Tween Scene

Melanie Lowe, in her article "Tween" Scene: Resistance within the Mainstream, addresses the worries that many adults have about the pop-fandom that many young teen-age/pre-teen girls follow. She argues that the girls who seem to be so impressionable have the ability to separate the message of the song, with which they may not agree, from the music itself, which they enjoy. "They often choose to hear, but not listen, to see but not read - a strategy that allows them to maintain strong, often feminist, convictions and still enjoy consuming music that does not jibe with their maturing politics." She goes on to say that much of the pop-fandom activity occurs in the privacy of a girl's own bedroom. Within this safe haven called home, which girls have learned is ruled by women, they can act out their burgeoning political deals while still comfortably safe.

I am still a little bit concerned with the generalities that Lowe draws in her conclusions. I want to know how her focus groups were chosen. Did these girls know what the groups were about? They obviously volunteered, which may have a skewing effect in the data obtained. Perhaps the girls that would volunteer is also the one with the political feminist-like ideals that Lowe saw; each having to do with a sense of duty? Even disregarding that, the statement about being able to disconnect the message from the music is a little naive. By listening to the music, one is consuming the message, and whether or not one agrees with it he is still consuming it. This may then have an effect on others, whether corporate of individual, telling them that this is what people want; this message is what people want to here. Thereby, the cycle is enforced.

Discussion Question:
Can a person completely detach the meaning from the music?