Analysis Of Mo Tzu's Against Music

Improved Essays
In Mo Tzu’s Against Music, the audience learns that music is detrimental to society. He first starts out by claiming the responsibility of a benevolent man, or women is to eliminate what is ruinous to society. Besides this, a benevolent man’s obligation is not to just take his only interest and add it, but also decide based on the common good. For instance, plenty of people of a higher class, rulers, and ministers may enjoy music, and all it entails, very much; but, it offers few to none benefits for the common man, thus people must stop making it. Mo Tzu concluded that the common man should not pay taxes for something that only benefits a small proportion of the population. With this in mind, people might also note that Mo Tzu was expressing …show more content…
He states that the youth, both male, and female, would be used by the wealthy to help with the music. Due to the fact, that people of higher ages, elderly, do not have a “keen” ear for it. However, if the wealthy use young women and men for this job they will take them away from their responsibilities. Back then, the values of the society differed from the values people have today; they valued providing food or shelter. Meaning that young men should work in the field, plowing, and planting and women’s role is in the house, weaving, and spinning. According to Mo Tzu, any activity that prevents aforementioned from happening prevents the people from making food and clothing, therefore music he concludes, “Making music is wrong.” Although there may be truth in this, he misses the point that employment provides individuals the ability to provide for their family, or at least contribute to it. He has a point that employment to make music, which has no benefit for most the population, is a little usual. However, it sure reaps the same benefits; people can still use the money from their job to purchase food, clothing, and shelter. Here, it is fine to use people to make music because it does not hinder society. In fact, now society has changed and an overwhelming majority of people no longer do that. Over time, people performed jobs that do not contribute to …show more content…
Later on in his writing, he states “music interferes with [the various duties of the world].” Then claims music will interfere with the affairs of the government because music will prevent people from appearing to court early, hearing suits, attending to government affairs, etc. If this is true, then people should not make music because nothing should get in the way of the running of the government because it may end in “the state [becoming] disordered.” Likewise, if Mo Tzi is right and music affects different industries then people it should not make music. However, some people may try to refute this by stating that music makes people more productive: “Music is effective in raising efficiency” (Fox). However, these studies were done way after the time Mo Tzu’s time, so we cannot apply them—society has changed, people have changed. Based on the reading Against Music, the definition of music now differs from the one back then; Music back then involved dancing, eating, and drinking a significant amount of alcohol. It was a more like an event, not a singular

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Rock And Roll Analysis

    • 1883 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Was Rock and Roll Responsible for Dismantling Americas Traditional Family, Sexual, and Racial Customs in the 1950s and 1960s? Dating back to as early as 1922 is when rock n roll appeared in blues songs. It then began to tradition and take off into what we know “rock n roll” in the early 1950s. Rock n Roll was a fashion of rhythm and blues, black gospel, and country-western. Dating back to as early as 1922 is when rock n roll began in blues songs.…

    • 1883 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Until his friend Mike showed him something “wild”. When Mike played Beethoven’s ninth Symphony, Felsenfeld said, “it was like a drug effect on me”. His love for classical music was unconventional for his time. Nowadays, music can be considered the most beautifully constructed way of starting a rebellion. Not only is it a way of mass communicating, but also connecting like minded people, a way of healing, and inspiring individuality.…

    • 791 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Plato, a famous Greek Philosopher once said, “I would teach children music, physics and philosophy; but most importantly music, for the patterns in music and all the arts are the keys to learning.” As a society, we thrive off the arts, most specifically music. No one can honestly say they have gone a few hours without thinking about, humming, whistling, singing, or even playing a song. Yes, drumming your pencil or pen against anything counts. Why would society deny their children the amazing opportunity to learn something this special?…

    • 1599 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Lao Tzu Analysis

    • 2907 Words
    • 12 Pages

    Lao-Tzu, the Idealistic Sage and His Utopia Preface Before starting to write the main paper, please allow me to write a preface for this essay because this topic is special and important to me. Although I majored in Chinese History and Chinese Classical Literature while I was a first year college student in China before I came to the United States, as an international student, writing a serious academic paper about the Chinese classic masterpiece Tao-te Jing and the Great Master Lao-Tzu…

    • 2907 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Chuang Tzu Taoism Analysis

