Frank Sinatra, Johnny Cash, Chuck Berry, The Eagles, Van Halen, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Whitney Houston—what do they all have in common? The answer: they were part and parcel of America’s cultural golden age, a time when our music reflected a healthy and intact culture. These musicians bestowed their genius upon the American people across decades, imbuing each song with the richness of thought and decency that defined American cultural identity.
That identity has been systematically dismantled through the introduction of decadence and moral depravity as the new golden standard for American pop culture. The music industry has followed suit to disastrous and destructive ends.
Over the last few decades, we have witnessed an unprecedented wave of pollution across our entire cultural life. Television, cinema, theater, music and the arts have all fallen prey to a pernicious cultural rewrite that has encouraged the erosion of timeless American values such as modesty, temperance and integrity. Coupled with the destruction, these values are being substituted with various forms of moral depravity and substandard behavior under the guise of liberalism. A dominant culture that exerts influence and authority over its people is held together not merely by political or military might, but by a shared set of values rooted in decency, responsibility and the pursuit of a higher moral standard. When these values are discarded in favor of hedonism and moral ambiguity, the very fabric of society begins to fray.
For example, take "Simple Man" by Lynyrd Skynyrd, which is an American household staple and piece of cultural excellence:
"Oh, take your time, don't live too fast
Troubles will come and they will pass
You'll find a woman, and you'll find love,
And don't forget son there is someone up above
And be a simple kind of man,
be something you love and understand."
Now, contrast that with "WAP" by rapper Cardi B., who has become a modern pop culture icon and role model for many young Americans today.
"I want you to park that big Mack truck,
Right in this little garage
Make it cream, make me scream
Out in public, make a scene
I don't cook, I don't clean,
But let me tell you how I got this ring."
The majority of the current American music scene is rife with moral corruption just like this.
Conscious decisions are being made to give lucrative contracts to America’s most popular “artists” such as Britney Spears, Cardi B., and Ice Spice; Lady Gaga, Travis Scott and others. These musicians promote values that are antithetical to a healthily functioning society. Deliberately platforming artists who promote excess and moral decay is a subversive tactic that erodes the foundation of a strong, national identity - one that was built on moral decency and modesty.
By pushing these sorts of artists into the spotlight, the entertainment industry not only normalizes, but glorifies, behaviors and values that run counter to the principles of restraint, integrity and civic responsibility upon which a cohesive and united society is built. Music can act as a conduit for greatness; it can also be used as a tool for social engineering.
The music industry, at present, encourages a shallow and perverse culture focused on instant gratification, materialism and fleeting pleasures, rather than the pursuit of virtue, self-discipline and critical thinking. As these anti-values take root in America’s cultural life, the nation drifts further from the moral anchors that once bound it together, replacing a culture of decency and accountability with one of indulgence and moral relativism. Over time, this creates a weak and sickly society, less able to maintain a unified identity, and more susceptible to cultural decay and external influences.
America is sick. Our music industry, once celebrated for producing timeless classics that were substantial and rich in thought, has been hijacked with the intent to weaken internal American cultural hegemony—the very life force and strength of the people. Instead, young Americans are being taught to glorify hedonism, making the next generation weak, fickle, and easy to manipulate, with little to no moral principles to anchor them against further cultural decline.
The battle to preserve our unique and exclusive culture, which has existed for nearly 250 years, is perhaps the most pressing existential concern facing America today. Without our culture, we are not a people or a nation, but merely a hollow shell of one.
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