Social Factors On Consumer Tastes And Preferences - Essay Example

Social factors on consumer tastes and preferences Introduction: It has been observed in the history of mankind that the social status of a man influences his taste. The lower level of the society will have their distinctive taste quite different from that of the higher class. Therefore, the idea of “good taste” differs according to the levels of society. Researches made through a variety of questionnaires have confirmed the view that whether the taste is good or bad depends on the social status and the upbringing of the individual. The class system is divided according to the availability of the economic and the cultural capital. Those who earn a good amount of money usually consume a majority of economic and cultural capital. The division may be symmetrical with balance between the economic and cultural capital or asymmetrical with the balance tilted in favour of one of the capitals. The characteristics of each of the structure are distinctive and those structures are called habitus. The lifestyles are therefore influenced by the habitus. Taste has assumed great importance in the Habitus as it is often the distinctive factor of the matching principles in the society. In cultural consumption, there has been a distinction between the rarity of the product and the easy availability of the product. The rare products are considered as precious and the more readily available ones are called vulgar. The choice of tastes of the upper class of the society is distinctively different from the lower class of the society. Taste refers to “amor fati” or the destiny’s choice, which is forced by the conditions of existence and makes the preference of the necessity. (Bordieu, 1984) Music has been an essential part of social life for thousands of years. Over the years, music has inserted a deep impact on the social life of the human beings. Eminent personalities in the history of music like Mozart, Beethoven etc. have played an important part in the popularity of music. Music was used as a tool in various social happenings, gatherings and even as a form of revolt. Great revolts in the annals of history were in some parts inspired by music. The presence of music was inherent from the ancient times where separate tribes used to dish out separate brands of music. These different forms of music came to be known as folk music in the later part and every part in the world today has its own variety of this type. The folk music has always been associated with the common people. After the ancient days, trade and commerce between the countries increased in the medieval period. This resulted in the swap of ideas and culture between different countries. Music, which up to now was inherent to the confinement of borders, engaged itself into a much wider spectrum. Ideas between different musicians were passed and the discipline of music got a facelift in the Medieval Europe. During the Renaissance, music like other spheres of culture reached to wider masses. A separate profession of music evolved which has continued until the present age. During the 19th and 20th century, music has influenced the social life of the people like never before. Different Genres of music have developed inspiring many movements among the youth. It has evolved as a language to revolt against the upper class of the society. Therefore, it has been seen through the history that the acceptance of music is distinctive of the classes of the society, which underlines the “good taste”. This paper deals in how the social structure has paved the way for the evolution of music through the ages. Music has been one of the most influential cultural factors in the history of human beings and it is quite apparent that social structures will have huge bearings on the world of music. Social factors influencing music The discipline of music has not been the same as it was in the ancient times. It has evolved through the ages and the present structure of music is the mixture of different cultures across the world. Through the ages, music has been highly influenced by the social factors and people have accepted those, which have appealed to them. A look into the history of music simultaneously with the society at that time will give us a clear picture of the influences. The period before the birth of Christ was influenced by folk music and this was used only in public gatherings and feasts. The growth of music and its acceptance as a part of the culture began after the birth of Christ. Ancient Age: Music has been in existence from the advent of the civilization. However, researchers found concrete evidence of music in some of the experiments done by Pythagoras. In addition to this, cave paintings dating back to thousands of years have been found. The Egyptian civilization paintings depict the use of musical instruments in their social life. This period in the history is termed as the Dark Age in the history of humanity. After the destruction of the Romans, there was total chaos in the European society. Various kingdoms ruled by different kings came into force in this period. These kingdoms were engulfed in superstitious beliefs, which led to the dominance of the church. This period was characterized by religious music and hymns dedicated to the Almighty. The upper class was the church and they dominated the taste of music at that time. It was in this backdrop that the Medieval Age dawned upon the civilization. Medieval Age: The Medieval Age is perhaps the most influential phase in the history of Mankind. During this period, exceptional progress was made in the field of culture. Music was no exception. The Western music has its roots in this period. During the early part of the era, the dominance of the churches was rampant. This led to the development of the “church prescribed” religious music. The Gregorian chant was popular during this period. This was developed by Saint Gregory and this was a monophonic hymn. The chant has remained one of the most sacred hymns of Christianity up to the modern age. Music developed in the association of church and in the ninth century, the monophonic melody was substituted by the newer polyphony sound of music. This newer system thrived in the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and it was developed by Leonin and Perotin. The Polyphony tune can be termed as the predecessor of all genres of the modern music. The churches were responsible, largely, for the development of music in the Medieval Age. (Sherrane, n.d.; History of music, n.d.) The church was in the mission to convert the whole of Europe to Christianity and banned the earlier practices of music in public gatherings to shield the new converts from their immoral pasts. An