This is easy: What my 12 year old listens to is noise; I listen to music. I think that sums it up.
Seriously, though--while my statement is trite, there is truth to it. Music is emotional and it touches every individual in a different way. I often find it difficult to understand people that do not place any value on music--that simple don't care--but those are the same people that look at me and wonder "how can you invest so much time and energy into music?"
I think both Ozfly and Marakanetz had well thought out ideas on the subject, and I don't think I could ad anything in the vein they discussed this. I would like to examine the subject from a different angle (back to my 12 year old).
So my example of my 12 year old that listens to Eminem (when he knows Dad isn't around) is clear that music speaks to people and moves them on different levels. (It moves me to turn that thing off!) It also shows that whatever moves us is something that we get some sort of emotional outlet, release, comfort--or whatever. Music is an emotional mover. Wouldn't it be fun to watch a movie that played Gladiator fight them songs to the lovemaking scenes and soft violins playing romatically while some wild chase scene is occurring (this has been done in many movies during violent scenes--and you can feel the tragedy rather than the usual adrenaline/excitement emotion). Think of how significant music is used to translate emotion.
While I don't care for certain types of music (and sometimes can't really find the music quality) I think it is very short sided to condemn it (except for the possible explicit language that I don't think is healthy to listen to on a regualar basis--this view comes from being a father). So some people want to turn up the volume and bang their heads to heavy metal. This is what is emotionally satisfying or moving to them. I will never forget a guy that came into a friend of mine's stereo store. He said: "I want something that plays LOUD". He didn't look like he had much, but my friend showed him the loudest system they had: Klipschorns with 600 watts of McIntosh power. He said thank you and left. He later returned and said: "I've been to 10 other stores and asked the same question--when I asked them about the Klipsch and McIntosh combination--all of them said--yeah that WILL play loud." He bought the system with cash. Now, the point is--is that music--getting something to play as loud as possible. Well, to me no it isn't. But to this person it was. He wanted to play heavy metal and concert level volumes in the first row. He could be deaf now--I wonder if there's product liability in selling something that plays that loud.
I was going to write what music moves me and how--but I think I've already babbled too much.
