 Merriam divides his stated goals of ethnomusicology into three different approaches, the first being the appreciation of the music of other cultures.Many ethnomusicologists, Merriam asserts, are under the impression that the music of many non-western cultures are either abused or neglected, and that they are worthy of appreciation in western society the same way western music is appreciated.Merriam’s second listed goal of ethnomusicology is the preservation of the music of these cultures, a transformative phenomenon Merriam describes as “a constant factor in human experience.” The third perceived goal concerns a more general fascination with the use of music as a form of communication among humans, and the study of music in the various ways people use it to communicate will enable a better understanding of human communication in general.