Prisons and record labels?

I saw a video where a guy makes a poignant argument that since most of the prisons in America are privately owned, they've struck deals with rap record artists to push certain narratives on violence. This music will then be repeatedly played in prisons or promoted, which breeds a cycle of violence and crime that continues to fill these prisons for generations. 

Prisons are businesses. And the formula for a successful business is repeating customers. The motive is there. And the facts on the ground support this claim. Insiders like Ice Cube have spoken about this. 

It really goes to show that if you're not aware and discerning of what kind of entertainment or media you consume, or are exposed to, and of the effect it has on you and others, you'll just end up accepting and absorbing someone else's flawed version of truth and their distorted narratives and twisted worldviews. 

It's like Shaykh Hamza Yusuf once said in a speech: "Everyone is a philosopher. If you don't philosophize, someone else will do it for you. " Which essentially means there is no default setting. You either do the work yourself and soul-search and truth-seek based on principles or you end up accepting someone else's version of truth for your own, even unwittingly, or unwillingly. 

Comments