I've been giving this a lot of thought lately. Internet forums are notoriously wonderful for creating lists. Don't get me wrong, I like lists of books, comics, movies, music, etc. But the interesting thing about lists is that they tend to focus on type, genre, sub-set and classification more than they do the motive or the passion behind the things we like/don't like. And we have several threads on the Blammo Forum dedicated to various forms of music that people like and why they like these particular forms and styles of music. With that in mind, I want to take these concepts a step further (deeper?) and find out why my esteemed colleagues listen to music. This will be a fun topic because it will give us insight into ourselves, and shed light on personal preference. I say this because I wonder sometimes why a person likes one kind of music more than another, why another person likes all (or almost all) kinds of music, and why our tastes in music change over time. How much of our approach towards music is inborn and inbred? How much of it is acquired taste? Are we each totally autonomous such that we approach music with the ability to determine what is pleasant or unpleasant to our own ears? Or does our hearing, personality and upbringing determine what we want to/don't want to listen to? How much does good hearing or impaired hearing affect our ability to appreciate music? Finally, will people 300 years from now enjoy and appreciate the music you and I listen to now? Will our music become "classic"? Or will it disappear in forgotten archives as a relic of a bygone age? These are just some ideas I'm mulling over.
Now, to get things rolling, I'll share a few thoughts.
I like music for the following reasons (a short list, LOL, in no particular order, followed with some explanatory comments):
1. I like to be entertained.
2. Music gets me in touch with my emotions more than any other form of entertainment.
3. Music helps me to be creative.
4. Music is often a soundtrack to my thoughts.
5. Music and motion energize me.
1. I like to be entertained and music is a great escape from the responsibilities and challenges of life. Listening to a powerful classical piece, or a favorite live prog-rock album lifts my spirits like nothing else will.
2. Although I enjoy books, comics and movies, I tend to approach them more from an intellectual level than an emotional level. Not sure why. That's just me. It is the rare book, comic or movie that causes me to empathize, or even enter into the characters and really feel something in me, or feel for them. Bendis' Ultimate Spider-Man has given me tons of LOL moments. Some comedy movies do too, but not many. Rarely does a book, comic or movie make me sad in a genuine way. There are obviously other emotions too, but most entertainment media doesn't effect me on an emotional level the way music does. There's something about hearing the voices of others, and hearing the way they play their instruments that can make me laugh, cry, be inspired, help me get through a bad day, etc.
3. I'm neither an artist or musician. But during the day, there are plenty of things I do (work or tasks at home) that, with the help of music, allow me to approach those tasks differently. I may look at solutions to problems differently while listening to music, in contrast to not having any music on at all. Music in the background is often helpful in this regard. But more often than not, I turn music off so that I can concentrate better on the task or problem at hand. I like music so much, that it can become a distraction.
4. & 5. I like to listen to music while driving or riding my bicycle. The combination of music and motion is both freeing and exhilarating. When I was in my teens I used to listen to music while roller skating in parks along a river. When I'm moving, I become one with the music. And with motion, music becomes a soundtrack to my thoughts. The music may "move" me into certain moods or my moods may determine how I internalize the music.
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Okay, who's next?
Now, to get things rolling, I'll share a few thoughts.
I like music for the following reasons (a short list, LOL, in no particular order, followed with some explanatory comments):
1. I like to be entertained.
2. Music gets me in touch with my emotions more than any other form of entertainment.
3. Music helps me to be creative.
4. Music is often a soundtrack to my thoughts.
5. Music and motion energize me.
1. I like to be entertained and music is a great escape from the responsibilities and challenges of life. Listening to a powerful classical piece, or a favorite live prog-rock album lifts my spirits like nothing else will.
2. Although I enjoy books, comics and movies, I tend to approach them more from an intellectual level than an emotional level. Not sure why. That's just me. It is the rare book, comic or movie that causes me to empathize, or even enter into the characters and really feel something in me, or feel for them. Bendis' Ultimate Spider-Man has given me tons of LOL moments. Some comedy movies do too, but not many. Rarely does a book, comic or movie make me sad in a genuine way. There are obviously other emotions too, but most entertainment media doesn't effect me on an emotional level the way music does. There's something about hearing the voices of others, and hearing the way they play their instruments that can make me laugh, cry, be inspired, help me get through a bad day, etc.
3. I'm neither an artist or musician. But during the day, there are plenty of things I do (work or tasks at home) that, with the help of music, allow me to approach those tasks differently. I may look at solutions to problems differently while listening to music, in contrast to not having any music on at all. Music in the background is often helpful in this regard. But more often than not, I turn music off so that I can concentrate better on the task or problem at hand. I like music so much, that it can become a distraction.
4. & 5. I like to listen to music while driving or riding my bicycle. The combination of music and motion is both freeing and exhilarating. When I was in my teens I used to listen to music while roller skating in parks along a river. When I'm moving, I become one with the music. And with motion, music becomes a soundtrack to my thoughts. The music may "move" me into certain moods or my moods may determine how I internalize the music.
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Okay, who's next?
