Both cultural personality traits are influenced by religious, governmental and educational institutions within the respective cultures. A music of any particular World culture tends to be reflective of the traits of the culture. If a culture is dominated by the forces of nature and the environment its music may enjoy a static quality. If a culture dominates the forces of nature and the environment its music may have aspects of action and energy about it. Western society was shaped by the ideas and institutions of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
Western society is a goal-oriented society.
Its languages, social institutions and artistic media reflect an image of controlled and purposeful motion. Styles of rote traditions in music tend to change very gradually over long periods of time. Today, many musics from rote tradition cultures have been converted into music notation systems by music scholars. Enjoyment and understanding of most musics is not dependent upon the ability to read and interpret written music notation. Much music has no pulse.