Jan 20, 2025
Not always are directly sensitive themes the only ones that need to be addressed and critically viewed by the public. Some, the more moderate ones (those requiring lower levels of attention), are often exposed as main themes but almost always absorbed by the genre/style (also of interpretation) in which they are inserted, typically light and affectionate genres such as Slice of Life, Comedy, School, and, in this case, Music. There are some common errors when attempting to use this medium regardless of anything else. One is a lack of knowledge on the subject being addressed, and another is a narrow-minded way of thinking that arises
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from the strong conviction authors have about what they believe is an absolute truth. They don’t discuss it but merely try to impose/influence their target audience by manifesting their thoughts expansively in their works. Even so, it remains narrow-minded due to a lack of varied perspectives and may even be harmful/offensive (or a propagator of misinformation).
According to the thoughts of Hiroshi Fukuda, all people who listen to, enjoy, produce, or have any connection to classical music are low-category individuals in the moral/ethical sense (in terms of kindness, compassion, or reciprocity, lacking appeal to the weaker and purity). He describes them as "conceited," "arrogant," "proud," and "selfish." The topic I’m addressing about this work is not new, as this perspective has occasionally surfaced over a long modern period since the popularization of classical music among the younger generations. However, it is rarely discussed, as most people avoid debating anything involving musical tastes. Nonetheless, I am aware that this viewpoint is common among certain individuals, and I know exactly its origin.
Classical music is typically associated with high-class individuals, and it is common to correlate wealth with misconduct and a sense of superiority over minorities. While it is true that some wealthy individuals exhibit such behaviors, these attitudes are not connected to classical music. The superiority and oppressive behaviors displayed by some rich individuals are rooted in culture, upbringing, and family habits. These depend on how they are taught by their parents to perceive the world around them, or it may develop naturally due to the biological processes of our bodies during developmental phases, solidifying personality traits. Prejudices exist, are passed down through generations, and have complex, varied, and enigmatic origins. However, prejudice remains prejudice. It doesn’t require an object to serve as its medium; it simply exists, and anything related to it afterward is not to blame in any way. Even if a connection exists, classical music has no inherent link to prejudice. This idea stems from the perspective of the oppressed regarding anything the wealthy touch, do, or have any connection to. The author, being one of them, represents this notion by judging prejudice with prejudice, which is precisely what this work embodies.
In addition to this idea, I can add something that fully invalidates the author’s position:
I don’t care about musical genres. The way I evaluate or consider something ideal to evaluate is not dependent on the genre or lyrics but on the essential characteristics a sound must have to be listened to, which is precisely the purpose of music’s existence—to be good in the auditory sense. This differs from media containing scripts, characters, etc. Therefore, any genre can be good if it possesses the necessary and essential characteristics to make the music good, both in terms of the music itself and for those creating it. These include: originality, rhythm, melody, consistency, creativity, voice, skill, knowledge, experience, effort, perseverance, and, of course, passion. The final quality of the product will depend on how all these characteristics are coordinated/orchestrated by the musician/band.
That said, further aggravating the situation, in Rock Is a Lady’s Modesty (a title that ironically adds a pejorative sense to the situation), the author Hiroshi Fukuda provides us with his most generalized, exaggerated, prejudiced, and oppressive perspective by placing one musical genre above all others. He places Rock and its derivatives on a pedestal, trampling on listeners of classical music and any other musical genre simply because, for him, only his ideal genre is worthy of existence. He disregards any other characteristic a piece of music might need to be deserving, regardless of its genre and lyrics.
Thank you, readers, for your patience and attention. Should the work become popular one day, I hope for respect in response to my opinion, and I will be grateful if this review serves as a tool for reflection on something important yet rarely popular/commented/discussed.
Reviewer’s Rating: 2
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