Jose Wilfredo M.

Lucas
2015-06944
English 10 THX5 Report Outlines
Topic:

Self-empowerment in Contemporary Popular Music

Title:

Getting the Code behind Roar and Born This Way: A Glimpse of Self-empowerment in
Contemporary Popular Music

Thesis Statement:

In the mainstream popular music industry nowadays, the views of self-empowerment are
promoted by singers and songwriters through their songs in light of the fact that the
present generation fight to gain a new kind of freedom, equality and self-acceptance
behind a massive current issue of social judgment based on eccentricity.

Introduction:

Listening to music is a self-discovering, emotion-swinging, and an educating experience,

mind enlightening in the sense that the views of the songwriters can influence the
listeners own perception of the world they live in.

I.

A massive outbreak of self-empowerment views in the new generation was created with a motive against
more widespread social oppression issues nowadays in a more psychological effect.
A. Bullying is a popular form of present oppression that is characterized by the use of force to abuse and
dominate others.
1. It may be a form of disability bullying.
2. It may be a form of gender orientation bullying.
3. It may be a form of cyberbullying.
B. Discrimination, another type of social oppression, is the behavior of making a division commonly
against to a particular group of people.
1. It can be direct that targets an individual for something that he or she possesses, is oriented, is
disabled or is characterized.
a. It can be in a form of gender discrimination.
b. It can be in a form of physical characteristics discrimination.
c. It can be in a form of disability discrimination.
2. It can be based on the organization of the society as depicted in social classes based on
economic status.
C. Racism is the belief that distinguishes a certain race from another by the basis of superiority or
inferiority.

II.

Self-empowerment incorporations to popular music were influenced by reformist movements emerged

popularly out of the groups of people that are somehow misunderstood by the society.

III.

Songs related to self-empowerment started to become popular because of some social and practical
reasons.
A. The youth, which comprises a large part of the socially-judged people, intensely related themselves to
the songs.
B. The songs are not only composed of self-empowering lyrics but are also produced like mainstream pop
songs nowadays.
C. The songs are performed by artists who are immensely famous and are proud advocates of social
equality.
1. Such artists include Lady Gaga who performed Born This Way and is a supporter of LGBT
rights.
2. Katy Perry performed the massive hit songs Roar and Firework and is a UNICEF
ambassador.
3. Other philanthropic artists include Taylor Swift, Demi Lovato, Miley Cyrus and a lot more other
performers who advocated for social justice.

IV.

Todays self-empowerment songs provided positive effects on the young generation.

A. Music was used as a teaching method for children.
1. It provided awareness of children of the present condition of the society.
2. It helped children who are oppressed themselves to feel better while they are still young.
3. It advances the childrens avoidance of thoughts of harassing and repressing other individuals.
B. Since its inception, bullying incidences was somehow reduced for it gave awareness to the bullied and
the bullies alike.
C. It promoted different forms of equality.
1. Social class equality which is concerned on the individuals economic status was upheld.
2. Political equality was advanced, proved by the increased opportunities of diverse people to
enter political activities.
3. Gender orientation equality is now a common advocacy and is established by the acquisition
of rights of the LGBT community.
4. Race equality is shown by the constant actions of people against different offenses on their
ethnic origin.
D. It upheld the ability of people to fight for ones self and to have freedom of choice in their actions,
character and statements.

V.

Any form of modifications in the music industrys status quo is not without criticisms, as showed by the
certain downsides of songs with a hint of self-empowerment.

A. It is a common assumption of the public that self-empowering songs encompass much of the
mainstream culture.
1. Song lyrics of self-empowerment tend to be too clich.
2. The essence of the words is overpowered by catchy tunes and dance beats, thus leaving
behind what the music empowers above all.
B. The self-empowerment songs, if thought illogically by people, will cause a sense of excessive self-pride.
Conclusion:

As the generation nowadays tends to be freer yet more politically and socially acquainted, they
formulate thoughts of their freedom of expression as being essential to their existence, and thus
create views and beliefs of the current social conditions which eventually constitute the most of
media today. Awareness is a must to be sought, and is a gift if discovered, for having a wild eye to
the community is a means to see the world with a better future.