How Music Has Become Meaningless

there has been a lot of talk that contemporary music, and its associated scenes, are kinda shallow, superficial, devoid of meaning. while others dismiss this is purely subjective opinions. what people rarely realize is that music has become meaningless in the most literal of senses.

let's take a look at the past; people in the 60s believed that their music would lead to a revolution, to a whole new society, to a whole new world; that it would be able to sweep away all old structures and the negativity enforced by them. punks believed their music would enable them to beat society, to break all rules - and get away with this, win with it.

does todays music still have these powers? does anybody believe that music still could have these powers?

does someone who electronically buys a minimal techno track, believe he could cause a political, social or cultural uprising, a change by this? no.

so music has really no meaning anymore. it's just a good for consumption; restricted to leisure; to get the shallow, limited, cut down joy that capitalism allows its slaves to have for a few minutes between working and sleeping.

the ironic thing is that the last trace of meaning today is found in the megapop productions of the big corporations. because the teenagers still believe their stars are something special, and would lead them to a wonderful escape from everyday life. of course this is nothing to build on; it's just a last refuge; and of course based on lies; but, as it is the usual matter with belief, it's still better to believe in something wrong, then to not believe in anything at all.

but let's leave this pop business behind. music has to have a meaning outside of itself - outside of the track, song itself - to be meaningful. music that is just for leisure time or consumption doesn't do the trick. there has to be a political, cultural content, movement, struggle, party, organisation associated with a certain music to elevate it from the boring rubble of mass content. structures have to be created, leaflets printed, things shouted down the street. music, left to itself - just an isolated song, or track - is an impossibility. it has to be part of a bigger plan, scheme.

and this is still possible. music has the power to change the world. music has the power to change your life; to something wonderful, to something special; to lead you out of oppression or the banality of everyday life. to lead you to adventure, to lead you to excitement.

let's not get stuck with mere political goals. any concept, structure, organisation, that can be tied to music, that brings the unknown, the daring, the amazing to people's life is worth supporting. there is nothing wrong with gaining pleasure by music; just the consumer society non-pleasurable banal "joy" that is associated with common music, is the problem; you can reach pure, true ecstatic pleasure by music, so don't bother with less.

the possibilites are still there. we just have to realize them, and utilize them.