Can Music Help Overcome Psychological Barriers to Action? Chapter III
While music may not be a silver bullet for global issues, it's a powerhouse in breaking down psychological barriers that hold us back. With the ability to inspire, motivate, and unite, music creates a positive mindset, fosters empathy, and highlights critical issues. By dismantling individual hurdles, music sets the stage for a collective mindset ready to take on the world's challenges.
This post is part of a series of 3 articles that delve into the transformative power of music, unraveling how it aids us in breaking through various psychological barriers pinpointed by social science. Consider this not just a read, but a playlist against psychic numbing—a melodic journey to break down walls and inspire change. Let the music guide you through the exploration of the mind!
Music to Overcome Psychic Numbing
On the third stop of our musical journey, we reaffirm the transformative power that music has in overcoming psychic numbing. Through songs that offer personal perspectives, emotive narratives, and a profound connection to universal human experiences, insensitivity toward widespread suffering is confronted.
We hope this final track of the series succeeds in awakening a collective sense of reflection and conveys an important message: every life matters.
Track III: Biko by Peter Gabriel
It was the March 21st of 1960 when the police fired on a crowd of Black people in the midst of a peaceful anti- apartheid protest in South Africa. About 250 of them were killed or wounded. We now know this horrific incident as the Sharpeville massacre, one of the first and most violent incidents of the decade and a pivot point in history for the African community.
“When I try to sleep at night
I can only dream in red
The outside world is black and white
With only one color dead.”
Science states that, as the number of lives in danger increases, we sometimes lose feeling and we value those additional lives even less. They become mere statistics, “human beings with the tears dried off,” as someone once said. In fact, in one study we found that compassion began to fade as soon as the number of persons in danger went from one person to two. That’s when Psychic Numbing starts to kick in.
Biko, Yihla Moja
Chances are that, singer and songwriter, Peter Gabriel, did not know anything about this concept. But, he definitely knew the power of storytelling to get into people’s hearts to bring down psychological barriers. In "Biko," Gabriel adopts a great strategy: he deviates the attention from a very challenging issue, such as racial discrimination is. Instead he focuses on the story of Steve Biko, a prominent anti-apartheid activist who died in police custody, humanizing the struggle by centering on Biko's personal sacrifice.
You can blow out a candle but you can't blow out a fire
The artist's deliberate choice to spotlight Steve Biko's life and tragic demise demonstrates music's ability to cut through desensitization. By immersing the listener in Biko's personal story, the song becomes an exemplary piece that defies psychic numbing, emphasizing the individual narrative within a broader socio-political context.
This focused narrative deeply resonates, compelling listeners to engage emotionally and intellectually with the injustices faced by Biko and others. It challenges the numbness that can arise from overwhelming tales. "Biko" serves as a rallying call against indifference, using the power of music to evoke empathy, prompt reflection, and break through psychic numbing in societal reckonings of systemic oppression.
“You can blow out a candle
But you can't blow out a fire
Once the flames begin to catch
The wind will blow it higher.”
The following video delves into Steve Biko's life beyond his anti-apartheid activism, portraying him as a charismatic individual, high-achieving student, and passionate advocate for racial equality.
The takeaway: These examples highlight how music can evoke empathy, confront apathy, and spotlight vital social issues, being a crucial resource to comprehend, connect, and overcome societal numbness.