music is an easy way to alter mood or relieve stress” (“Music, Emotion, and Well-Being”). Music can not only make us happy, but it can evoke many other emotions: “The subjective experience of music across cultures can be mapped within at least 13 overarching feelings: Amusement, joy, eroticism, beauty, relaxation, sadness, dreaminess, triumph, anxiety, scariness, annoyance, defiance, and feeling pumped up” (“Ooh là là! Music evokes at least 13 emotions. Scientists have mapped them”). The ability to alter mood and evoke a wide range of emotions is a primary reason why music is so popular and loved by people. Even though music can help with difficult emotions and bring happiness, it is important to be aware of the power music has over the brain and make sure to listen to music that has positive impacts on the way you feel.
If you ever listened to a song extremely often during a past period of your life, you probably experience nostalgia when listening to that song today. This happens because “music is one of the strongest means for evoking feelings of nostalgia. Listening to music that was played a lot during a significant life event (e.g., a family celebration) many years ago can trigger a deeply nostalgic emotional experience. The feeling is not the music, but in what it reminds us” (“5 Reasons Why We Listen to Music”).
For these reasons and many more, psychology is essential to understanding something like music that is so deeply rooted in science and the brain.
Music and Religion:
Music plays a deeply important role in religion and it gives an example of how music can impact people emotionally and spiritually and how it can bring people together.
Music clearly impacts emotions in powerful ways and can even “trigger religious experiences, which has been a topic since the beginnings of the study of the psychology of religion.” (“Music as a trigger of religious experience: What role does culture play?”) Spiritual and religious experiences are considered one of the most powerful human experiences, and the fact that music can trigger this is incredibly interesting. Because of this, music can be used within religions to reach more people and help make worship enjoyable: “In the present day, music is used much more widely and for purposes other than worship, which has allowed religious music to grow and expand into many types of praise that have a wider impact on many people. Music is a nearly universal part of religion because it appeals to and heightens human senses in a pleasurable way which, in turn, allows humans to praise through a medium that makes worship more enjoyable” (“The Desire for Music and its Importance in Religion”).
Not only this, but music can help people engage more with the words they are singing because “music has the ability to deepen the meaning of words that accompany it, both in a religious context or even on your local pop radio station you listen to on the way to work.” (“The Desire for Music and its Importance in Religion”).
Music is clearly an important part of religion today, but this isn’t just a recent thing: “Religious ‘texts’ have been sung, not written, throughout most of human history; and religious behavior has found musical articulation in almost every religious tradition. Navajo priests are "singers"; the primary carriers of Sinhala traditional religion are drummers and dancers; and the shamans of northern Eurasia and Inner Asia use music as their principal medium of contact with the spirit world. Through the centuries, priests, monks, and other specialists have sung the Christian masses, Buddhist pūjā s, Islamic calls to prayer, Hindu sacrifices, and other ceremonies that form the basis of organized religious observances in the world's major religions.”
Religion has obviously evolved a ton throughout history, so it is fascinating that music has been a common thread throughout different religions as well as within the same religion. A great example of the continuity of music in religion is within Christianity: “Accounts of Jesus’s last supper with his disciples say that they concluded by singing a hymn. Music thus seems to have been a feature of Christian worship from its beginnings. Christians have a tradition of declaring their faith through music; today gospel songs form a substantial part of all CDs sold” (“Christianity in Music”). As you can see, religion reveals a lot about music.
How Music Can Bring Us Together
Music brings up many enthralling philosophical questions. The emotional impact of music is rooted in psychology. Music also has spiritual power and is an important aspect of religion. All of these points taken together reveal that music has unlimited power and is able to create unity and connection amongst all people.
Music is a great way to bond with others and connect to your culture and group: “Think of a favorite lullaby or children’s song passed down through the generations, or of crowds listening to the national anthem at a baseball game. Music is one way of communicating belonging, which may increase your sense of safety and obligation toward your group” (“Four Ways Music Strengthens Social Bonds”). Different cultures and groups have songs that everyone knows and can connect over, and this is very powerful.
Music can also bring people from different cultures together because everyone can pick up on the message of a song: “In a recent study, people were asked to listen to 14 second clips of songs from small communities all over the world and to identify the purpose of the song (whether it was a love song, a lullaby, a dance song, etc.). In many cases, they chose correctly, despite the fact that the songs came from foreign cultures.” (“3 Ways Music Brings People Together”). This goes to show just how unique and important music is because even people that can’t speak the same language can experience the same emotions just from a song.
It’s great that music can help people connect with those within and outside of their culture, but the truly inspirational and meaningful value of music comes when these connections actually change the world and change societies. The same article, “3 Ways Music Brings People Together,” gives real-world examples of how music has brought cultures together that are separated in major ways: “Music is one of the most important elements of human cultures, and when music from one culture is shared with people from another, they get a meaningful glimpse into another way of life. This is especially important in situations of conflict, when other means of interaction are closed to us. For example, the band A-WA, comprised of three Israeli sisters from a Yemenite Jewish background, sings in Yemenite Arabic, mixing modern and ancient beats. Their music is popular in Yemen, even though Israelis are banned from visiting Yemen and the two countries consider themselves to be enemies. Other Israeli musicians, such as the band Orphaned Land, have achieved success around the Arab and Muslim world, demonstrating the ability of music to rise above politics and connect people on a deeper, more meaningful level.”
Today’s world is full of hate and division, so the idea that a single song has the power to bring even countries with intense conflict together is extremely hopeful and should not be ignored.
“Music does bring people together. It allows us to experience the same emotions. People everywhere are the same in heart and spirit. No matter what language we speak, what color we are, the form of our politics or the expression of our love and our faith, music proves: We are the same.”
John Denver
Written by Peyton Price - Entertainment Values
