Post #2, Music

  One thing that all humans have in common is the ability to be aroused by music.  Whether you love music or hate it, most people experience a physiological change when listening to it.  Music has the ability to put us to sleep, to help us concentrate by acting as background noise or could turn a gathering of friends into a full blown party by influencing people to dance. Music can also invoke strong emotions.  I'm willing to bet that more than half the people who read this blog (myself included) has had the bittersweet privileged of falling in love with someone while listening to a specific song, only to find that song unbearable to hear after the love is lost.  The reaction we have to a specific kind of music being played relies on factors such as the tempo, volume and possible lyrics of the song, as well as our incongruity-resolution process of expected notes and beats, all accompanied by the social events we have mentally associated it with.   Although this does sound like a mouth full, it is a process that we all unconsciously experience...a mother sings slowly and softly to her baby, the baby anticipates the repetition of the song, associates it with going to sleep (and with any luck for the mom) the baby falls asleep.......You go to a concert, you hear the beginning beats of a fast paced song, you have seen this band many times before and you know that in about 30 seconds the entire place is going to go wild, your heartbeat begins to accelerate and before you know it you and your friends are jumping and dancing around everywhere, yelling and singing along (well, this is at least what the concerts I go to are like :)
Here are some examples of the different ways music can arouse people.
Music as a universal activity: Concert fans sing songs as they wait to get into the concert
Music as Medicine: Therapy that works for all
An American Tradition: Music played as a sign of respect

Music used to worship

Post By: Jasmine Lazroe