Why are people such (big profanity) about other peoples music tastes?

Question

in character: "youre worthless because youre; emo, poser, prep, mosher, trendy, goth, metalhead, hardcore, rapper, pop, scally... and i'm going to talk about you like youre a lesser species"

this is just another form of prejudice. so, to all the prejudice: you're as low as dirt and as low as the racist, sexist, destructive, gun-happy homophobes that run this world.

the answer to my question: because people base things on stereotypes- (pre-conceived notions of people we dont know) and dont care about the community we live in.

have any other ideas why?

Answer 1

Firstly, let me make it plain that I am a qualified musician and musicologist (a musicologist is a person who examines music to see from where it comes and from where musical genres and individual composers, from classical to garage, get their ideas and influences. I am also a qualified Social Scientist - we examine society to establish what drives it, and music is one of the prime driving forces in the West today.

I have not set out my academic credentials with a view to impressing readers - people are quite capable of making mature judgements without the discipline of academe. However, the way in which the question is couched seems to me to require an answer that can be backed up reliably, and thus I have stated my case.

Music of all genres (types) carries cargo.These cargoes include such variables as social class, age, political affiliations, ethnicity, presumed ethnicity (American Irish, for example). Stereotypes are very important here (read Goffmann on Labelling, and the works of Stanley Cohen).

Let us examine Jazz. This was originally Negro music (i do not use the term 'Negro' perjoratively - if Racism is to come into it, I declare myself as Jewish, hence Foghorn - big nose). Jazz started with Negro rhythms from a culture that is drum-oriented, but has now developed into a musical genre that is racially universal, and in which the elements of music of various cultures and ethnicities can be combined or exclusified to produce fine music that approaches the unique. Jazz, seventy years ago, was regarded in many areas of society as being subversive. Today, it is respectable and is risking becoming upmarket.

Skiffle, Rock 'n' Roll and early pop such as exemplfied by the Beatles, was similarly vilified by the establishment as being subversive, immoral and a threat to society. (Read Alan Sillitoe - Saturday Night and Sunday Morning - for a brilliant novelised sociological account of the mid 1950s in the UK Midlands). Once again, the Beatles have become immortalised, and the stigma that was appended to their music by the establishment has atrophied.

The Classical listener is not above censure. Concert programmes have to take into account the middle-aged, middle class ladies who say "I had to come to this concert for the Mozart". This attitude restricts the introduction to concert programmes of the works of modern composers, and thus hold back the exposition of exciting modern classical works into the general repertoire.

Music, in its pure sense, is thus absolved of blame. It is the cargo that attaches to music that excites the problem.

Our questioner has hit upon a vital agency - that of stereotypes. From my own part, I am fifty years old, middle class, male. I am a classically trained musicologist, I wear 'smart casual', but yet I listen both to contemporary symphonies and heavy metal. I appreciate (and love) Motown, and have played trumpet in modern jazz bands. Music is not to blame - stereotyping is the prime fault.

So we must now begin to examine the social factors. Young people are not exclusively to blame here. It is, of course, an observable phenomenon that young people will form 'tribes', and will adhere or adopt a particular type of music as an audible 'flag' - ergo a symbol of their tribal exclusivity. However, the Mozart lover may bond with people of similar ilk at a Society Dinner - thus declaring their loyalty to a particular form of Classical music and their opposition to those at the same gathering who espouse the music of Wagner, Stockhausen or Michael Nyman. What is missing in the the Dinner scenario is the volatility and immature intolerance of youth. Extreme tribalism is a phenomenon identifiable with the immature, but yet the tribalism persists into maturity, but is regulated by social pressures and norms.

I cannot call the spats that occur between youthful adherents of different sounds 'prejudice'. If this is prejudice, then so is supporting one or another football team. Will a Liverpudlian ever be able to take me to court bacause I support Sunderland? Here we havethe reductio ad absurdem of the questioners case.

I condemn no musical genre - music works on all levels. As far as the community in which I live is concerned, I am only bothered by the adherents of drum and bass, and similar genres, who insist in driving about in their cars with the music booming to such an extent that it is audible in my own home. This is the only anti-social manifestation of music that I know.

Answer 2

I'm so glad you asked this question as I wonder the same thing all the time !! I think there are a whole load of music snobs out there, regardless of age, income etc defintion .... http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/snob

All music snobs thinks that the music from their particular taste or generation was the best & will grudgingly accept that those artists that were earlier than their fave band were 'influences' on the music that they love & everything after was just imitation .... most of them are hanging onto that because it reminds them of when they were young & life was good & are not willing to embrace anything new

I can see how people get frustrated with the 'manufactured bands' of today which is getting a little tedious now, ie X-factor, Pop Idol/American Idol etc

I was lucky I had friends/family that introduced me to some great 'old' bands when I was younger which I still love & appreciate, but people who are not prepared to listen to new music, in my opinion, makes them 'Snobs' & not the music afficionados as they like to think they are.

If you hear a song that you like & you relate to/or you just enjoy the sound, vocals, lyrics, style - who the HELL has the right to tell you it's rubbish - it's your musical taste, you should be free to like whatever captures your imagination - NOT what people tell you you should like.

All I can say is have an opinion & challenge anyone as to why exactly they don't like the song you do - have they have heard it ?If yes then you have a genuine discussion - odds are that they don't know what song/artist you are talking about - then how can they criticise if they haven't even heard it ..... ??? !!!

Answer 3

we are all animals....we push out the people that we do not think are fit to follow it the pack!

But why are you so surprised this country this built by people that were not excepted in their country so they came over here and then killed all the natives that did not conform to the right standards...? And you wonder why we do not not change, we are built on that very principal!

Answer 4

it is a sterio-typical society that we live in... but if the stereotypes weren't TRUE, then we wouldn't have them....

so if you can figure out new adjectives so that you feel less stereotyped, please let us all know....

it is what it is sweetie pie....
(stereotype referencing the assumption, made by me, that because you asked this question to promote peace, love, happiness, and the elimination of predjudice, that you are sweet as pie)

Answer 5

Yeah, you're right...but maybe it is as simple as immaturity too.
I gave up worrying what people thought of musical taste a long time ago...if you like it, listen to it!

Answer 6

One persons music is another persons noise pollution

Answer 7

Because they don't know how to accept and be mature about other peoples music choices, thereFore they really don't accept themselves either.

Answer 8

steriotyping is a problem
i dnt believe in it
we can be what we can be
and listen to what music we like

Answer 9

Memorize this quote!!!

"There are only two kinds of music. Good music and the other kind." -- Duke Ellington

Kabum

Answer 10

it's easier to tear down than to build