idea developed in this period that held music as the servant of church. Music was considered good when it complimented the teachings of the Christ. This was an evolution of the direct Greek Philosophy of the ancient age, which considered music as God. Instrumental music was not promoted by the church, as it was not considered to evoke the sense of spirituality in the minds of the people. The church took it upon them to distinguish between the good and bad music. Religious music provoking the thoughts of God was considered good while any other forms of music were discarded. (Eaton, July,2003). However, music did not reach to the masses, as this was primarily a religious type of music. As the church banned all the other forms of music, people had no other option but to adopt the religious music. However, this complex form of music did not gain acceptance overall. A separate form of music developed in the tenth century France which was not bounded by the teachings of the church. These were popular songs developed from the secular tales of the society. The concept of private performance by singers and performers developed. The most famous of them were the Trouveres in France. The subject of their music was love and these songs were performed in the private gatherings and functions. The famous composer of the Western music, Guillaume de Machaut lived in this era. He was a poet by profession and was the composer of the Catholic Mass. He took the pain of copying his work in details making him the first composer to preserve his work. Thus, the complex nature of the church music was overtaken by the music of the common people, which was more accessible to the masses. During the later part of this era, the age of regeneration or Renaissance dawned upon the human civilization. Renaissance was the period where all cultural activities underwent a thorough change. Music, which up to now was in the clutches of the Church, began to appeal to the masses. The growth of music was further heightened by the humanitarian movement in the Medieval Era. The humanitarian movement was essentially a curriculum for higher education. The curriculum included Music as one of its subjects. This was responsible for the growth of music schools in all of Europe. The features of the Humanitarian movement were present also in the Ancient Age based on the Greek Philosophy. During Renaissance, the base for the study was the works of the Latin authors. The subsequent development in all spheres of the society helped in the development of music as well. The introduction of the Printing press made it very easy to copy the notations of music and to store them. It was much cheaper to print then and this resulted in mass production. The society was supplied with an alternative to the church music. In this period, the influence of the instruments on music increased to a great deal. String and bass instruments made an entry for the first time in the scene of music. The people during the Renaissance were open to experimenting with new kinds of music and this eventually formed the base for the modern music. The later part of the Renaissance saw the development of the coordination between the voice and instruments. This eventually led to the major phase of development in the world of music- the Baroque. This period was characterized by high emotional intensity in the music. (Music during Renaissance, 22nd February, 2008) The discipline of music in this period liberated from the clutches of the Church in this era. The Churches were the main forces to develop music but it was not gaining popularity at the mass level. The society as a whole was a lot freer spirited during this age and the feeling of independence among the people prompted the development of the music in this period. Modern Age: The modern Age saw the birth of different Genres of music. The evolution of different Genres can be traced back to some social factors. The Baroque period gave rise to the classical period and subsequently the Romanticism period. The Romantic period was characterized by the artistic freedom in terms of literary works. This in turn made the growth of music possible in terms of freedom. The music in this phase was also influenced by sentiments of nationalism in countries of Europe. The contemporary period is perhaps the most dynamic and progressive for the development in the history of music. The 20th century is the phase where the development of the contemporary period of music took place. With the development of the economic activities of the world, the countries became closer and there were cross-cultural activities. This led to the birth of different genres of music in various countries. The instruments specific to one particular country became available world over. For example, the piano moved outside Europe for the first time, which allowed people from the other parts of the world to enjoy the work of great artistes and it also allowed them to improvise on their style of music. Music transformed into a mode of entertainment in this era. Before the world wars took place, music has already crossed the boundaries of various countries. In the early part of the 20th century, music found its place in dramas and theatres. Concerts were taking place in arenas and musical ballads developed. It formed an integral part of the cinemas. Music became a commercial mode of entertainment and it was not confined to the knowledgeable persons only. There was a gradual rise in the number of persons who would pay to watch a ballad or a musical drama. One of the most significant developments in the early part of the 20th century was the evolution of the Jazz music. It evolved in the black inhabited areas of the USA. The black people of the USA were from the continent of Africa and the music was developed from the amalgamation of the Western and African music. Jazz got popular due to some specific social traits in America at that time. The black African people were treated as slaves in the early 19th century and the majority of them were sent to the Caribbean to work in huge plantation fields. Some of the slaves of the Caribbean islands were bought by the American whites. The slaves were housed close to where the whites lived. They usually lived in specially built houses in large numbers. They worked with their owners in the field but ate separately. They often went to the same church. As a result of staying together, the slaves were able to retain their own distinctive culture including music. In addition to this, they were influenced by the Western culture and their style of music in the churches. These factors combined to produce the basic essence of Jazz music. Jazz music was primarily vocal with repetitive beats. Different forms of Jazz music