How do you guys feel about businesses playing loud classical music to deter loiterers and homeless people?
I've read two articles, one involved a gas station, another a subway. This practice really bothers me. For one, it's applying a quick fix to economic and mental health issues that is more of just sweeping a problem under the rug rather than helping with people's well-being.
Also, as a classical music fan, I hate that something I love is being used to bother people. It would honestly bother me less if it was simply the case that people find classical music annoying, but there's so much "annoying" music that could be played, so why classical? To me, this indicates that there's an intentional signaling to poor people specifically that they aren't welcome by playing "rich people music."
Chances are if you're living on the street, you may have never got to go symphony, or learn a classical instrument, or be around people that has lots of enthusiasm for those things, and now those things are being shoved in your face so that you go away. Instead of these beautiful things being used to connect us, they're being used to strengthen class division. Classical music should be available to enjoy by everyone. Using it as a detterent really plays into the stereotype that classical music is for snooty upper-class people.
Also, side-note, having been in psychosis from schizoaffective disorder, I know first hand that even classical music can be literally terrifying. I hate that there's people willing to induce this terror, or even just annoyance, to a population that is largely made up of people with serious psychological challenges.