“Ah, music,” [Dumbledore said], wiping his eyes. “A magic beyond all we do here!” ― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Whether we listen to pop, rock ‘n roll, heavy metal, R&B or any other preferred genre of music, whether our music tastes rest heavily in the current decade or several decades ago, music is meant to bring all of us together through a common love. By human nature, many of us try to create hierarchies for the musicians that we admire: “He’s too autotuned.” “She’s too promiscuous.” “Their following is too young to appreciate good music.” Regardless of these labels and differences, when boiled down to its most fundamental level, music has the power to transcend age, culture and gender in an effort to connect people who otherwise would likely not come into passing with one another.
For that reason, among many others, it is understandable why so many people are devastated in the wake of the Manchester bombing that occurred in Manchester Arena moments after Ariana Grande’s concert on May 22. The aftermath of the explosion sent the global sphere into a tailspin, the horror felt even deeper given the young demographic present at Grande’s shows. In addition to fans and others alike sending love and supportive messages to Grande and the families of loved ones who were missing or killed online, many musicians also spoke up with an important message: continue spreading love and continue attending concerts.
It is times like the ones that we are living in that seemingly justify leaning toward the safe side of avoiding certain places. Recently having returned from studying for a semester in Europe, I spent the last four and a half months on numerous forms of transportation, my least favorite being probably the obvious one; airplanes. I was less than 20 minutes away by tube from the Westminster when the attack occurred on March 22, two months prior to the Manchester bombing. However, whether you are flying somewhere for the opportunity that you will likely never experience again, or you are going to see your favorite musician, possibly your idol, in concert, there is a lot more to consider now.
Many parents will not want their young children to attend concerts for a while. I cannot say that I blame them, especially since I am not a parent, myself, and I cannot imagine the unbelievable pain so many have endured over the last week. However, it is a slippery slope when it comes to limiting what we can and cannot do. While we live in a world where fears are becoming more and more palpable wherever we go, it is also just that – it can happen wherever we go. Unfortunately, just because you do not send your child to a concert, it does not mean that danger is 100 percent avoidable. What happened in Manchester Arena could also occur in a movie theater, in a sports stadium or even in what we imagine to be one of the safest places imaginable: a school. Tragically, it has already happened in these environments through different circumstances.
I am not saying that the fear is unjustified, nor am I saying that we should not express a degree of fear when we live our lives. If we reject fear, then we become desensitized to the cruelty that is constantly surrounding us. However, there is a point when the fear can completely consume us, and that is not healthy either. Therefore, in an effort to fight that fear and not let those who yearn to instill it within us win, we should continue listening to music, we should continue to hope for a better world where people do not have to dread an environment that offers so much support for those who exist within it and we should continue to let music bring us together in the best possible way: through love.