Why Most People's Opinions are Bullshit
No, your taste in music is irrelevant.
I have recently made the mistake of opening up my facebook profile, where upon I was immediately assaulted by a particular brand of ignorance, one I can scarcely countenance.
It was the kind of venting that goes on quite regularly on facebook, and always seems to come from the type of friends we all have on the site. They're the ones you are at a loss to explain as to what they're still doing in your friends list, save perhaps to try and hide the fact that you actually have more like 5 people (if that) in your life that you may call a friend, and not 200+.
So forget for a moment, if you will, that this post shall consist of me venting about someone else venting, and get yourself some fucking tea, coffee or cocaine and read on if you must.
I confess I am at once shocked and not at all surprised to see something like this come from a person in their mid twenties. I always assumed some things become clear to you by that point. Apparently, I was, and still am – as per usual – quite mistaken.
Alas, it would seem I too possess a great measure of ignorance, since at times I actually start to believe most people can think somewhat straight. Funny. Only it's not.
The argument I was met with is a tired one, and it goes precisely like this: Music is not what it used to be. This generation will never know what real music is and what it used to mean. I know this because my taste in music is perfect.
The last sentence is implied, but it could just as easily be written in bold, because what it suggests is absurd in itself.
Are people truly, truly?? this ignorant to subjective experience and that what they are professing is, in fact, the ridiculous notion of their opinion having any basis AT ALL.
The argument that, the way music made you feel will never be the same for others because music has changed, is ridiculous, and if you think this argument is valid, then you are in some way inept and perhaps mentally retarded.
It feels like I shouldn't even have to EVER explain this to anyone, and that I shouldn't bother, but goddammit some of us have to do it, so this shit stops (Although it never will, will it? It's like asking people not to be stupid). However, I suppose it's me being naive, when I hope that, should the person who said this direct but half an IOTA of thought towards their own ignorance, he or she might correct it. Because clearly they devoted some thought to this if they managed, in their infinite knowledge and understanding, figure out that MUSIC WILL NEVER BE THE SAME FOR THESE NEW PEOPLE, DERP.
The real reason why I am so annoyed by this is because the truth is so simple. It is this: The feelings you get from music, are you. There may be residual imprints that others have projected upon you ABOUT that music, and this may in fact make you consider or think about the music differently, perhaps even make you feel differently about it, but no matter what, it will always remain a thing of SELF. And that will happen no matter what the music becomes, who plays it and how. Music has no value save that which you give it. And why this is so difficult a concept to comprehend for some is a thing I refuse to think about, as I fear it may expose fresh layers of inept thinking and bullshitery.
When women discover how to make music with their butts I will call that a victory, but I digress.
This argument of MUSIC NOT BEING WHAT IT USED TO BE (as if the one who said this has lived for 150 years, as opposed to being a complete waste of resources and sustenance for roughly a sixth of that time) AND THAT THE NEW GENERATION WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO APPRICIATE THE OLDIES, is the same as devaluating a bushman pounding on drums and nullifying his inner experience as something lesser, because he does not have the sense to appreciate your indie fucking rock.
It is like me saying a word, and you thinking what that word means, then me not being happy about what you consider that word to imply. Bullshit.
Let’s use the word Love as an example. The images the word creates and the feelings of love or lack of love it produces is fully contingent upon the observer. We may draw two different feelings from the word, and we will inevitably draw similarities due to our INNER imagery being similar in relation to the word's concept, but that does not devaluate either of our experiences or impressions about that word. The same goes with music.
When we realize that what we see, especially in other people, will always be a caricature drawn from our feelings about that person (and in fact our projection of self upon that person), we may begin to realize that ALL experience is subjective, unfolding differently for each mind. We may look for others in ourselves and seek ourselves in others, but to deflate the experience of another mind because we do not understand a thing they profess they understand and feel, is heinosity of thought. And perhaps an even greater act of heinosity is me giving such cretinous thoughts any room in my head… But I did, and now I shall cease.
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Death to all music but METAL! :)
ReplyDeleteWriting bullshit about bullshit. Bullshit. Although you're right, god damn you!
ReplyDeleteYou are just as wrong, retard.
ReplyDeleteDear sir, if you read this post more carefully, you will notice I never said I was right.
DeleteAs a musician I can tell you that music is turning to shit...its all about the money...making a song quickly with spending the least ammount of resources and profit as much as possible. Almost every song is made using the same basic formula. Look at Queens song Bohemian Rapsody for instance. Find me a modern song that has so many different styles in a song and plays daily on radio! You can't cause they would have to put actual effort into making it and people just wanna be rich and famous today without actualy putting in the work. 80s had thousands of songs like this.
ReplyDeleteI think every musical endeavor is in some way driven by the prospect of fame and fortune. Every musician loves it when others enjoy his work as well, or at least would enjoy it if he knew certain people like what he or she does. It is largely why music is made, to share. This is no different now than it was. A harpist in the 15 century is driven by the same prospects of financial security through musical creation as is the producer or musician today. It is just much more simple now to get your music out there. Those that get the most recognition have what they used to call a patron, someone who sponsors you, make sure you get shows, and today we have labels. Their money determines what gets on the mainstream radio. There are tons of radios out there that never touch a mainstream song. But radio is an advertisement tool. It advertises not just with adds, but the music, so naturally on the mainstream radio you will hear the songs that have the wealthiest patrons. That does not necessarily mean that these people also do not enjoy the making of music. Nor does it mean that the whole music scene is shit. There is so much stuff out there, so many that would like to make a buck with their music, but do not reach enough people. And there are so many who just like to produce sound. It would be difficult to find someone who isn't also hoping to be able to make money from their music, this is an ingrained system of monetary exchange from which we wish to be independent and will seek any means to achieve that, or wish that we could. A musician is no different. I think the only difference is between those who made that happen and those who did not.
DeleteRelative quality is dependent on the observer, in this case the listener, so music is only ever relatively turning to shit according to a specific point of view (yours), but by itself it's still just people making sound, and this has never changed. The way of making the sound, distributing it, etc. this is the true thing that has happened, there are lots of people who still make sound the same way as they did 100 years ago, as complex, as rich, as evocative, you just need to find it because there's so much out there.