Letter of the Day | Limiting exposure to lewd lyrics in public settings

THE EDITOR, Madam:

I wish to highlight the urgent need to effectively limit exposure to lewd lyrics in public settings.

It is often said that ‘repetition is the mother of retention’. People who repeatedly hear or listen to music that promotes crime and violence, as well as promiscuity, are more likely to know these songs, sing them, and might act upon them if the need arises. According to Hoffer (2022), “Music can affect behaviour by being a motivator, a timer for completing tasks or a mood enhancer.” This means that music has the power to set the tone of the day and influence the mood for an individual.

Music is a powerful tool, and many persons can attest to this. There are individuals who choose not to listen to specific genres of music, but when they are constantly exposed to these genres, they might find themselves singing and dancing away to the songs. How could this be? Well, this reinforces the belief that “No matter your race, ethnicity, age or gender, music is a common phenomenon that impacts everyone.”

Too often, some bus drivers, taxi operators, owners of private vehicles, shopkeepers and bartenders, among others, can be heard playing vulgar music in the public and at levels that could wake the dead. What is even more disturbing is the reaction when some of them are asked to lower the volume of the music or change the song that is being played. Recently, I was on a public passenger bus that was transporting adults and a few students, and the raw version of the song Wild Out by Rajah Wild was being played. Immediately, a middle-age man asked the driver to change the songs, as it was disrespectful to play such a song in the public domain. However, it was the conductor who immediately responded. He instructed the man to get off his bus or keep his mouth closed as we are in modern times. Such a shocking response shows the direction in which the society is heading. It seems as if subtlety and euphemisms are devices of the past.

While some might argue that music is harmless, we are at a juncture as a society where we need to carefully examine the type of lyrics that are played in the public domain. I know that the Broadcasting Commission has placed several bans on lewd lyrics on traditional media platforms, with the recent one being in October 2022. However, more needs to be done to ensure that such a ban is strictly enforced. Similarly, the public must be sensitised about the dangers of exposing young and impressionable minds to songs that promote violence, glorify scamming and encourage people to be sexually promiscuous. This kind of sensitisation is needed, especially now when crime and violence is skyrocketing in Jamaica and the Government’s crime plan seems to be unable to effectively tackle this monster.

CASSIA TELFER

Teacher of English