RE: This aint no social crisis - YET!

["O'Neal, Kevin W." <Kevin.ONeal@vtmednet.org>]

>From: Rich <legalize@xmission.com>
>Subject: Re: This aint no social crisis! 
>
>I just don't buy into this "grunge was a response to national malaise"
>argument because the malaise wasn't national.  Regional, sure, but not
>national.

If Grunge caught on at the national level, logic would dictate that there
was an identification with grunge and the original "regional malaise" on a
national level.

>From: "Jeff House" <whocasa@hotmail.com>
>Subject: Re: This aint no social crisis!
>I don't buy the cause-effect connection either as it relates to music, but
I 
>am very serious about remembering the cause-effect relationships in the 
>economy.

I'm a bit floored that there is disbelief in the *FACT* that music is the
medium of the public, and the reflection of society.
My studies for my Sociology/Anthropology major show clearly that every
society records their feeling in one way or another.  In the past it was via
the written word (scriptures, mythology).  Now, music is the medium.  All
African cultures use music to describe their history, their present, and
their view of the future.  South American (talking native Indians here) and
other Indian cultures are no different.  We (western culture) are
surprisingly (or not so) the same.  In the 60's, this nation went through a
revolution.  No question (right?).  The music at that time was no less of a
revolution.  The songs reflect perfectly the feelings and attitudes of those
times.  Hell, many songs specifically were about the troubles that we as a
nation were going through ("these times they are a changin').
People got tired of the peace and love stuff, and changed to a more party
and have fun attitude.  So did the music.  Enter Disco.
Youth said at one point, "hold the fuck on, we're not so fucking happy with
this fun disco shit, my life is sucking at the moment !!!!".  Enter Punk.
Grunge was a direct response to that generations displeasure with the
economic situation that most areas (if not all, I'll take your word for it)
were experiencing.  I know in the DC/Baltimore area, as with most major
cities, the economy sucked.  Homelessness was rampant, and to quote another
band that reflected the feelings in their country at the time "NO FUTURE, NO
FUTURE FOR ME !!!!!".  I should know.  I did much work in those days
volunteering to re-hab old townhouses in Baltimore for homeless shelters,
etc.  Why? Because I couldn't find a fucking job with my BA degree in ECon
and Soc..  People with Masters degrees were grabbing jobs that used to be
filled by High School grads.  Luckily, those days are gone (for now, and so
is grunge.
I was pissed back then.  Grunge expressed exactly what I was feeling.

Question:  If you "don't buy the cause-effect connection of music" then what
prey (or is it pray?)-tell is Rap?

>The first time I was exposed to this 
>music in all its cultural glory it scared the shit out of me.

<snip>

>"We gonna drop da bomb on the white 
>man, too!"

<snip>

>similarly buzzed black 
>guys who are chanting about destroying my people.

Sounds to me like a clear "cause-effect", or reflection of black society and
their anger, to me.
Hell, occurrences like Florida keep those flames of anger burning brightly.

more than 2 cents.
Kevin in VT