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August 08, 2006
Blame it on the beat
According to a Rand Corp. study, via the Associated Press: "Teens whose iPods are full of music with raunchy, sexual lyrics start having sex sooner than those who prefer other songs, a study found."
Do you mean to tell me that I have James Taylor to blame for my failure to achieve total stud status in high school? That John Denver is the culprit in keeping my swinging self down? Their masterful lyrics and peaceful strumming of the guitar were the real obstacles to a life like the ungrateful brats on MTV?
Some parents will be all willing to point the finger at saucy lyrics, but I'd hazard a guess that even the kid with Peter, Paul and Mary on loop is thinking about ways to impress the opposite sex for a good portion of their day.
Natasha Ramsey, a 17-year-old contributor to the Web site Sexetc.org, says, "Teens will try to deny it, they'll say 'No, it's not the music,' but it IS the music. That has one of the biggest impacts on our lives." Spare me. I listen to Jim Croce, but I've never taken an 18-wheeler out for a "West-coast turnaround."
I'm not saying that music doesn't expose kids to risky behavior or bad ideas (take the Hokey Pokie - after years of listening, I still don't know what it's all about), but to lay risque behavior on Snoop Dogg's doorstep is to overlook a lot of other factors.
Most important is what parents teach their kids about healthy relationships. Little Jimmy could be composing the next great book of hymns, but if he sees mom or dad mistreating the other, that's going to make an impression far greater than anything even the most depraved musician could come up with (Donny Osmond, I'm looking in your direction).
Contrary to what our Congressmen and women seem to believe, Janet Jackson's nipple slip didn't reawaken a long-lost primal urge in our nation's teenagers, turning them into sex-obsessed creatures. It's always been there, and is simply a matter of a parent being a louder voice than the Pussycat Dolls.
In other words, if John Denver had ditched his signature song about Colorado in favor of, "Forget the Rockies, Give me Some Hotties," I'd probably still be the perfect gentleman I am today. I have my parents and some extremely awkward teen years to thank for that.
Posted by Greg Sidor at August 8, 2006 02:28 AM
Comments
And they call him Speedball
Speedball Sidor
Terror of the bloggers
And all them that were before
Will tell you that the boy is mad
To be postin' a rant like that
Posted by: B-Two at August 10, 2006 12:03 AM