Why are young people so narrow minded and ignorant of classical music?

Question

A friend of mine said she didn't see the point to classical music... Why is it that young people, generally, are so ignorant and so narrow minded to a point where they believe that they are right about classical music being 'irrelevant' yet not knowing anything about it at all. Instead, most seem to be 'dummed down' by the media so mediocrity over true genius in music, such as Beethoven, Wagner and Mozart. Should it be that their work should be forgotten? If you did something great, how would you feel if no one knew your achievement? Many people in me secondary school don't even know who Mozart is! I know it may just be that they don't like it, but if they don't even know about it, how can they even judge that?

Answer 1

I personally think that the media is to blame for all this. In fairness to young people, I know a lot of them will appreciate classical music if they are more exposed to it. But just listen to any FM or AM station and watch any TV channel. Do they feature classical music? Maybe once in a while.



Is it because classical music is too high brow? No it is not. But Lady Gaga and all the modern singers are more palatable for young people's tastes, and that is because they are over exposed and promoted to the point where these young people have no other alternative. They won't take the trouble to search the airwaves for a classical music station. They will be listening to blaring music and DJs with their catatonic minds spouting some gibberish about nothing. In short music has become too commercialized.



What we need is the proper perspective, the proper balance between modern and classical music so all people can appreciate both. And while were at it, some regulatory body should be made to monitor the gibberish some disc jockeys make, make them more responsible. Radio and TV should be more discriminating and must look to the development (intellectually and culturally) of their audiences.



Young people are not ignorant and narrow-minded (at least not all of them ). They just need the proper guidance.

Answer 2

That's very true. For one reason parents don't let their kids experience classical music at a young age. Most of the people that did listen to classical music many many years ago just didn't pass it on to their kids when a new style came about. Second mainstream society portrays it as boring. Any kid who hears the words "classical music" automatically thinks "boring". 3rd it isn't taught in many schools and the schools that do teach it, teach it in a way that portrays it as any other subject: work that needs to be completed, not as a hobby. If schools had a classical music class where the music was to be listened to, enjoyed, discussed, and not tested maybe kids would enjoy it more. For the most part the only children interested in classical music are the ones whose parents had them take instruments at a young age.



Sadly the music that kids listen to now is garbage.

Answer 3

This study is in no way reliable. There's no way in hell that rock fans have a higher IQ than metal fans concerning the personalities they typically have. And electronic music on top? Sure, some forms of it, but how are jazz and metal not up there either? Most metal fans I know are extremely intelligent who have a classicist taste and try to familiarize themselves with political science. This survey also doesn't take into account people who enjoy multiple genres and the fact that many genres which are deemed to be "lesser" don't have their more sophisticated artists presented. This survey just reeks of holes.

Answer 4

Not all ;D

The reason for all of this is just as you have already stated, people are just very narrow minded and don't WANT to like classical music.. but it's OK, YOU have good taste, be happy that you can appreciate real music and enjoy the beauty of it! ;P



I don't think the work of such great composers, the founding fathers of real music will ever be forgotten.

Answer 5

It seems to me that some people have an innate taste for CM, and/or other forms of the FINE ARTS. Where others if they ever come to an appreciation of any of these, they must be educated in order to do so.



And to do so, takes time and exposure; and even more importantly, such a pursuit must of necessity be NURTURED/PROMOTED..



This apparently is not a priority in our national education system nowadays; and has not been, for some decades now. In Sociology such a DEFERRED REWARD/an appreciation of the aforementioned, is no longer highly valued by society - where it was when I was in High School (graduated in 1953).



We have become an INSTANT REWARD culture; and I sadly perceive no turn-around occurring in the foreseeable future.



Alberich

Answer 6

Its not just classical music people dislike the majority of older music

Jazz

The Blues

Rock

Metal

Ragtime

Folk



It could also be that classical is very hard to listen to when you first begin due to the fact that the majority of it is instrumental music

Answer 7

That is a good question…

best not to generalize though. I'm 18, and I've loved classical music all my life. I just got back from a wonderful Philadelphia Orchestra concert. It was a free event for college students. I was amazed and very pleased to see so many young people who appreciate orchestral music, especially as so many weren't musicians and knew very little about it. It restored a little of my faith in my generation, that is until I got back to my dorm to find my roommate blasting her rap crap, but that's a different issue.

Answer 8

Classical music generally requires a certain maturity for understanding, and appreciating. Without exposure kids just wouldn't get it, it would seem too intellectual for them. For kids who just want to have fun classical doesn't offer any kind of fun, classical requires responsibility, something most kids don't want to have. Me too, I used to poke fun a bit, until I developed more sophisticated taste in music. Cut them some slack, they simply do not know. And to them it's just simply old-fashioned and has nothing to do with them.



edit: you know, I remember something I should add - kids don't know classical like my generation did - most tv show cartoons utilized classical music

Answer 9

This is a made-to-measure, pre-engineered soapbox, not a Q.



