A Question to my Readers

The media has negatively stereotyped heavy music; resulting in the stigmatisation and marginalisation of bands and fans; and exclusion from mainstream institutions. This marginalisation is reinforced through the authorities (religious or otherwise) and the social scientific community, has driven the music ‘underground’, and made fans revolt against mainstream institutions.

Questions to ask

1. Who believes it is true?
2. Who doesn't?

Other things to think about:

1. When I refer to heavy music, we have to think about what is (or could be) defined as Heavy Music. Does it just refer Heavy Metal? Or can it include other genres and sub genres like punk, new wave, industrial, hard rock, AOR (adult orientated rock), prog rock, emo, hard core and metal core?
2. What are the mainstream institutions?
3. What is meant by stigmatisation and marginalization? And exclusion? Discrimination? Harassment? Bullying?
4. How is it reinforced? Who rewards this type of behaviour?
5. Who are the authorities?
6. Who is doing the stimatization, marginalization, bullying, ostracism and exclusion?
7. And who revolts against these mainstream institutions and the authorities? What do they do and Why? In other words, who excludes their 'excluders'?
8. And who, in the Social Scientific community, reinforces these misconceptions surrounding certain types of music?

If you like other types of music (either in addition to heavy music, or more specifically, heavy metal; or instead of it), you might like to make a comparison to that music. For instance, it is easy to see how goths or punks, for instance, are similar to metalheads. But are they really in the same boat?

Yet in contrast, a rapper, 'gangsta', 'wigger', 'chav' or a 'raver' (who likes techno and drum and bass music and goes to all night 'raves' or dance parties) might actually have more in common with metal heads than you think (though I don't know, because I don't have many friends who happen to be big fans of rap music)?

And what about other groups? Or maybe the gay person (who gets bullied as much as the goth or 'emo') - are they in the same situation as far as discrimination, harassment and bullying are concerned? Or the religious fundamentalist, who adopts particular values and beliefs, chooses these beliefs in much the same way as a heavy metal fan does. Or are they like that because of their upbringing?

Even if we all belonged to the same 'sub-culture', we would still have our differences as to what people should do and think? Among all the other heavy metal fans I know, there is a great diversity in terms of physical features, hair colour, eye colour, race, nationality, ethnicity, personality traits, personal habits, abilities and the like. There is also a profound difference in terms of values, beliefs, likes and dislikes: religious, political, personal, what bands do they like, what beer they drink, what football team they support? Well, you get the picture - we are not all the same.

Anway, this is what I need people to think about if they wish to join in on this discussion.

cheers,

Night Owl