Music misconceptions and their cognitive origins

Music

Misconception is a false belief system; an erroneous cognitive construct that leads to a dysfunctional worldview and potentially destructive behavior. In possession of a misconception, a person develops a warped sense of identity and a distorted vision of reality. The media is especially brilliant at crafting stories that create misconceptions in the minds of the public and its consumer sheep, simply by creating a legend or a myth that influences consumer behavior and social norms.

Music can be a media tool to create the misconceptions that shape American social norms and consumer behavior. Most music has the potential to uplift, inspire, and enliven our community; yet some forms of music are having the exact opposite effect, and that negative impact is felt most by young and impressionable consumers. The negative impact can be referred to as misconception. With regards to music, the wrong types of music can leave deep and lasting negative impressions on the listener that create a culture in which violence is normative. In "Go Brooklyn!" journalist Monique Ferrell exposes the dark underbelly of media and communications in America. Ferrell shows how the media make mythological creatures out of ordinary human beings to create superstars. In so doing, the media also manufactures cultural identity, personal identity, and social norms. Because rappers are role models, transformed into heroes by Big Media, it is critical that media take responsibility for exposing the truth rather than perpetuating misconceptions related to culture, gender, social responsibility.

When Ferrell first starts researching Big Ru, she states: "to say I hated rap music was an understatement. These artists, if you can call them that, embarrassed me -- giving me a cultural shame that I couldn't even begin to define," (446). Ferrell's statement reflects her cultural identity as a person of color; a woman of color who is ashamed of the way her own people are represented in Big Media. Her sentiments reflect those of many Americans who are, like Ferrell is, "insulted as a Black woman and as a Black person." Gangster rap and the myths of people like Big Ru create a singular cultural identity and prevent young people from having authentic role models. Moreover, Ferrell points out the frustrating irony in the fact that African-Americans sell their own souls in order to pander to the public's misconceptions about black lifestyles, black identities, and the ability of African-Americans to not be gangsters.

"Gangsta rap" music also has the potential to create misconceptions about gender norms and gender roles. Misconceptions contained in rap music include that of the male as needing to kill in order to prove his prowess; and the female as being a willing sex slave or a moneygrubber. In "Go Brooklyn!" Ferrell points out the "cliche" that is the gangsta in rap music songs comes with a cadre of sexy ladies. The author also becomes furious when she notices that the two big shot female lawyers in the firm she profiles at the beginning of "Go Brooklyn" are themselves manufactured identities based on misconceptions of the real source of personal and political power. The rap music is a genre filled with diversity of sonic expression; but the fact remains that many rappers "talk about women like they're animals," just as Big Ru does in Ferrell's story (448). As Crouch puts it, "This misogynistic and brutal turn in music is damaging the image of black American women to the point that they are approached outside of the U.S. As freelance prostitutes," (3). The misconceptions have gone so far that they are impacting the lives of individuals in real ways, which is why the media needs to take greater responsibility for its actions.

In "The Negative Influence of Gangster Rap and What Can be Done about It," author Anthony Giovacchini agrees that the media has a direct social responsibility to create positive role models with their music superstars. Musicians, artists, actors, and anyone who becomes famous has the personal responsibility to be a role model because young people are looking up to them as idols. Role models who glorify killing and "bitches" are not doing a service to themselves or to society; yet the trend in gangsta rap continues. "Lives have been lost and people have suffered, yet the gangster rap industry is still flourishing. Society has noticed the negative influence this music has had, yet we still continue to make it succeed through number of record sales," (Giovacchini). In "Go Brooklyn!" Ferrell describes the way the media has a direct influence on the creation of the gangsta mythos. Big Ru, for instance, is a "constructed bad boy" whose story "rivaled any fairy tale on the market," (446). Taking greater social responsibility and personal responsibility, musicians and the media can work together to eradicate misconceptions and create a better world.