> so narrow minded and ignorant



And you were appointed judge, jury and hangman by whom, precisely?



As a prof. classical musician of some 40 years experience, I find your haranguing homily in-drag-as-a-Q an embarrassment and would applaud those unidentified 'young people' you mention to pillory should they see *your* "classical music" as an irrelevance. IF -- a big 'if ' -- said 'young people' see classical music as an irrelevance that you report, we've all failed them. Brought the message badly to them or not at all. If that be so, who's 'narrow minded & ignorant' then? Precisely: we ourselves.



So get off your gilded high horse, and if this matter genuinely bothers you enough, get your *** in gear and chuck the judgemental attitude in the bin.



Do that, and those 'young people' will surprise, nay, astonish you. You were just too busy basking in self-righteousness previously to notice.



All the best,

Answer 10

People forget or ignore things which aren't relevant to them. See pop culture.

Answer 11

Its easy...they never got to reaLIZE ITS SIGNIFICANCE BECAUSE THEY WERE INTO INTO ALL this other arrogant music types but not all of them are ignorant of classical music,i am 20years old and i love classical music!!

Answer 12

The wider spread of pop media, and its availability, I've seen over decades, has simply filled up so much space it has more and more crowded out exposure to anything else, accounting for the ignorance and also the unwillingness to even consider any music which is 'other' than pop.



Through the first half of the 20th Century, through some government funding, many a person who didn't listen to Beethoven was still aware of and liked the music of Copland. Copland was nearly a household name! There were national broadcasts of concerts, classical, newer contemporary classical, and not just Copland, with major conductors: all were 'on board.'



Later, Leonard Bernstein championed classical music (and contemporary classical music) in programming with the New York Philharmonic in a televised lecture-demo series on classical music aimed specifically at young people. And... in prime time on a major national network.



Bernstein had an amazing gift to get people interested, and not once seem like he was 'talking down' to anyone. Many an adult also eagerly followed the series, and became forever after more involved with classical music.



Now it does seems classical is more isolated, and dissed before even one tryout. I think unless one lives in a large cosmopolitan area where EARLY exposure to it is possible, even if accidental, it will remain foreign, distant and even alien to someone.



Fill up the air waves with pop culture, make it the overwhelming consumed thing, and on-line, television and all other media follow suit.



There is almost no decent public programming, and I include in that NPR (other than a few produced 'slot' programs which survive from a decade or more earlier, usually on or about one specific composer or Jazz or Folk.) Educational TV has changed similarly, not just in the area of music. Both are now so far off the mark as of general interest to other than a small demographic of people who are already educated and need no introduction, they can not possibly reach the average intelligent citizen who could be reached. A pervasive PC mentality has led them to a particular mind set, and that has nearly abolished all discernment of what is worthwhile which does not fit, limiting what is presented.



One of the nations' best FM classical stations has caved to the more than dreadful-ghastly 'theme' programming, at least for the a.m. rush hour (all upbeat baroque - and single movements of it) and a p.m. 'post rush hour' which is similar, but with slow and soothing music (again often single movements) 'to smooth out the listeners' day.'



With several generations used to pop music no longer than three-minutes listening span, music which already repeats its material wholesale at least three times within that three minutes (you've really only 'followed' new material there for one minute,) getting anyone raised on that to sit still for the six, eight or more minutes a classical piece takes to introduce itself and warm up to the main business, can take some real effort on those so conditioned. it can initially fatigue their brain and then they will not give the classical any more time. Listening to that short-end material for a lifetime, and presenting it then to the next generation as 'classic' in no way prepares ones attention span for what is needed to follow most classical music.



People now seriously think the likes of John Williams, Danny Elfman, Hans Zimmer and Video Game sound track composers like Joe Hisaishi ARE classical composers and that IS classical music! To them, those are "the greatest classical composers of today."



Cost is not an argument: Pop CD's and concerts to live events cost the same at least - attending a live pop concert often more - than a very decent seat in a hall to hear a world-class orchestra.





Best regards.



ADDED: With the resounding slap of my esteemed colleague Nemesis truthful answer still stinging my pate, I confess - partially - to caving into the elitist doom and gloom atmosphere this question sets: I delineated many a contributing factor to the present "American Cultural Condition,' and much of it, imho, is true. Resistance from younger people to classical here has much to do with a real disconnect from the European past + a pervasive and strong anti-intellectual climate. Otherwise open-minded people here have greater negative association with Classical as being 'guys in powdered wigs and breaches' - remote and irrelevant to any person alive now. It takes more to break through. I have successfully introduced many young people to classical who were immediately engaged and who remained engaged. It took an absence of attitude and thoughtful selection of repertoire, that's all. It may take more care to introduce an inexperienced young American to classical music, but not much more than careful thought, a bit of awareness of the nature of their resistances, to put them at ease enough so they listen with open minds.

Answer 13

Don't judge. Be open minded to them too.

Answer 14

Someone asked a similar question two months ago:

https://answersrip.com/question/index?qid=20110821180406AAM6jIo