Re: (none)

[arc!ken@apple.com]

In article <8905301658.AA08776@ide.com> you write:
>Really-From: ide!lofdahl@Sun.COM (Corey Lofdahl)
>
>One concept that needs to be discussed regarding the 
>latest commercialism/integrity discussion is the idea
>of enjoying an artist regardless of what one's
>peer group thinks.   
>However, it seems some people can't like a piece of music 
>without some level of peer support.  I've played obscure 
>pieces of music for my friends, such as Mike Oldfield's
>"To France", hoping that they will expand their 
>musical horizons and enjoy something new, only
>to discover that they don't know what to think.
>They neither like nor dislike the music, they're
>simply confused.  They haven't been "told" yet if it's 
>OK to like this kind of music.  After all, what would happen
>if you liked the song and the artist turned out to be 
>too commercial (like Phil Collins), or too obscure 
>(like Kate Bush), or too Republican (like Oingo Boingo)?
>Some people simply can't live with this type of 
>pressure.  If you'll allow me to digress still further, 
>the process is probably akin to the way people choose beer.
>If given a glass of Bud and a glass of Coors, most people
>are unable to distinguish between the two.  Nevertheless,
>most people, especially guys, have strong opinions 
>as to which beer they prefer.  Therefore, their
>opinions must be based on factors other than
>the beer's taste, probably the advertising.  
>Where is this argument going?
>The analogy is, many people seem to base their
>musical preference on factors other than
>the way it sounds, because they like the group's 
>image or because their friends like it, which to me
>doesn't make any sense at all.
>

	This is interesting/amazing, because I always use an anecdote
involving beer to illustrate this same point.

        I use an auto mechanic who works out of his house.  I usually
bring him a six-pack.  Once, I brought him a six-pack of quality (aka
"yuppy" beer, and his reply was "Yeah, that's really good tasting beer;
but next time, bring Bud".

	To be concise, I'll say that he was more intelligent than his
friends, but his identity was "auto mechanic" and that meant that Bud
was what he had to drink.

	Since our society repeatedly promulgates the nonsense that our
self-worth is based on something outside of ourselves, then people are
always looking for something outside of themselves to base their sense
of identity on.

	By the way, I find that this factor is indeed the biggest
block to a greater appreciation of good music.  If you're a "Mod", you
don't listen to music by "Rockers".

	As the posting above states, it "doesn't make any sense".  But
as long as the media is in the hands of people who don't have a clue
about how a healthy mind works, then you can't realistically expect
most other people to make sense either.
-- 
                                      - Ken
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	   sun!apple!arc!ken      \          the opinion of the author
  ken@arc.UUCP  arc!ken@apple.COM  \    and not those of his employer.
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"I keep sweeping and sweeping and there's still too many feet." 
                                                   -Don Van Vliet
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