Music Influences Happiness

by Vanessa Morin ‘15

Music relaxes and offers an escape from the everyday struggles and difficulties of life.   Music can help people feel good about themselves.  As an author of books on health topics and columnist for the New York Times, Tara Parker-Pope states, “Music also incorporates a person’s individual identity, memories, and mood.” Music helps people connect with one another. People listen to music to gain happiness and pleasure.  But some individuals listen to certain music simply to fit in with their peers around them which is supported by Jeanette Bicknell an author of academic articles on the philosophy of music.

            Most teenagers listen to about two and a half hours of music a day, which is causing issues in our society, specifically, infecting their minds with addiction to drugs and alcohol. Students lack motivation in school and work. American journalist, Virginia Heffernan, revealed that the number of teenagers with hearing loss has increased by 33 percent since 1994. It is becoming increasingly difficult for teenagers to hear consonant sounds. Young people listen to music through their ear buds too loudly and it ends up affecting their hearing.

            Headphones and ear buds most definitely allow individuals to listen to their own music and obtain happiness. However, it blockades the interactions with one another. Hopefully the community will start to shift towards more verbal conversations and less of secluded ideas. The effects of hearing loss from headphones must be spread now before it is too late. We need to prevent our future generations from having hearing aids at a very young age.