Unknown to the nation, NASA informed the President of the United States that they had received "first contact" from extra-terrestrials, who had been listening to Earth’s radio broadcast transmissions. The President was naturally curious and asked NASA what the message said. NASA responded, the extra-terrestrials have requested that we play more Chuck Berry.
It is an old joke, but it does make one wonder what extra-terrestrials would think of the human race if they eaves-dropped in on our radio and television broadcast waves from outer space. Along these lines, this category attempts to identify song quotes that might "confuse eaves-dropping extra-terrestrials."
Media is a powerful means of communicating and has powerful impacts. Aside from being a means of mass communication, often media can be manipulated using marketing and communication techniques to magnify its aesthetically appeal and ability to captivate. Frequently, the calculated desired objective is to maximize the size of the audience by attracting a wide range of audiences, which may bring in children and teenagers. Other times, the media breeches moral and ethical codes by directly and indirectly targeting children and teenagers with inappropriate material.
In the past, some of the more negative lyrics were limited to clubs and bars for adults, live performances, artists that targeted their products to mature adults, or an underground following on the fringes of society. However, over the last 10 (to 20) years, there has been a cross-over to the main stream, an influential mainstream that includes children, teenagers, and young adults.
This leads to the greatest concern of all, at what point does society or some segments of society become so saturated with negative media that cultural shifts in behavior may begin. At some point what was once the exception becomes the norm. Has society currently begun to witness the destructive effects of cultural shifts that are regressive set backs to the advancement of humanity and in what ways?
Although there is legitimate debate to what extent negative media has in contributing toward this (as compared to other influencing sources) there is a consistent denial by some individuals, particularly those who generate the material and profit from it, that there is any relationship at all between negative material and the degradation of human behavior directed at individuals, relationships, families, communities, and society.
What type of impression would our negative entertainment that is broadcasted leave upon "eaves-dropping extra-terrestrials from outer-space?" Would they want to establish first contact?