Is the Music Industry Marketing Suicide to Teens?
By Bethany Vale
Driving home from an event on the east side of Detroit, the lights surrounding the Marathon oil refinery appeared above the horizon like hundreds of stars hanging close to earth. The hypnotic beat of a popular Bilie Eilish song echoed through my brain.
I wanna end me I wanna, I wanna, I wanna...end me I wanna, I wanna, I wanna... |
A jaded old voice within me jumped to conclusions. No wonder the youth suicide rate has increased by 56% in the last decade, I thought. Kids are embracing depression as a style choice. It's suddenly cool to be consumed by anguish. Depression sells, and teens are buying!
Thankfully, the younger voice that still lives within me spoke up to challenge the half-cocked notion that today's artists could be responsible for the suicide epidemic. I thought of my own trip through adolescence and young adulthood. Some of my favorite mix tapes included songs like Metallica's "One," Ozzy Osbourne's "Suicide Solution," and Sound Garden's "Black Hole Sun." Did those brutally depressing lyrics make me want to end it all? No. Did a steady diet of heavy metal and dark alternative music turn all of my friends into an evil, violent or chronically depressed adults? Again, no.
If anything, the darkest and most depressing vibe in music history reached a pinnacle in the 90s and lost the battle to pop and hip hop music as the dawn of a new decade emerged. Deaths by suicide fell markedly in the 1980s and 1990s before rising again at the turn of the century. If you follow the numbers, the darkest era in music didn't coincide with the surge in teen suicides. It actually coincided with a sharp decline in teen suicides.
Thankfully, the younger voice that still lives within me spoke up to challenge the half-cocked notion that today's artists could be responsible for the suicide epidemic. I thought of my own trip through adolescence and young adulthood. Some of my favorite mix tapes included songs like Metallica's "One," Ozzy Osbourne's "Suicide Solution," and Sound Garden's "Black Hole Sun." Did those brutally depressing lyrics make me want to end it all? No. Did a steady diet of heavy metal and dark alternative music turn all of my friends into an evil, violent or chronically depressed adults? Again, no.
If anything, the darkest and most depressing vibe in music history reached a pinnacle in the 90s and lost the battle to pop and hip hop music as the dawn of a new decade emerged. Deaths by suicide fell markedly in the 1980s and 1990s before rising again at the turn of the century. If you follow the numbers, the darkest era in music didn't coincide with the surge in teen suicides. It actually coincided with a sharp decline in teen suicides.
Suicide Rates*,† for Teens Aged 15–19 Years, by Sex — United States, 1975–2015
So, What's Going Wrong?
Art imitates life, and life isn't always pretty. Just as we crave funny movies to lift our spirits, we sometimes crave the realism and pain expressed in desperate songs. Humans are blessed with a wide range of emotions so that we might appreciate the sun along with the rain. To feel is to be alive. It takes more than a sad song to break a spirit. There must me more to this disturbing epidemic, and I'm committed to finding out what's behind it.
Is Social Media to Blame?
In a study of 1,787 American adults between the ages of 19 and 32, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh found that people who use between seven and 11 social media platforms are three times more likely to develop depression and anxiety than those who use between zero and two platforms. (Source.) Lead author and physician Brian Primack proposed a few theories to explain the connection between suicide, depression and social media abuse:
My own interpretation of the data is a bit less clinical. I see a world where young people desperately want to be seen and heard, even if that means releasing constant selfies or sharing deeply personal information that's best kept private. When I think of the sheer amount of time it would take to maintain relationships across seven or more social platforms, my head spins. Obviously, an individual with that kind of time might not be engaging in many face-to-face conversations. It's a clear sign of loneliness and isolation--the real destroyers of emotional health and happiness. Spending more time among living, breathing people could be the ultimate remedy. One close friend is worth a thousand online acquaintances.
- Multitasking is connected to "poor cognitive and mental health outcomes."
- The "cultural assumptions and idiosyncrasies of each platform are increasingly difficult to navigate when the number of platforms used rises, which could lead to negative mood and emotions.”
- Multiple platforms lead to a greater chance to commit embarrassing social mistakes.
