'music and character' Lafayette short essay: intellectual interest (like Stanford's?)

Prompt:
In an effort to learn more about you, we ask that you describe an intellectual or creative interest or accomplishment.

Here goes my answer:

I'm interested in the relationship between music and people's characters. I did not conduct a formal research on it, but I always ask people what music genre they like. Then I inferred their characters from the answers. For example, those who love Brit-rock are usually quiet in appearance but passionate in nature; those who are fond of jazz are romantic and sometimes idealistic; those who like R&B are open and gregarious; those who love light indie are kind and nice; those who like indie rock have a conflictive mind. Later talks and acquaintance proved my guesses were virtually correct.

Furthermore, the music that people suddenly have a crush on can reflect their current emotions. For instance, if one who always loves quiet music unexpectedly puts many R&B songs into his mp3 player, he might be impetuous these days.

Besides, I think the connection between music and character has a broad application. For example, a psychotherapist can use this to know patients better, and find out the possible conditions that the patient himself or herself does not discover. In this situation, if the psychotherapist only listens to what the patient says, he may miss the underlying conditions. Another application is linked to management. When employees are indolent, the employer could play energetic music, say R&B, to refresh them.

However, there are limitations in this theory. There are people who do not usually listen to music and who listen but have not built the connection between music and their mind yet. Furthermore, people's characters are complicated and not easy to summarize. So as a primitive idea, it needs further research, which I hope to conduct in college.

I think this doesn't necessarily looks like an essay...like a personal statement or something. It's way too plain and outstraight... but I can't think of other ways to present my idea, like, romantically? that's impossible! My idea really looks like an academic one, so it's hard to say it 'fancifully'...So I need your help! Constructive criticism encouraged! Thanks.

Interestingly, everything you mentioned as a fault is problematic. You are very perceptive of your own weaknesses. That's somewhat unusual.

The idea is intriguing. It would really be an interesting research topic. However, as you stated, it doesn't really address the topic of the paper.

I think it would really help if you gave some personal examples. That might give it more credibility.

Thanks and I'll work it out!

What about this?

Kiko is a close friend of mine. Why do I like to be with her? I can't exactly enumerate reasons, but I know something hit me when she shared her ipod with me: the songs in her ipod were light, bright and relaxing indies, somehow warming and comforting me, just like the tender, kind and welcoming nature of her. A warm person puts warm songs in her ipod...Wait. So is it possible that all those who like warm songs tend to have warm characters?

Yes, since then I became interested in the relationship between music and people's characters. I did not conduct a formal research on it, but I always ask people what music genre they like. Then I inferred their characters from the answers. For example, those who love Brit-rock are usually quiet in appearance but passionate in nature; those who are fond of jazz are romantic and sometimes idealistic; those who like R&B are open and gregarious; those who love light indie are kind and nice(e.g. Kiko); those who like hard rock have a conflictive mind(that's why some rock banders commit suicide). Later talks and acquaintance proved my guesses were virtually correct.

Another hypothesis of mine: the music that people suddenly have a crush on can reflect their current emotions. For instance, if one who always loves quiet music unexpectedly puts many R&B songs into his mp3 player, he might be impetuous these days.

Besides, I think the connection between music and character has a broad application. For example, a psychotherapist can use this to know patients better, and find out the possible conditions that the patient himself or herself does not discover. In this situation, if the psychotherapist only listens to what the patient says, he may miss the underlying conditions. Other applications, as I speculate, include judging who will best fit the team when recruiting a new member, finding girlfriend/boyfriend, and other admissions involving personality examinations (including college admissions? Oops...Okay, as a reference: I love indie and R&B. Plus, ambience clicks with me these days.).

However, there are limitations in this theory. There are people who do not usually listen to music and who listen but have not built the connection between music and their mind yet. Furthermore, people's characters are complicated and not easy to summarize. So as a primitive idea, it needs further research, which I hope to conduct in college.

My problem is that there are word limits...2000 characters... and I obviously have more than that... it's 2390...wow...I can't decide which paragraph or sentence to cut!

Personally i feel that you are stereotyping personalities based on what they listen to. I love listening to hard rock but I am far from wanting to commit suicide. I agree that there is a pattern but i guess not everyone follows this trend.


I agree on this point. Its how music is chosen to fit a specific mood.

Well... I said some rock banders commit suicide, not some rock listeners...that makes some difference, I think...