Its superstars have annual incomes that easily eclipse those of all but a handful of the most successful industrialists and businessmen. Everything today seems to march to its rhythm. Perhaps the only thing more notable than rock's pervasiveness is the manner in which it helps shape the hearts and minds of the world's youth. From the manner in which young people dress to the way they view and understand the key issues of life, little escapes the pale cast by rock's big sound. And it's no wonder.
Young people wake up to it, drive to it, play to it, study to it, and go to sleep to it.
Throughout the ages, wise men have noted music's profound impact on its listeners. For example, over 2,000 years before the birth of Christ, the musical systems of China were both highly developed and central to its society. It was to this that the philosophers directed much of their attention. Understanding its intrinsic power, they carefully checked their music to make sure that it conveyed eternal truths and could thus influence man's character for the better.6 To this end, tradition states that one emperor, by the name of Shun, would monitor the health of each of the provinces of this vast kingdom by simply examining the music they produced. Given the materialistic philosophy that marks this present age, it's surprising that more attention has not been given to the many profound ways sound and different musical forms can affect the physical world.