My own interpretation of the data is a bit less clinical. I see a world where young people desperately want to be seen and heard, even if that means releasing constant selfies or sharing deeply personal information that's best kept private. When I think of the sheer amount of time it would take to maintain relationships across seven or more social platforms, my head spins. Obviously, an individual with that kind of time might not be engaging in many face-to-face conversations. It's a clear sign of loneliness and isolation--the real destroyers of emotional health and happiness. Spending more time among living, breathing people could be the ultimate remedy. One close friend is worth a thousand online acquaintances.
Romance and Heartbreak
A study of 15- to 18-year-old Canadian teens found that 23 percent had experienced a breakup in the prior six months. (Source.) While most of us have experienced that soul crushing depression that follows a bad breakup, today's young people may be
Academic Pressure
Many national studies indicate that children are burdened by more homework than ever before. According to a 2018 study conducted by the Better Sleep Council, about one-third of teens reported spending more than 20 hours per week. Worse yet, homework stress is the biggest source of frustration for teens, with 74 percent of those surveyed ranking it higher than stress related to self-esteem issues, parental expectations and bullying. (Source.)
I can certainly see how a young person might feel emotionally overwhelmed by too much homework. In graduate school, I had an overzealous teacher who asked students to read 50 classic novels and write a lesson plan for each. Her goal was to help aspiring teachers build an arsenal of material, but the immense burden of the assignment led many students to drop out of her class. For weeks on end, I stayed up all night reading and drove the icy freeway to school with no sleep. Just about every waking moment of my life was spent writing the book reports and lesson plans connected to those 50 novels. Dare I say that life lost all meaning that semester. My passion for reading was destroyed. I no longer wanted to be a teacher. I questioned everything about my life and my existence, and it wasn't because of my love for Ozzy, Metallica or the chat rooms on America Online. It was because of the insane burden that one teacher had placed upon me.
It's convenient to blame the media for everything, but we must never overlook the classic pressures that drive young souls over the edge. If an honor student on the dean's list can face an existential crisis when faced with too much work, imagine how the average high school student must feel. Great care should be taken to ensure that young people don't bite off more than they can chew. For example, it's not a good idea to take an advanced math course while simultaneously studying a new language. Never take more than one intensive writing class per semester, and use elective courses like volleyball to minimize the overall workload. Life is not a contest to see how much weight we can carry before breaking down at the finish line. It's okay to just breathe.
I can certainly see how a young person might feel emotionally overwhelmed by too much homework. In graduate school, I had an overzealous teacher who asked students to read 50 classic novels and write a lesson plan for each. Her goal was to help aspiring teachers build an arsenal of material, but the immense burden of the assignment led many students to drop out of her class. For weeks on end, I stayed up all night reading and drove the icy freeway to school with no sleep. Just about every waking moment of my life was spent writing the book reports and lesson plans connected to those 50 novels. Dare I say that life lost all meaning that semester. My passion for reading was destroyed. I no longer wanted to be a teacher. I questioned everything about my life and my existence, and it wasn't because of my love for Ozzy, Metallica or the chat rooms on America Online. It was because of the insane burden that one teacher had placed upon me.
It's convenient to blame the media for everything, but we must never overlook the classic pressures that drive young souls over the edge. If an honor student on the dean's list can face an existential crisis when faced with too much work, imagine how the average high school student must feel. Great care should be taken to ensure that young people don't bite off more than they can chew. For example, it's not a good idea to take an advanced math course while simultaneously studying a new language. Never take more than one intensive writing class per semester, and use elective courses like volleyball to minimize the overall workload. Life is not a contest to see how much weight we can carry before breaking down at the finish line. It's okay to just breathe.
The Wish to Be Famous
In my generation, folks tuned into a talent show called Star Search for a little reminder that dreams really do come true. That's cute, but the E-Score Celebrity database indicates that there are only about 10,000 celebrities in America, and you're not one of them. (Source.) According to sites like onlinecasino.ca, the odds of starring in a move are less than 1 in 1.5 million. You have a better chance of drowning as you relax in a warm bath. (Source.)
