Happiness Is An Attitude

Happiness is an attitude… and it is not as common as it once was. The study of behavior modification is not new. It has been documented that popular culture can directly influence people’s attitudes as much if not more than education. One of the most powerful influences on behavior and attitude is music. If you listen to a diversity of music from the beginning of the 20th century through present-day, you will find that we have gone through cycles of positive and negative thought being expressed through song. “Hits” of the 1920s tend to be about good times and love. In the 1930s and 40s, there are some songs about “the blues” or “being poor”, but they are far out-numbered by positive tunes of love and good times. The 1950s and early 60s had a lot of good-time party tunes and “beach music” was popular. In the late sixties, there was more doom and gloom in song, especially among the “hippie” generation. The 1970s and 80s brought about a lot more positive songs, again. Then the 1990s and songs in 2001 though today, it seems that more and more tunes are being written with negative, even destructive themes. Gangsta RAP has become a huge influence with kids and I don’t know if parents realize that it is more than just wearing hats backward and baggy pants, with boxer shorts visible to the world. There is a core negativism in this music that is poisoning our youth, not necessarily making them violent, but turning them into defeatists, and fatalists. Young people, in particular, should be enjoying life and looking forward to the future opportunities that they will have. Believing that they can be happy and live the life of their dreams starts with positive thinking and great attitude. They need to welcome each day with a smile and look forward to tomorrow. Life should bring abundant happiness… it starts with attitude.