Metal and children.

[aimanirrajim]

...Then again his dad wasn't exactly the best parent.

that's the problem then. if the kid's too dumb to realize that, he should kill him/herself, anyway.

[Valan]

Interesting thread. I'd say what your parents are like as parents, how they handle their child's tastes and what they listen to influences a child's tastes. I've read online of so many people claiming they we're banned from listening to metal, I've never experienced that myself, and personally none of those I know personally have had that experience.
My parents listened to varied styles of music and we always had music on, my dad especially was someone who would put on different styles of music to see if I liked it. He also used to tape me films, and subsequently my first and probably my favourite piece of music is the 'Harmonica Man' theme from Once Upon A Time In The West, I taped it off the tv and played it over and over, combined with the duel at the end it was amazing.
I was listening to metal at the age of about 9 or 10, and I was kind of allowed to discover it myself, I can also remember when I heard 'Ride The Lightening' too, and the actual song Ride The Lightening made me think of subjects I suppose some children just don't consider at that age. I enjoyed thinking beyond the 'norm' but defiantly wasn't some miserable, depressive teen as was expected of me from those who regarded metalheads as such.
So I suppose what I'm babbling at is that overall just being that good parent, gently exposing children to different ideas, music, etc, they'll then find their own way!

[Skjold]

I am not entirely sure what my opinion on this is, can't say previous to this thread I have given it a great deal of though. But I agree with the others who have said that an infant or young child would be incapable or relating to the spirit of metal. For the first dozen or so years I think providing a loving and protective home for them is more important than any spiritual or intellectual development. So in that case I would possibly suggest more relaxing music, such as Bach or Mozart.

At the same time, I don't think this can be rubber stamped in any real way. Nothing can replace attentive parenting. If you decide to play metal around them, watch and observe their reaction and make sure they are not agitated by it.

[Vanguard]

In my experience, "making" a child do anything is often very difficult. All you can do is provide a balanced, healthy-minded setting in which that little person can develop and have faith in your parenting strategy. The "drugs are bad", "satan is bad" tendency towards parenting style can be seem across many generations of American families, some very intelligent ones that have been compromised by populist pressures. I think trying to make a kid listen to metal would probably work just as well as the "drugs are bad" strategy, which tends to just make the act of drug use seem more rebellious and often more attractive too. Trying to force kids into metal is like trying to force them into a church.

"If a child were raised with the full knowledge of societies current state, would the anger and darkness expressed in metal appeal to them? "

As far as rip's comment about whether metla is really neccessary for kids raised in healthy settings, I think that an American (for example) raised in such a setting would still feel certain overwhelming pressures coming from their greater social surroundings. If anything, families in which scepticism and (truly) critical thought are seen as healthy, would produce children even more strongly drawn to metal, because they would approach the music with certain existent convictions and not the sort of vague disbelief which leads some towards metal, and would be more receptive. Even serious hessians who are drawn to metal spend a certain amount in a period of paradigm revision before they can really decode the music, more so if they are raised in families debased families.

[Kelthuzathim]

Hello,

i was raised with metal too.
My first record was "Darkthrone - Under a funeral moon".
Also my parents always wanted me to play an instrument, so i decided to learn guitar - well Darktrhone was the best teacher.

Also psychic, i dont think that it harmed me in any way, i would even say the opposite - it gave me the possibility to develop and manifest my personality earlier than most of the same years olds in my enviorment.

If i am in the age for kids, i would prefer to let them hear metal/classic music, or just to open a door - or another "world" for them, even if in the end they will "hate me and metal" for it.
I just want to take care, that they wont hear what the society "wants" them to hear - because most of HipHop and Pop music is made to attract their attention. It is made for listening, not for exploring and developing.

I am really glad to have found a community, with such a good view of musik - and "lifeleading".

(I really have to appologize for english-mistakes. My english is really bad, because i am from germany - but i am learning. I hope it is not to annoying to read this.)

[NEVR4GETLOL]

I would say metal is probably best to reveal to youngsters bit by bit. Classical and sweeter electronic stuff (e.g. Kraftwerk) is probably the way to go until around the age of eight. Metal sounds too violent for me to show it to my kids until I could believe he would be able to handle it. The best rock, prog rock, and friendly heavy metal would wean them onto it.

[Christ Fucking Malarkey]

Metal music is in my nature. At the age of eight,  I had always wanted an electric guitar. I had no source of inspiration, and only a vague idea of what possibilites such an instument would provide, but I was absolutely certain that such an instrument complemented my being. Much to my dismay, consultation with a family acquaintance led to chord-based weekly lessons on the acoustic guitar. I quit after a year.

Fast forward to eight grade. I signed up for a course classical guitar technique, and requested an electric guitar for Christmas. At this time, I also began seeking out the heaviest music I could find. Luckily, Show No Mercy and Hell Awaits were among the first albums I encountered, although death metal and black metal remained insufficiently explored until I concluded high school. (What can I say? I'm a late bloomer!) Continued study of classical guitar complemented my training nicely.

What kind of environment did I grow up in? I was surrounded by ABBA, The Beatles and various folk-inspired kiddie tunes. Annual experiences of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker ballet stand out in my memory. Despite this, or perhaps because of this, I actualized what I believe to be an inherent component of my nature. I'm sure we all recall the feeling of listen to our favorite albums; the principial sentiment is that of recognition. The same goes for when we are first exposed to potent ideas in text.

