When you hear the word "music", what comes to mind. Do you think about your favorite band or instrument. Ok, but when you hear the word "metal" or "punk" the thought that usually comes to mind is senseless thrashing with guitar vamping or screaming randomly in a satanic manner...


A few months ago I was on the bus listening to my music like usual when something
unexpected happened. One of my earbuds fell out and the boy next to me asked to hear what I was listening to. I shrugged and said it was fine but not 5 seconds later the kid (whom I had never met before) yanked my headphones out of his ear(breaking them while at it) and exclaimed "please repent because if you continue on the path you are on now then you shall certainly know eternal torment". I was shocked. Being a devout Christian (Mennonite/pacifist) I told him politely that I personally didn't believe in hell. The next day I saw the boy again. We made eye contact and he hurried along trying to avoid me. I was quite disturbed with what the boy had said earlier though. I didn't mind that he practically told the whole bus that he thought I was going to hell. I get that a lot. What shocked me was that he did not wait a heartbeat to judge me based on my music taste.


The song that I was listening to was "second and Sebring" by "of mice and men". The song is about how the main vocalist, Austin Carlile's mother died when he was a child, and through his depression and mourning he found the inspiration to create music and help save lives through his lyrics. If the boy had waited to understand the meaning of the lyrics he would have seen that it was a truly beautiful song. But since it contained heavy guitar riffs and screaming it must have been satanic. How quickly the boy was to judge and deem my music, was like a huge wake up call telling me to realize that most of the world is like this when it comes to diversity in general. It is a dilemma in today's society that needs to be addressed.

Hip/hop= a gangster who's never going to graduate high school
Metal = a punk with crazy hair who has anti social and a destructive personality
Rock= apparently influences teens to do drugs and alcohol
Pop = teaches hormonal teenagers to have sex at an early age because all the pop stars did.


These and many more are stereotypes that people associate with the genres. Although some are true for each case, it is usually from the listeners own choice and was not influenced by listening to certain types of music.


With this I hope you go out into the world, and not just give music a second chance, but human beings in general. We are creatures of love.

I don't want you to be like me, I want you to be like you and make a difference
-Marilyn Manson