Disclaimer: Warning: bullshit; Don’t read this.
"Music? What the FUCK is music?"
Well?
What?
No, really,
What is this stuff;
Music?
Let’s think
source,
mechanism, and
destination.
Not necessarily in that order. Us. We
hear it. We
like it. We
make it. Make
what?
Sound.
Periodic reverberations of our gaseous medium? More then that…
rhythmic,
organized.
Sequences and
repetition. Coming from:
People.
Things.
Machines. Machines with people on them.
Still... The Fuck?
I mean, I like
sequences and repetitions as much as
the next guy,
But I *
like*
music.
Ew.
What.
I hear but I do not see.
Why do we like it? Us, that is.
Music, that was.
Music that is, and the
us that was, rather. What did they do to grow so together? And spare the
bullshit. I want real meaning, real
evolutionary,
evidentiary backup. I ask for
practicality. Analytic repeatability and a firm foundation in memetics. On this, the stuff we listen to, and why?
I’ll start it. You finish it.
A thing is good because it provides:
a) Value.
b) Perceived value.
That is, it helps us
live,
boink, or protect our
fellow humans (in the applicable
order of priority, of course). Or maybe it just makes us think it does. Deep down ‘dere. (
Funny joke.)
A thing is music. Music provides:
a) Value: Dunno. Fill in the blanks? Lets check the news. Hm. Does
Mozart make baby
big heap smarter?
Help me out here.
b) Perceived Value: Ah. An opportunity for obfuscation. What PRIMAL
desires does music confuse? This
pirate to our
instincts, is it
pirate by instinct or design? Let’s me throw out some theory.
You: Expand. Refute. Diversify? Simplify.
Float the thesis. Provide antithesis. Reach synthesis.
What’s music again? Ah, yes.
Rythym.
Patterns. We *like*
patterns.
Symbolism, Classification. Technique, development and repetition thereof. These, rather then being
INTELLECTUAL, are IMHFact the
core of
human emotionality.
The mind is based on symbols; creating, cognizing, and recognizing. We act based on how we classify things. We eat
chips, or we eat
glass, not because of what they are, but because of
classifications,
instinctive and
developmental. What could more fundamental be?
The monkey inside sees, hears patterns, and is happy.
Positive feedback.
But:
But what? Ah, yes. Why?
Symbols are nice.
Patterns are
nice. But to be truly, inexorably, '
sweet', they have to be
good. They have to either BE or BE ASSOCIATED with things that are, well,
phun. Or
scary. Or
profound. Or epiphanatious. So what things does
music associate with? Which
mechanisms does it
coldly,
callously compromise?
Let’s talk about
vocals, now: If we hear a voice, we’re not alone? Alone is bad? Is it of the opposite sex? Why are
musicians sex symbols? What’s a
sex symbol? Where can I get one? But, anyhoo,
The Music?
The Voice? The voice is
singing.
Shouting, maybe?
Can you hear it? Is it telling you what to do?
I don’t know.
What about Beat? Pop.
Techno.
Tribal. Again with the
bing, the
bang, the
boom.
What could we associate this with?
Heartbeat? The
WOMB?
Sex, maybe? Rhythmic. But that rhythmic?
Dunno.
Music… The Fuck? You tell me.
I’m going to
stop now.
Tired. You could cut me down if I’d left you anything to cut.
Understand and
Goodnight.