[I originally published this on Facebook. But of course if I just leave it there then it'll gradually fade into oblivion. So I'm putting it here on my blog as well so it can live in a non Facebook universe as well.]
Question:
If Facebook is so interested in building community and changing the world for the better why do they make it so hard for music to play a role? I’m genuinely curious about this. There’s a mechanism for sharing video why is there not a mechanism for sharing music? Also, a simple method of supporting (sending money to) musicians you like (or artists, or whatever) could be revolutionary. (I know they already have a send money feature, but it could be made a bit more apparent in relation to supporting the creative arts.)
The thing about music that makes it an amazing force for positive social good is that it has the power to affirm. It has the power to make us feel like we are not alone and that we can have shared emotional experience with other humans who have been in the same place. Pretty much any human emotion has a kind of music that expresses and then validates our feelings. That’s powerful stuff.
We live in a world where we’re screaming at each other constantly on social media about how “you have it wrong - let me tell you how this works. I’ve got it all figured out and you know nothing (you are nothing!)” We need to start finding more validation in our lives. We need to start to find more ways to feel like we can relate to each other more deeply.
MUSIC can do this. (As can other art forms, but I’m speaking specifically about the unique roll of music and how it is being left to die by a shitty record industry and an apathetic social media landscape.)
Are you listening Facebook? Are you listening world?
[If anyone wants to help tun this into a campaign to pressure FB into changing their ways please let me know. I'm in and will do what I can to spread the word.]