developed in this era. The first type was the Plantation Jazz, which was developed by the workers in the plantation. This form of music was very popular when the custom of slavery was still intact. The second variety was the ragtime. This variety of music was developed when the Blacks become independent after the civil war. This variety of Jazz was practiced by the people in the black inhibited regions. Soon it became popular among the white people as well and they began to practice it. The third variety is perhaps the most popular of the Jazz forms and exists still today. It is argued that the third form, the Blues developed in the 19th century but it became popular in the 20th century. Blues was practiced by the country singers with minimal instruments. Jazz can be said to be the inspiration behind the evolution of Rock music. The development of Jazz changed the scene of musical history. The 20th century was marked by a gradual development of the economy and the living standards of the people. Commercialization became the buzzword and music was produced to suit the needs of all levels of the society. In the modern age, the class system became nonexistent. The complex form of music gave way to more simple form of music to cater to the masses. The 20th century saw the most violent period in the history of the world with two world wars taking place. This resulted in the loss of millions of lives. The people at that time were scared of the consequences. However, the younger generation was fearless and rebellious in nature. It was under these conditions that the birth of rock music took place. Rock music was the genesis of two different styles of music. It combined the European ideology of self-expression and the American ideology of individualism. Various renowned musicians made their name in this form of music with their distinctive styles. The rock music had a feature of telling a story in distinctive styles of singers. The rock and roll music was a mixture of the black and white race of the people. The Latin element made an entry in the scene of rock and the genre turned out to be more complex. After the Latin element, other forms of music from the nook and corners of the world like the Jewish, Arabic, North African etc. made their entry. The genre of music became more prosperous and varied. The predecessor of the rock music was the R&B. This form of music had its background in the country music. Therefore, rock music is heavily influenced by the folk and the country music. During this time, various record labels came into the market and they began to sign famous singers. The music truly became global and this became evident when the British were influenced by the American singers. Singers like Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly etc. were idolized in England. The economy of England at that time was in shambles and the young generation did not have enough money to buy the instruments. After the economy improved a little bit, the instruments were available again. England gave rise to a lighter form of rock and roll called the skiffle. There were many skiffle groups present in England most notably being the Beatles. The culture of performing in bands was hugely popular in UK and more and more of them were coming up. At the same time, in the USA, the concept of Rock festivals was gaining momentum. Some of the famous festivals were that of Woodstock, Altamont and Isle of Wight. Some of the most famous rock musicians evolved from these festivals. It can be said that Rock music was one of the most popular genres of music in the modern age. In the later part of the century, the pop music entered the scene and it was essentially the mixture of all the genres and presented in a more simplified manner. Other genres of music developed as well like the progressive rock, Punk, Rap, Metal etc. that catered to a certain strata of audience. All these forms of music were popular to a certain extent.(Cook & Pople, 2004, pp. 1- 418). Today the music charts are dominated by the Rap music and the hip hops. This is quite different from the trend of 20-30 years back when Rock was the most popular music. The new trends in the music and its practitioners have a deep influence on the society today. The dress of bandanas and jeans are prevalent among the youth of today. A more disturbing trend of the usage of drugs and alcoholic substances is seen today. (Martindale, n.d.) In the modern age, the division of the classes became non-existent. The new generation was more rebellious and their voice of freedom found space in the music of the age. Conclusion Music is influenced by the social factors and its recognition is dependent on the social structure prevalent at that time. Good Taste in music is different from any other sub species of culture. It is acceptable only when it addresses the mood of the audience at the prevalent time. In that way music is heavily dependent on the social factors and its tastes and preferences. This gave rise to a lot of genres in music ranging from the religious to rebellious. The essence of music has been the same and it has been highly dependent on the choices of the dominant classes of the society. The choices of the dominant classes of the society formed the good taste in terms of music. After it became a product for consumption of the people different artists began to produce their kind of music. Public chose from the wide variety available and the most successful ones survived. In the days to come the trend will continue and this will give birth to more genres. References: 1. Bourdieu, P. (1984). Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgement of Taste. Cambridge: Harvard University press. 2. Cook, N. & Pople, A. (2004). The Cambridge History of twentieth century music. Cambridge university press. Pp1-418. 3. Sherrane, R. (n.d.). The middle ages. Music history 102. Available at: http://www.ipl.org/div/mushist/middle/index.html (Accessed on 22nd February,2010) 4. History of music. (n.d.). Antiquity medieval period. Available at: http://library.thinkquest.org/16020/data/eng/text/education/theory/medieval.html (Accessed on 22nd February, 2010) 5. Eaton, D. (July, 2003). The influence of music on self and society. The words of the Eaton family. Available at: http://www.tparents.org/library/unification/talks/eaton/eaton_influence.htm (Accessed on 22nd February, 2010) 6. Music during renaissance, (22nd February, 2008). Misunderstood genius. Available at: http://crazy-flying.blogspot.com/2008/02/music-during-renaissance.html (Accessed on 22nd February, 2010) 7. Martindale, J. (n.d.). Music and its influence on society. Available at: http://www.helium.com/items/737235-music-and-its-influence-on-society (Accessed on 22nd February, 2010) Read More