|
Post by Old Viking on Apr 3, 2009 17:08:07 GMT -5
Enlighten me. For decades it seems, music -- or what is laughingly referred to as music in today's society -- is ubiquitous. There is not a public venue of any sort that doesn't bombard us with it, all too often at a decibel level that makes the eardrums bleed. Supermarkets, drug stores, department stores, barber shops, doctors' offices, restaurants -- even thrift shops, for chrissake. (And people cannot walk the city streets, jog or drive a car without "music" pounding in their ears.)
My question is: Why? Is it the fear that without distraction a thought may intrude? Why is constant exposure to noise deemed desirable? Hey, I love music -- classical, semi-classical, opera, Broadway. Things with melody. But I don't care to hear it every waking moment. (As a gratuitous aside, I never enjoy being shouted or screamed at, nor do I find it amusing.)
I cherish silence. I seek it. Silence soothes my soul and strengthens my spirit. It helps me compose myself. There is not only an art, but an eloquence in it. Marcus Tullius Cicero.
Help me out. Am I just being a cantankerous old fart, or do others share my view? The problem (or what I view as a problem) is insoluble, of course. But your explanations of the phenomenon would be educational for me.
|
|
|
Post by Sandafluffoid on Apr 3, 2009 17:16:42 GMT -5
I'm just waiting for music players embedded in teh branes to be invented, because I just love having music wherever I go. I think the problem is that I like nothing better than dancing around in circles to energetic Hindi songs, whereas some people prefer rap and others prefer silence. We do have mp3's, ipods, so why not use them? I mean it is bloody annoying to ahve to turn my MP3 off because I can't hear it over the dreadful shit flying out of the supermarket speakers.
|
|
|
Post by RavynousHunter on Apr 3, 2009 17:42:36 GMT -5
Actually, one reason many people constantly bombard themselves with music is so that they can think, or at least focus. I know that's how it works for me.
Don't get me wrong, I value silence as much as the next man, maybe more, but it just doesn't feel right if I end the day w/o some kind of musical interlude.
I can understand the people who drive down the streets with their emo crap or rap shit blaring at such hideous volumes it shakes the car apart being at least a nuisance. If I'm going to listen to something loud, I usually put headphones on for that very reason; I don't want to annoy random passerby's with my personal musical selection.
|
|
|
Post by Sleepy on Apr 3, 2009 17:47:13 GMT -5
No, you're not an old fart for thinking so. I enjoy good music as well, but it's beyond me how people can listen to it as a way to concentrate (for example, people in school beg to listen to it during a test), or just sit in their bedroom and listen for hours on end. I'm young and apparently one of the few people who has the same view. It's difficult to explain, but you're not the only one.
EDIT: I listened to it in my astronomy class occasionally while doing work, but that was to block out the annoying people.
|
|
|
Post by The Lazy One on Apr 3, 2009 18:13:31 GMT -5
Well, I have difficulty focusing in my history class since I'm surrounded by screaming lunatics, so I listen to my iPod just so I can think. But I agree with you most of the time. When I really want to think very seriously, I have to turn out the lights and shut off my music.
I think it just depends. When I'm programming or trying to work in history, I have to have music. The rest of the time it's on a case-by-case basis.
All I know is that when I'm trying to do English homework it has to be quiet.
|
|
|
Post by John E on Apr 3, 2009 18:22:47 GMT -5
I actually find it easier to focus on work or art when I have music playing. In silence, my mind tends to wander and distract me from whatever I'm doing.
|
|
Panthera
Full Member
Here kitty kitty...
Posts: 229
|
Post by Panthera on Apr 3, 2009 18:24:22 GMT -5
To be honest, I can't function constructively without some kind of background noise - preferably music. When it's quiet, my thoughts wander aimlessly... which is okay if I'm just out for a walk, or trying to get to sleep, but not when I want to get anything done. Especially if what I'm doing is otherwise boring or repetitive, like driving. I'd rather not fall asleep at the wheel, yanno?
|
|
|
Post by Armand Tanzarian on Apr 3, 2009 18:39:13 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by Distind on Apr 3, 2009 19:08:03 GMT -5
Actually, one reason many people constantly bombard themselves with music is so that they can think, or at least focus. I know that's how it works for me. I'm going to second this, generally speaking I have the attention span of a gnat, but the more things I'm doing at once(to a point) the more I can focus. Generally music and a pile of code to sift through and I'm good to go. Including various different forms of music for different work on code, generally putting the beat faster or slower depending on if I'm trying to understand something new or crank out something I know well. But I'm the posterboy for ADD(as I'm sure a few of the mods would attest to, or anyone in IRC), I've just learned how to use it to my advantage to a good extent.
|
|
|
Post by Lady Renae on Apr 4, 2009 0:57:18 GMT -5
Other than the simple fact that I happen to have a perpetual (and often annoying) uncontrollable radio in my head at all times, how ironic is it that the opening post immediately got a Morisette song stuck in my head?
"Why are you so petrified of silence? Here, can you handle this?.................
Did you think about your bills? Your ex? Your deadlines? Or when you think you're gonna die? Or did you long for the next distraction?"
It's relevant, true, and actually an awesome section of the song.
|
|
|
Post by HarleyThomas1002 on Apr 4, 2009 1:26:22 GMT -5
I have no problem with music at all. Except for that whiny new emo shit, shitty rap 'music' or whatever the fuck you wanna call Linkin Park that's constantly blarred by almost every car speeding by from the nearest high school. Your parents bought you a Sunfire and gave you the money to put half a dozen speakers in it. Doesn't mean you have to rip down the street blarring whatever shit it is you and everyone in a three mile radius is listening to because you've never heard of turning to volume down to something under 60.
|
|
|
Post by Oriet on Apr 4, 2009 12:15:39 GMT -5
I actually listen to music almost all of the time, yes even when sleeping. It block out various background noises, such as ticking clocks, neighbours next door, people walking and talking in the halls and doors opening and closing elsewhere in the apartment building. When I'm in otherwise silence I hear all of those, and get twitchy trying to figure out what's going on and if I need to bolt or protect myself. All focus becomes shot, I panic, and otherwise have a terrible time of things. Also, silence can be deafening.
With music though it blocks out (most of) those noises, so they're not distracting and making me ready against being assaulted, and in other ways also helps my mind focus. I still rarely listen to it loud, cause it doesn't need to be that loud to block out most small noises. I still have to turn it off to really hear people talking; actually, not to hear them as I can tell that they're making noise, but so that I can actually parse the sounds and retain them in enough of the proper order to get an idea what they're saying (because of this difficulty, which doesn't fully go away even when there's dead silence otherwise, I believe I have auditory processing disorder).
So, that's why I at least listen to music practically all the time, but blasting it loud is just goign to give me headaches and be worse than silence.
|
|
|
Post by Mira on Apr 4, 2009 13:10:16 GMT -5
Hmm, I agree that most music nowadays is crap, but when I am trying to relax or think some light classical music or Coldplay soothes me. (No, I am not gay <.<) I hate loud noises though and always keep volumes down to a minimal. How people enjoy being ear raped by blasting music is beyond me.
|
|
|
Post by Vene on Apr 4, 2009 13:29:27 GMT -5
I'm happy as long as I hear the music instead of feeling it.
|
|
|
Post by Sigmaleph on Apr 4, 2009 19:56:14 GMT -5
The more you remind us of it the more seeds of doubt you plant in my mind. Back to the subject of the thread: I like to have music as a background, not too loud. While I can appreciate silence, at times it can be almost distracting, because it highlights every tiny sound around me.
|
|