Does popular music inspire good?
This was the question debated by the Peucinian Society, Bowdoin's literary debating organization, at its most recent meeting on November 13.
Members of the Peucinian Society spend their meetings debating or preparing orations and hosting speakers about current events.
Last Thursday, Ross Jacobs '10, co-president of the society, introduced Mike Corbelle '10 arguing the pros of and Hassan Muhammad '10 arguing the cons of question about music.
Corbelle and Muhammad agreed on certain tenets of music.
"Music is man's common language," said Corbelle, a government major and archaeology minor.
"Regardless of race or creed, music gives all who listen an equal opportunity to be inspired for good," said Muhammad, an English major and music minor.
Though the two agreed that most music can have a positive influence, they disagreed as to whether so much could be said for popular music in particular.
Corbelle used Woodstock as proof of popular music inspiring good.
"Woodstock gave a genuine sense of love and togetherness that none of the participants had ever experienced before," he said. "During a turbulent period, 1.5 million people of different ages, genders, beliefs and orientations were able to come together harmoniously under the one belief in the power of music."
He then used the Live 8 concert in 2005 as a second example of music's impact.
"Through the efforts of Live 8's performers, the more than one million people who attended and billion who watched around the world were able to inspire the leaders of the G-8 to double funding to aid Africa to $50 billion," Corbelle said.
"Popular music has the ability to inspire the mind and to lift the spirit, but also to bring us together as one. Popular music has the ability to unite people under the common goals of bettering ourselves and the world around us, and I challenge any of you to tell me what is more inspirational than that," Corbelle added.
Muhammad argued that pop music degrades American culture.
"We live in the age of music. Music is like the air we breathe. Therefore, we must ask ourselves, for our own good, are we breathing air pollution?" he said. "I am not concerned with the old, overworked, and conventional rebuttal of popular music, which passionately exclaims that it leads to sex, violence and drugs."
Corbelle dismissed this argument as irrelevant to the question.
"Others might say that popular music glorifies our society's vices, as many of our best-known songs glorify sex, drugs, and a criminal lifestyle. This is not the question at hand," he said.
Both debaters focused on music's larger implications, such as its effects on education and home life. Muhammad argued that popular music directly affects these two spheres but Corbelle argued that popular music is only a reflection of what already exists in society.
Corbelle argued that music is not the only reason why such problems exist.
"While it is true that many rappers espouse a lifestyle that most would not consider virtuous, one cannot place blame for the violence and depravity existing in urban America solely on a musical genre," he said. "It is my belief that these conditions existed in these areas long before rap music, due to economic and educational injustices, among others."
Muhammad insisted that popular music not only perpetuates but instills problems in youth.
"Pop stars rarely ever affirm, much less even mention, the importance of education, the benefits of hard work, the significance of virtue, and the value of family. Show me a popular music that affirms these things and I will show you a popular music that has ceased to be popular," Muhammad said.
Muhammad also argued that although the theme of individuality is present in much pop music, the music itself inspires conformity.
"Pop music constantly reminds us to 'be ourselves.' It screams the language of individuality. Yet, how individualistic is it for one third of America's youth to wish to be Kanye West, another third to wish to be Kid Rock, and yet another third to wish to be Britney Spears?" he said.
He also condemned the industry responsible for popular music.
"With its purely commercial focus, it exploits the disposable income of so many young Americans. The pop music industry gladly provides what Allan Bloom so aptly considered 'a commercially prepackaged masturbational fantasy,'" he said.
Muhammad concluded with a warning:
"Our vision is obscured, and our lungs offended by a haze of smoke that is popular music. For the sake of education, for the sake of society, for our own sake, we must take control of this pollution before it is too late. Before we know it, the sun will be hidden behind a wall of smog, and we as a nation will be left gasping for clean air," he said.
The discussion that followed lasted longer than the orations themselves and closed with a vote of 12-8 that popular music does not inspire good.
This was Muhammad's first oration at a meeting. Both he and Corbelle enjoyed the experience and plan on doing it again.
"The chance to argue in a tie? I'm there," said Corbelle, who has participated at almost every debate since joining last spring. "I wanted a place to debate passionately with others who are interested in politics, society, and the direction in which our culture is headed."
"It is a unique opportunity, and though not for a grade, I still feel compelled to give a lot of my time and energy to shaping my ideas, because that is very much the Peucinian spirit," Muhammad said.
"The disputation between Mike and Hassan was an outstanding example of how the heat from contemporary issues can give discussion about perennial questions significance," said Ross Jacobs '10.
This article was corrected on November 21, 2008.