The campaign launched by Italian paediatricians, as Dr Lisa Mastrangelo - one of the project’s promoters - also explained, does not aim to demonise a specific musical genre but rather to compare the representations of love and relationships provided in current texts and those of the past.
Professor Giacomo Simonetti shares his colleagues’ concerns about the misogynistic and generally hateful content of many of the lyrics: "Statistics show that many songs address troubling themes: seven out of ten songs discuss anger, six out of ten focus on violence, 58% mention drugs, and 55% talk about gender inequality. These songs often depict misogyny, sexism, and the objectification of women, as well as other high cultural issues. Like the Italian paediatricians, I view this as a serious concern for kids who may struggle to distinguish right from wrong and could easily get influenced by these messages. Young people are particularly susceptible to group dynamics during their formative years, which can overshadow other important values, such as those learned in school."
Censoring songs cannot solve the problem; instead, it can be solved by creating a network of parents, educators, doctors, and psychologists capable of supporting young people and helping them understand the texts and their actual content. "In Switzerland, it is important to raise awareness among families when they visit the paediatrician, especially as their children enter pre-adolescence and adolescence. During these stages, it’s essential to engage with the child in a collaborative manner, as opposed to the earlier childhood years when parents typically make decisions on their behalf. Adolescents need to develop their critical thinking skills, and it is crucial to instil values in them during this formative time," commented the USI professor, who then raised some questions about censorship: "Censorship should be avoided as much as possible; however, certain types of lyrics are not aired on public radio during daytime hours. This indicates that there is indeed problematic material that is intentionally excluded from broadcasting. Additionally, minors, or individuals under a specific age, are prohibited from watching certain films. One might consider whether similar logic could also be applied to music."
Parents are often accused of no longer being able to fulfil their role, an opinion that Professor Simonetti does not share: "I do not think that today’s parents are any less good than those of the past. I believe parenting skills and the natural instinct to raise one’s child are fundamentally the same. However, the world has become more complex. There are more possibilities and freedoms, and the workplace has become more stressful and intricate. As a result, effective management has also become more challenging."
Music can also become a therapeutic tool, as explained by the paediatrician: "In 2022, in collaboration with USI, we organised a conference series "L’arte che cura", and one evening was dedicated precisely to the theme of music as a tool to promote healing. In paediatrics, the effects of music to promote healing and certain physiological effects are well known. For example, playing music to premature babies in incubators positively affects metabolism and organ development. Music plays a vital role in children’s development. Learning to play an instrument enhances various cognitive skills, attention, and reasoning abilities. As pediatricians, we advocate for children’s exposure to music, particularly in school settings," Professor Simonetti concluded.
