Common Quote by Russell Sherman
“Surely common sense as well as anthropological evidence documents the universal need to pray, to hope, and to lament or carouse through song.”
About This Quote
Source Lecture: Music and Anthropology, 1998
Human cultures universally need prayer, hope, lament, and celebratory song.
In simple terms: All societies share music for prayer, hope, lament, and joy.
Key Takeaway
Recognize music’s role in expressing fundamental human emotions.
Themes
anthropology
music
human nature
Mood
reflective
empathetic
Type
scholarly
observational
When to use this quote
- weddings
- funerals
- festivals
- community gatherings
Key Concepts
cultural studies
ritual
emotion
Questions to Reflect On
- What songs embody hope for you?
- How does lament shape community healing?
A Different Perspective
Not all cultures express these needs identically.
![“Neither Italian fascism nor German national "socialism" have anything in common with such a [Soviet socialistic] society, primarily because private ownership of factories, plants, lands, banks, means of transportation, etc., remain untouched there, and, therefore, capitalism in Germany and Italy…” quote by Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/411/joseph-stalin-1734_capitalism_neither-italian-fascism-nor-german-natio_1430.jpg)
