In a study published by Dave Snell and Darrin Hodgetts, the authors take a look at the links between cultural, economic, and age factors in the heavy metal scene. In their study, the duo takes in six underground metal fans and places them in different clubs and different metal scenes. The results that this study posted were surprisingly uniform across the board. No matter where one comes from, no matter how much money one has, no matter one’s race or ethnicity, metal is a safe community. They found that the mature members of the audience take to the culture and run with it as their own kind of religion and following. They are safe with their fellow metal heads; as a group they are non-violent and respectful toward their kin. The fan base are not ones who judge new members or even the loners of the clan; on the contrary, they are mostly found to be incredibly welcoming, a kind of safe place for damaged youths to come and find a commonality with others who are in their same situation. In their own group, they respect and live the music, it is not violent, nor does it provoke them to be violent. .
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Blacks, Mexicans, Asians, and even White people all feel pain and can lean towards acting upon their pain in a negative way. The inclusive heavy metal culture provides these people with better outlets for their rage, rather than senseless violence and possible killings. Inside the metal community the background of a person does not matter, it is the person themselves others are interested in. As a community, violence is down because of commonality and shared hatred and pains that result in constructive outlets for this, such as writing and even moshing. In research, no distinction is made between a metal fan and a metal fan. Neither is different from the other in the eyes of the metal culture. This communal aspect positively impacts potential violence and acting out within the members of this community. This breaks down the barriers imagined in the music community. In general thoughts and actions are seen as impacted by situation and background, but this study aims to prove that these factors do not affect the metal listener. The music to metal fans is a common bond, something that breaks down socioeconomic barriers and proves constant everywhere. According to this study, then, there is no socioeconomic difference in any inclination to violence because of heavy metal music, in fact, there is no inclination to violence in any devout crowd of metal fans.
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