The  ANUS philosophy on metal states that the artform is an embodiment of timeless ideals, the same ideals that are strung throughout the Classical period, the folk songs of indigenous peoples, from time immemorial. If you choose not to provide your child with a full palette, they will find metal music on their own (if it is indeed your child!). My younger sister had been able to find the patterns, the melodies of black metal albums from a very early age, and although she may not favor the artform, largely due to peer influence, it has fostered her love of music. She is now taking lessons for the clarinet.

Music is important to a child's development, without question. Why, then, would we question the integrity and acceptability of metal music in early childhood? Metal surpasses even classical music in terms of stimulation; the rich layers of sound afford the opportunity to explore worlds and discover patterns interwoven into short expanses of time. If anything, becoming accustomed to metal music prepares one for life in a world that intends on distracting individuals with its rapidfire pace, insofar as they are able to sort throught the stimuli to determine what this all means. Life becomes exceedingly beautiful when we are able to dissolve the time-space continuum. Metal, while not an explicit vehicle for transcendence, provides the right cues for its attainment.

[STS]

Music is important to a child's development, without question. Why, then, would we question the integrity and acceptability of metal music in early childhood? Metal surpasses even classical music in terms of stimulation; the rich layers of sound afford the opportunity to explore worlds and discover patterns interwoven into short expanses of time. If anything, becoming accustomed to metal music prepares one for life in a world that intends on distracting individuals with its rapidfire pace, insofar as they are able to sort throught the stimuli to determine what this all means. Life becomes exceedingly beautiful when we are able to dissolve the time-space continuum. Metal, while not an explicit vehicle for transcendence, provides the right cues for its attainment.

This is poetic, but not logical.

“Stimulation”is a double edged sword, and a broad concept that requires a more delicate analysis. Both classical and metal stimulate; metal is generally composed of higher frequencies; most classical music has a comparatively much lower high frequency ratio. Lower frequencies tend to facilitate a more favorable environment for learning and concentration. Higher frequencies tend to stimulate aggressive behavior and a loss of concentration. Aggressive behavior is not the key to building a child’s concentration level.

Conclusion- Metal is not for the human's steady consumption at this early stage of development when concentration is a primary condition being developed in the first place. Classical and lower frequency music, like folk, is the appropriate musical building blocks with which to help condition childhood development.

[Zoroaster]

I'm only eighteen, but, thinking ahead, I wouldn't allow any children of mine to be exposed to metal until puberty.  The way I see it, metal's sound speaks to turmoil and unrest, feelings inherent in the adolescent heart as it the child within dies, ferments, and grows into an adult.

No Tenacious D, though. . .

[Andrew]

I think the question shouldn't be 'what kinds of music to introduce them to?' but more along the lines of 'how to get them to stay away from mainstream garbage?'  I'm sure many here would be tempted to not even allow them to listen to it (like many 'normal' parents would do with metal), but obviously that would make them go to it more; the best bet would probably subtley showing your dislike of that type of music (or if you are a mean parent, pretend that you like it), and maybe explaining in a simple but logical way how it is inferior, although I guess it really just comes down to the quality of the child whether he/she likes crappy music or not.

[ASBO]

Don't introduce your kids to any music.

Listen to your music and, if they want to inherit it, they will, but only if they respect you.

My kids will grow up hearing classical and dad plays metal in the car. No negro music, white trash rock or country, or bullshit folk music will be around.

And no Beatles. John Lennon was a metro.

[Gruumsh]

If I had a child, I would first introduce him with medieval music, and music from video games like Might and Magic, Heroes, Baldur's Gate and similar.
Regardless what you think of video games, (I happen to think that there are a few good ones, which you should play in moderation; the games I named also increase your vocabulary and can prompt you to read fantasy literature) the music in these games imitates classical music and can express certain emotions. Of course, it is not as complicated and good as classical music, but its simpler form can appeal to the child.

When a child starts to read fantasy literature, it will learn more deeply ideas like herosim, independant mind, honour, sacrifice for greater things, etc. Then it will move on to other independant and different music like metal or ambient. So I wouldn't introduce him to metal right away, if the child is smart to recognize the stupid modern music, it will find metal on its own. I speak from first hand experience, this is how I got interested in metal, my parents always wanted me to listed to "normal music" like everybody else, but I was always the black sheep in the family.  

And before somebody attacks me for being a loser because I played RPG computer games (and will continue to play if any good come out, for which chances are very low), I would like to ask you to download and listen a few tracks I've put on         
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=UU602H4O (the file is about 12 mb) and hear it, before you judge.

[oscar the cat]

Maybe let your children find their own path. Give them a good grounding and they'll find good music, unless they're genetically stupid.

Either that, or buttrape them while playing Kenny G and rap music. They'll end up Absurd fans stat!

[ASBO]

Metal isn't going to corrupt your child.

Dumb, temporary music always will.

Sometimes that's metal. If your kid grows up listening to Dying Fetus, expect him to think like a doofus longer than necessary.

This is why we have culture: so the best ideas can rise.

[Divus_de_Mortuus]

Metal isn't going to corrupt your child.

Dumb, temporary music always will.

Sometimes that's metal. If your kid grows up listening to Dying Fetus, expect him to think like a doofus longer than necessary.

This is why we have culture: so the best ideas can rise.

As it has been noted many times in this thread, children don't have the ability to process or understand what metal is and what the aesthetics and emotions mean. Metal certainly could damage a child.

Everyone knows dumb music will corrupt a child. Contribute or don't post.