Music and Me

 Final Blog A Theory of Music as Social Glue, Emotional Regulation, and Cultural Memory Music is often treated as entertainment, but research in anthropology, sociology, and psychology shows that its role in society is much deeper. Across cultures and historical periods, music consistently appears in moments of collective importance like rituals, celebrations, protests, ceremonies, and mourning periods. From a psychological perspective, this suggests that music is not just an artistic expression, but a cognitive and emotional system that shapes how people think, feel, and behave. That is how I came to the theory that music serves society in three ways; building social cohesion, regulating emotions, and preserving cultural memory.  Social Cohesion: "We Are The World" We Are The World x Michael Jackson & Lionel Richie x March 7, 1985 x US We Are The World One of the clearest examples of music creating social cohesion is We Are the World . This song brought together dozens o...

I was extremely excited for this specific blog because I LOVE musicals AND I'm getting married in October and our first dance is going to be to a song from High School Musical 3. I almost immediately thought of this song but ultimately decided to focus elsewhere.  The song that I decided on, I feel has a deeper meaning to it than the other and I really respect that.  The piece of work that I chose that tells a story with a beautiful soundtrack is The Greatest Showman. This movie and production tell such an amazing story that is loved by many, including my kids and the students I teach.  This Is ME History and Background " This is Me"  is a breakout song from the 2017 musical film, The Greatest Showman,  performed by Keala Settle and the ensemble cast, written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. It was released as the lead single from the soundtrack on December 8, 2017, and rapidly became a global hit. The song hit the top ten in multiple countries (1). The song also ...