Folk songs are steeped in history and tradition, having many soothing qualities that are known to elicit healing responses in many individuals suffering from mental health conditions like dementia.
They have a positive impact on our bodies by reducing blood pressure, controlling the heart rate, and improving respiration, leading to a healing effect that can improve our daily experience.
Folk songs are important to society because they offer people an opportunity to connect with their roots and sink deeper into the present moment, creating peace and stillness within.
Let’s explore the top reasons why folk songs are super important to society.
They Create Nostalgic Feelings
Like many other songs, folk songs can trigger happy memories of past events, which can be a really positive experience for many people, especially if they have spent a lot of time connecting with their communities by listening, singing, and dancing to folk songs.
They provide an opportunity to connect more deeply with others and remove the separation between ‘us’ and ‘them,’ allowing individuals to become more empathetic to the plights of others.
Singing and dancing together as a society was more common in the old days, and the modern age has become so busy and active that community ties are often overlooked and not given enough significance since people are too focused on their own lives.
They Connect Different Generations
Folk songs are an excellent way for family members to connect with each other and people from different age groups to find similarities that can help them connect on a more individual level.
How often would you expect to see strangers of different age groups connect with one another in an authentic way?
Older adults are more likely to enjoy folk songs and can communicate their interests with the younger generation, especially if communities gather around for folk events, playing music from the past and present to break down communication barriers and engage in wholesome interactions.
They Are Catchy And Easy to Sing Along To
Folk songs are not that complicated and do not have difficult verses, making it easy for everyone gathered at a folk event to sing along and connect, offering opportunities to ‘know thy neighbor’ and not be so caught up in your own life.
Many of our internal problems stem from being too ‘me focused,’ which is an epidemic in today’s age because people are only interested in the details and intricacies of their own lives, resulting in a lack of communication, detachment from reality, and disinterest towards others.
Folk songs predate modern music and use simple instruments to make catchy sounds that can influence many people to join in a sing-along that has many positive benefits to society, such as connecting with strangers.
Final Verdict
Folk songs are incredibly popular and important to society because they create positive feelings in others that allow them to connect with strangers, which is incredibly useful because it reduces feelings of hostility towards others.
Many people feel like strangers in their towns because they don’t make an effort to meet others and are caught up in their egos, making it essential to attend folk events to break down barriers within your location.
Eric Dalius is The Executive Chairman of MuzicSwipe. Eric Dalius is also the host of the Weekly podcast program named FULL SPEED. Eric Dalius is also a philanthropist, who has established four scholarships for US based graduate & under grad students.