    • 1048 Words
    • 5 Pages

    In an impermanent world, do we have to search for the meaning of life or does it come to us? Chuang Tzu, a Taoist, believes that a happy life comes from being with the Tao or the Way. It is about letting go the desires that come to us and changing our perspective to see the world in a larger picture. It is the growing attachment to these desires which hinder the ability to find the true nature or ultimate reality and despair and anxiety grows. To have a more meaningful and happier life is to not think of achieving a goal but to go with nature.…

    • 1048 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Lou Rawls, an American singer, once acknowledged music as the “greatest [form of] communication in the world” (“Brainy Quote,” n.d., para.14). Music is a way for people to express themselves and their feelings comfortably without being ashamed or embarrassed. While these are positive contributions to personal development, there is much more that music provides for people. The article, “Is Music is the Key to Success?” by Joanne Lipman, addresses how music can help people communicate, think, and feel better in a professional job that may have no correlation to music.…

    • 745 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Baroque Music Dbq

    • 737 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Question 3 Essay Response Music was originally crafted for religious and sacred use. These pieces were performed in churches, and used to enhance church services. The main type of music performed during the Middle Ages was the Gregorian chant. This music was written with sacred Latin text, and sung without instrumental accompaniment. There was no set beat for these songs, and they contained a free-flowing rhythm.…

    • 737 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Music is something that many people all around the world love listening to and creating. Other than enjoyment, music has many additional benefits. It is proven that by listening to music, both memory and coordination can be tremendously improved. In addition to that, music allows children to be more focused in school and even get better SAT scores. Music is a very important and necessary component in daily life, but it was not always how it is today.…

    • 1455 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    After reading the book "The Giver", I think the community in the book is a very bad society. Yes it is a dystopian society. The people in the society live in a dehumanize society and also the people are afraid of the world outside. Citizen live in a dehumanized society.…

    • 288 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Lydia Goehr breaks down the question of how music is tied to politics, and specifically addresses arguments of whether it should be or not. The author starts her discussion with a historical example with the inquest of composer Hanns Eisler by the Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC). The author’s intention in presenting this case appears when she focuses on the defense Eisler. He made statements to the Committee that suggested his music was “music, and nothing else,” having nothing to do with politics. This was in sharp contrast to his previous works which had several political messages and had regarded music as “inseparable from politics.”…

    • 1182 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    For centuries, people have found some sort of comfort/aid in the various genres and sounds of music. Although, with these different genres of music, people with different backgrounds can listen to something they can relate to, or maybe something that makes them feel good. Throughout the years, music has changed for both the good and not-so good, from bringing kids closer to God, to including more vulgarity. Those are just some of the ways music has changed within popular culture. Music is also very influential in the minds and behaviors of children and teens, by giving them a sense of inspiration and wonder.…

    • 1302 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Music has been a part of people’s everyday lives for so long. It even evolved in a lot of different ways, then again, not everyone knows how much it actually affects the human mind and body. It doesn’t just make us sing along when we hear some of our favorite songs, it doesn’t just make us dance and groove, but it also has amazing scientific and medical effects. According to neuroscientist and author of This Is Your Brain on Music, Dr. Daniel J. Levitin, when people try to understand what exactly is the meaning of music and where it actually came from, people could have a better understanding on how it affects their motive, desires, memories, fears, and even communication. “Is music listening more along the lines of eating when you’re hungry, and thus satisfying an urge?…

    • 803 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    One Love Peace Concert Analysis

    • 1293 Words
    • 6 Pages
    • 7 Works Cited

    Musicians can have a very positive impact and open many doors for change and opportunity. Music encourages us to grow and become ourselves while keeping the connection to…

    • 1293 Words
    • 6 Pages
    • 7 Works Cited
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Society is all about music. Music has been a part of every culture; it has been there from the beginning of time and will be there at the end. Music is not just noise, music is another language to express your thoughts and your personality, it is a type of therapy and motivator, and it is a form of connection between people. Music is an expression, an expression to let out our own thoughts and feelings out. After a rough day, driving home from work or school, you may need a moment to yourself.…

    • 784 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Dance Across Cultures

    • 1672 Words
    • 7 Pages

    1. When we sing and dance together our brains synchronize. Why is this important? How does this contribute to the development of culture?…

    • 1672 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays