A few m onthsafterIpas ed m ydriving test,Icrashed m ydad’scar.Itwasno ordinary rearend bum p –ratheraful-frontalsm ash into an oaktree thatflipped the ageing green Roveronto itsroof.The faultwasentirelym ine –the com bination ofinexperience behind the wheeland teenage cockines . Butsiting on the verge,surveying the crum pled wreckand waiting form yrightly furiousfatherto turn up,anotherculprit presented itself.Som ewhere within twisted m etaland shatered glas ,the keysrem ained in the ignition and the carstereo wasstil blasting outthe angrythrash ofguitarsinto the surounding Scotish countryside. Irem em beratthe tim e feeling suddenly em baras ed –notforwhatIhad doneto our fam ilycar–butaboutwhatthe roarofm id-90s Sm ashing Pum pkinsand Green Daybetrayed: Ihad been driving too fast,too reckles ly.I had letthe m usictake hold ofm ysenses. W ith m anyyearsto reflectsince then,I know itwould bewrong form eto blam ethe ac identon the m usicIhad been listening to thatday.Butasa science journalist,I’ve also learned itm ightwelhave played arole in the decisionsItookleading up to thatm om ent. M usiccan be artand entertainm ent,butit isalso apowerfultoolform anipulation.W e can use itto alterourm ood,oritcan trigger certain em otionsand influence ourbehaviour. The righttune can lead usto m ake good decisionsorbad ones,encourage usto take risksand spend m oney.Itcan even leave us m ore likelyto hurtpeople.
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