Comments on: Correlation Is Not Causation? http://old.furiousnads.com/2006/08/correlation-is-not-causation/ You're furious. I never taught you to sing. You carry rocks in your head and pitch them. Without warning. Happy drunk. You're furious. I beg you for sin. I beg your skin. You buy a whore. Don't give her water. You're furious. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 09:58:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: kalilily http://old.furiousnads.com/2006/08/correlation-is-not-causation/#comment-235 kalilily Mon, 07 Aug 2006 20:02:59 +0000 http://furiousnads.com/2006/08/correlation-is-not-causation/#comment-235 The "causes," I would imagine, are complex, and music that degrades sexuality and females, I imagine, is a contributing cause -- as are the overemphases on sexuality in the media, the glorification of violence in video games, the lack of parental guidance and involvement etc. Hormonally saturated teenagers are ripe for sexual experimentation and even exploitation. This culture's media doesn't give them much in the way of healthy models and encouragement. Take for example the fifties. The media, the movies, and the music all presented a Beaver Cleaver view of life. Our music teased us with "A White Sportcoat and a Pink Carnation." We were brainwashed into believing that this was what life was. A lot happened between then and now, and while lots of it was positive and healthy -- as it applauded the acceptance and enjoyment of sexual energy -- that energy wasn't linked to violence or degradation (at least not in the general culture; there have always been subcultures). Just as we in the fifties were faced with the possibility of being brainwashed into idolizing a false innocence, kids today are even more intensely and overwhelmingly faced with the temptation of being brainwashed into idolizing the other side of the sexuality coin. I'm not sure there's any solution to this diemma. We don't want censorship, but, on the other hand, whereas I, as a parent, had, I think, considerable influence in helping my kids form their values, I think today's parents have a much harder time competing with the predominant teenage culture in guiding their kids. It can be done, but it takes a whole lot of effort, and, even then, too often parents lose the competative edge. It's very discouraging, really. We're moving into a world that sci fi writers have always predicted: violence, sexual brutality, environmental breakdown, fascism. We're almost there. Is sexually degrading music the cause? Of course not. But it is a factor and an indicator and a great worry to many of us who have watched various facets of life on this planet continuously degrade over the past sixty years. The “causes,” I would imagine, are complex, and music that degrades sexuality and females, I imagine, is a contributing cause — as are the overemphases on sexuality in the media, the glorification of violence in video games, the lack of parental guidance and involvement etc. Hormonally saturated teenagers are ripe for sexual experimentation and even exploitation. This culture’s media doesn’t give them much in the way of healthy models and encouragement.

Take for example the fifties. The media, the movies, and the music all presented a Beaver Cleaver view of life. Our music teased us with “A White Sportcoat and a Pink Carnation.” We were brainwashed into believing that this was what life was.

A lot happened between then and now, and while lots of it was positive and healthy — as it applauded the acceptance and enjoyment of sexual energy — that energy wasn’t linked to violence or degradation (at least not in the general culture; there have always been subcultures).

Just as we in the fifties were faced with the possibility of being brainwashed into idolizing a false innocence, kids today are even more intensely and overwhelmingly faced with the temptation of being brainwashed into idolizing the other side of the sexuality coin.

I’m not sure there’s any solution to this diemma. We don’t want censorship, but, on the other hand, whereas I, as a parent, had, I think, considerable influence in helping my kids form their values, I think today’s parents have a much harder time competing with the predominant teenage culture in guiding their kids. It can be done, but it takes a whole lot of effort, and, even then, too often parents lose the competative edge.

It’s very discouraging, really. We’re moving into a world that sci fi writers have always predicted: violence, sexual brutality, environmental breakdown, fascism. We’re almost there.

Is sexually degrading music the cause? Of course not. But it is a factor and an indicator and a great worry to many of us who have watched various facets of life on this planet continuously degrade over the past sixty years.

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