Despite the astronomical odds against achieving fame, 75% of children ages 6 to 17 aspire to become professional YouTubers. (Source.) The statistics aren't much more encouraging as teens move into young adulthood. According to a USA Today poll, 51% of 18 to 25 year olds say that “to be famous” is among their generation’s greatest goals.
America's love affair with fame is further illustrated by the increased number of talent shows on the air today. Here are some of the more popular ones:
I won't say it's a bad thing to have a dream. In my freshman year of college, I took a theater class and fantasized about driving to Hollywood in my little white Escort. Around age 30, I published a novel. A dear friend of mine studied guitar for 35 years and played in numerous Detroit area bands. Another friend quit her teaching job to write music, host live shows and play violin at weddings. Even my grandfather, who died long before social media exploded, found great satisfaction in painting landscapes and designing ice sculptures for local exhibitions.
I'm endlessly inspired by people who stay connected to their artistic aspirations, but I'm even more impressed by folks who keep one foot on the ground. Every single one of my artistic friends has a marketable skill that can be utilized in a pinch, be it teaching, computer networking, auto repair or hair styling. We all understand that our backup careers and day jobs are just as important as our artistic endeavors. Teenagers should know that happiness is all about balance. You can't get so wrapped up in the pursuit of recognition that your life would lose all meaning without it. The acquisition of fans and followers is great, but enjoyment of your craft is king. You know what's even more satisfying than releasing a video that gets thousands of hits? Scoring a job that pays the rent and going to bed with the knowledge that you'll always be okay, even if your YouTube aspirations don't work out.
Despite the astronomical odds against achieving fame, 75% of children ages 6 to 17 aspire to become professional YouTubers. (Source.) The statistics aren't much more encouraging as teens move into young adulthood. According to a USA Today poll, 51% of 18 to 25 year olds say that “to be famous” is among their generation’s greatest goals.
America's love affair with fame is further illustrated by the increased number of talent shows on the air today. Here are some of the more popular ones:
- The Voice
- America's Got Talent
- American Idol
- The Masked Singer
- The World's Best
- Britain's Got Talent
- America's Got Talent
- The Voice UK
I won't say it's a bad thing to have a dream. In my freshman year of college, I took a theater class and fantasized about driving to Hollywood in my little white Escort. Around age 30, I published a novel. A dear friend of mine studied guitar for 35 years and played in numerous Detroit area bands. Another friend quit her teaching job to write music, host live shows and play violin at weddings. Even my grandfather, who died long before social media exploded, found great satisfaction in painting landscapes and designing ice sculptures for local exhibitions.
I'm endlessly inspired by people who stay connected to their artistic aspirations, but I'm even more impressed by folks who keep one foot on the ground. Every single one of my artistic friends has a marketable skill that can be utilized in a pinch, be it teaching, computer networking, auto repair or hair styling. We all understand that our backup careers and day jobs are just as important as our artistic endeavors. Teenagers should know that happiness is all about balance. You can't get so wrapped up in the pursuit of recognition that your life would lose all meaning without it. The acquisition of fans and followers is great, but enjoyment of your craft is king. You know what's even more satisfying than releasing a video that gets thousands of hits? Scoring a job that pays the rent and going to bed with the knowledge that you'll always be okay, even if your YouTube aspirations don't work out.
The Profound Impact of Bullying
Now more than ever, it's important to be kind to one another. Not long ago, I read that Michigan was named the state with the biggest bullying problem in the nation. When you see a kid sitting alone, you should say "hello" or invite him to your lunch table. Instead, the tendency is to torment him, either emotionally or physically. I'd like to see a massive movement to form a protective barrier around such kids and invite them to more social events.
Mental Disorders
Depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and other disorders cause the brain to function differently than usual and lead to thoughts that eventually result in suicide. A lot of youth with mental disorders don’t feel like they belong in society and consider themselves outcasts. That is just one of the many reasons that people with mental disorders commit suicide. Frustration with themselves and society and the trouble they have fitting in often lead them to take call it an end. Mental disorders need to be detected early on and treatment is required, but sometimes even that doesn’t work.