Proper education among the state will also be imperative to promote a just society. Such education will not only encourage the construction of language, but also how one is to behave to society and their peers. An education system that promotes of non-violence and a focus on collective well-being and happiness of the state will be instilled among the youth. Though arts and other forms of expression should be encouraged, it must remain important that the arts do not infringe on the importance of education. The language and expressions being used in music must encourage educational growth rather than attack and demean it. The language that is used in today’s music would therefore be unacceptable and not allowed without any circumstance.
Music has long been used as a tool to emotionally resonate with its listeners and plays a significant impact on how people feel they can express themselves. Some artists have in the past and currently promote messages that are beneficial to society; and it is important to give people that platform to reach out to the masses. However, music that promotes violence and detrimental behaviors must be censored so that the listeners do not create delusions into viewing those messages as successful. An artist should feel obligated to respect the viewer and the state and have the viewers well-being as a primary concern. With selfish intentions the artist will deceive the viewer into believing what is personally good rather than socially beneficial. Such selfishness encourages individuals to rebel against systems they might perceive in not individually beneficial, and such perceptions would become contagious and contribute to the disrespect for law and order. If society allows musicians to sing about such personal irresponsibility, then any form of such language will be used in the name of music.
Today we live in a society than encourages free-speech, a tool than has enabled man to promote both peace and war. Though this right has enabled the individual to promote positivity and constructiveness, it has also been used as a weapon to promote hate, bigotry, and ignorance. With today’s standards of success in the music industry, artists are encouraged to express destructive thoughts and ideas that are only used to incite negative emotions among the listener. The youth, who idolize such musicians, are then given the responsibility to interpret such language and possibly use it to justify acts of violence, unhealthy behaviors, and rebellion against the systems in place to only promote growth. The power of music has been weaponized and in a society such as Socrates’ ideal state would have to been banished in order to maintain peace and justice and encourage individual and social education and growth.
