Throughout the day, we naturally let music flow by, listening without even realizing it. It seeps into our lives like a routine part of our environment, even if we don't specifically choose it or focus on it. But what if someone were to say, "The music you listen to is making you who you are"?
 

#. The Belief of the Ancient Greeks

The ancient Greeks actually believed this to be true. They saw music not as something that simply changed one's mood, but as something that, through repetition, permeated human emotions and attitudes, eventually forming one's character. They explained this through the concept of 'ethos.' The idea was that certain melodies make a person calm, certain rhythms encourage courage, and other types of music overstimulate emotions, making a human being unstable. Therefore, music was not a matter of taste, but a choice linked to what kind of person one would become. This thought was not merely a philosophical claim. In his work *The Republic*, Plato believed that specific modes and the rhythms associated with them shaped human character. Consequently, he argued that the state should use education to even restrict what kind of music would be used. To him, music was not just art, but an element that formed the order of the soul. Thus, he believed that the 'wrong' music could go beyond individual emotions and ultimately affect the order of the community. By modern standards, this idea might sound a bit exaggerated. However, the issue is that we are currently living under that very influence, yet we are hardly conscious of it.
 

#. The Design of Emotion

So, how does that influence actually work? It lies in the fact that certain music has a structure that easily evokes specific emotions. The most representative example is the 'National Anthem.' A national anthem is more than just a song. Through its majestic melody, regular rhythm, and repetition, it naturally imprints the feeling that 'I am part of this community' onto the individual. This is why we sometimes feel an unexplainable surge of emotion when we hear our national anthem. For instance, the moment a gold medalist stands on the podium at the Olympics and the national anthem resonates, many people find their eyes welling up with emotions that are hard to describe. Of course, those feelings include pride in the athlete and being moved by the moment. However, it is the structure of the music that actually elevates and amplifies those emotions. As the ascending melody, stable harmony, and the environment of collective singing combine, the individual's emotions manifest much more strongly and clearly. The feelings we experience while listening to a national anthem can hardly be explained purely as individual emotions.
 

#. The Design of Behavior

The same principle operates even in spaces we pass through mindlessly. The music playing in department stores or cafes is not just for atmosphere. Studies show that slow music encourages people to stay longer, while fast music makes them hurry their movements and decisions. This principle is actually utilized by many brands to design spatial experiences. Stores like Starbucks curate their music directly and manage it as part of the spatial experience. They select music that is not overly stimulating yet not boring, music that doesn't interfere with conversation while maintaining a constant rhythm and flow. This musical environment creates subtle but clear changes in people. I, too, often feel moments of inexplicable comfort when sitting in a cafe, naturally staying longer. Music is not just making one feel good; it is, in a way, adjusting the flow of time and the manner of behavior within that space.
 

#. The Illusion of Choice

But the problem doesn't end there. We don't just stop at being influenced by music. We need to question whether we are truly deciding for ourselves even what we listen to. Much of the music we hear on platforms like Melon, YouTube Music, and Spotify is not something we chose directly, but something the platform suggested first. Based on data regarding what we listened to for a long time, which songs we skipped, and when we played certain music, the next track is recommended. In the end, we are not so much choosing music as we are moving within pre-made options. Furthermore, through repeated recommendations, we end up listening to increasingly similar music. Perhaps we are not expressing ourselves through music, but rather being shaped by it. Of course, humans are not beings made of music alone. However, it is certain that much more of us than we think is formed by the sounds we listen to repeatedly.
 

#. We Are Made Within Music

The ancient Greek saying that "music makes the man" might actually fit more accurately in this current era. They knew the power of music and thus tried to handle it carefully. On the other hand, while we live amidst far more music, we are hardly conscious of its influence. Now, let's change the direction of the question. Not "what kind of music do I like," but "what kind of person is the music I'm listening to making me?" And we must go one step further. "At this moment, what kind of music am I letting into my life?" We are made by music, but at the moment we become conscious of what music we listen to, the direction of that influence can change. Music is a choice. And that choice, in the end, makes me.