KMU Focus

[Kookmin Review - Monday,April 8, 2013]

Let's Sing Humanistically

  • 13.04.19 / 김동호
Date 2013-04-19 Hit 30198



Are you aware of the popular singer named Jason Mraz? Perhaps, you might have heard of his songs, such as 'I'm Yours', 'Lucky', and '93 Million Miles'. Of course, I do not intend to talk about American Pop here. That I referred to Jason Mraz right at the start is due to his own philosophy contained in his music, which is special in itself and makes him special as well. In addition, this philosophy has been able to separate him from other musicians like Justin Bieber or Jay-Z who are just as famous as him. He is not only a musician who sings love-songs, but also a preacher who spreads his own philosophy of love in life with a positive energy. So what then is it?

It is very clear that love lies at the root of all of his music. Jason Mraz says, "I have sung of love all the time." As for him, however, the concept of love is quite far-reaching, beyond the love between a man and a woman. Witness the allusion of love in his journal: "Love makes me feel superhuman. After all, love is what we as human’s do best. In all my ‘research’ on love, I conclude it has nothing to do with partnerships; that’s secondary. Love begins within. When you let your heart lead you, love triumphs and fills you with the experience of being happy and successful."

Love based on certain relationships is bound to have little resonance, and cannot be continued for long, because once a relationship disappears, the love that accompanied it also does. That is why he says partnerships mean nothing with regards to love, and that we should not simply cling to a relationship, but see the inside from which love begins. We can be quite free through it. In addition, love unbound from the inside will be able to stretch out its hand to everyone and put every prejudice to shame in the shadows.

As we can notice from the title of Jason Mraz's 4th album named 'Love Is A Four Letter Word', it is filled with his messages about love. He presents various forms of love between human beings, and also puts his affection for humans themselves in it. Such affection makes its way toward everything around us including our lives. That is to say, what he sings is a global and humanistic love, which covers his music by and large. He takes love, as a kind of medium, for the main subject of music in order to easily step up to the masses because love exists in all of us, whether we are conscious of it or not. Thus, we can sympathize with his music well, recognizing the humanistic love he sings, and finally share it with one another.

Jason Mraz believes that music can change the world. For that reason, he maximizes the ripple effect of his music on the masses by using love as the subject and making it easy to listen to. In a sense, one might say that he is strategically connected with his music business. However, as a big fan of his, I also have faith that if the group of people who listen to songs filled with his affection for the world and humanity grows larger, ultimately the world will undergo an affirmative change. Of course, we all know that it is not that easy. If we do not change first, we won't be able to bring about any change in the world. Therefore, we should pay attention to humanistic values founded on love and be armed with them.

Look around yourself carefully. By any chance, is there someone suffering from alienation? Do you want to turn your face away because he or she isn't your business? In fact, he or she is. Try to talk to him or her. That is the first step towards a beautiful world which is packed with love. Do not adhere just to the relationship itself with someone. Leave your mind wide-open without any prejudice, and a delightful change in the world, or even of your life, will go with you. Creating a stir in the world, by awakening the humanistic love inside ourselves, is the very power that makes it possible for us to positively change the world.

Jason Mraz puts this power in his music and delivers it to the whole world. Behind his amazing live-performances and cheerful music, there are implications regarding love and humanity. As he keeps on singing love for a bright world, we should practice humanity in every nook and cranny of the land. What are you waiting for? Right now, why don't you listen to Jason Mraz's music which resonates like a human heartbeat?
Kookmin Review Kim Hyun-Soo

[Kookmin Review - Monday,April 8, 2013]

Let's Sing Humanistically

Date 2013-04-19 Hit 30198



Are you aware of the popular singer named Jason Mraz? Perhaps, you might have heard of his songs, such as 'I'm Yours', 'Lucky', and '93 Million Miles'. Of course, I do not intend to talk about American Pop here. That I referred to Jason Mraz right at the start is due to his own philosophy contained in his music, which is special in itself and makes him special as well. In addition, this philosophy has been able to separate him from other musicians like Justin Bieber or Jay-Z who are just as famous as him. He is not only a musician who sings love-songs, but also a preacher who spreads his own philosophy of love in life with a positive energy. So what then is it?

It is very clear that love lies at the root of all of his music. Jason Mraz says, "I have sung of love all the time." As for him, however, the concept of love is quite far-reaching, beyond the love between a man and a woman. Witness the allusion of love in his journal: "Love makes me feel superhuman. After all, love is what we as human’s do best. In all my ‘research’ on love, I conclude it has nothing to do with partnerships; that’s secondary. Love begins within. When you let your heart lead you, love triumphs and fills you with the experience of being happy and successful."

Love based on certain relationships is bound to have little resonance, and cannot be continued for long, because once a relationship disappears, the love that accompanied it also does. That is why he says partnerships mean nothing with regards to love, and that we should not simply cling to a relationship, but see the inside from which love begins. We can be quite free through it. In addition, love unbound from the inside will be able to stretch out its hand to everyone and put every prejudice to shame in the shadows.

As we can notice from the title of Jason Mraz's 4th album named 'Love Is A Four Letter Word', it is filled with his messages about love. He presents various forms of love between human beings, and also puts his affection for humans themselves in it. Such affection makes its way toward everything around us including our lives. That is to say, what he sings is a global and humanistic love, which covers his music by and large. He takes love, as a kind of medium, for the main subject of music in order to easily step up to the masses because love exists in all of us, whether we are conscious of it or not. Thus, we can sympathize with his music well, recognizing the humanistic love he sings, and finally share it with one another.

Jason Mraz believes that music can change the world. For that reason, he maximizes the ripple effect of his music on the masses by using love as the subject and making it easy to listen to. In a sense, one might say that he is strategically connected with his music business. However, as a big fan of his, I also have faith that if the group of people who listen to songs filled with his affection for the world and humanity grows larger, ultimately the world will undergo an affirmative change. Of course, we all know that it is not that easy. If we do not change first, we won't be able to bring about any change in the world. Therefore, we should pay attention to humanistic values founded on love and be armed with them.

Look around yourself carefully. By any chance, is there someone suffering from alienation? Do you want to turn your face away because he or she isn't your business? In fact, he or she is. Try to talk to him or her. That is the first step towards a beautiful world which is packed with love. Do not adhere just to the relationship itself with someone. Leave your mind wide-open without any prejudice, and a delightful change in the world, or even of your life, will go with you. Creating a stir in the world, by awakening the humanistic love inside ourselves, is the very power that makes it possible for us to positively change the world.

Jason Mraz puts this power in his music and delivers it to the whole world. Behind his amazing live-performances and cheerful music, there are implications regarding love and humanity. As he keeps on singing love for a bright world, we should practice humanity in every nook and cranny of the land. What are you waiting for? Right now, why don't you listen to Jason Mraz's music which resonates like a human heartbeat?
Kookmin Review Kim Hyun-Soo
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