Classical-Music Fans May Have More Brains

[Haffner]

Some people need convincing. Was it Kurt Vonnegut who said that the big problem with stupid bastards is that they are too dumb to believe there's such a thing as being smart? 

Great quote, J.! Great writer as well.

[mahlertitan]

what a terrible case of hasty generalization! classical music is a mere choice, a matter of taste...

[Scriptavolant]

Some people need convincing. Was it Kurt Vonnegut who said that the big problem with stupid bastards is that they are too dumb to believe there's such a thing as being smart? 

I see. You need to convince stupid bastards that you're different, a sort of Baudelaire's Arbatros?

The usage of that quote only confirms my idea that there's a lot of people who uses culture (small c) as a form of individual compensation or to heal their low self-esteem. Wasted time.

[Josquin des Prez]

what a terrible case of hasty generalization! classical music is a mere choice, a matter of taste...

You have been presented with the data. What part of it don't you get?

If classical music is linked to brain power then it means becoming a classical music fan is only partially related to taste. An individual of great mental ability may exercise some freedom of choice, but there's no way a person who is not mentally capable of processing complex informations is going to understand higher forms of art. Sure you can get somebody to listen to Mozart because of the pretty melodies, but that's the extend of it.

[Josquin des Prez]

The usage of that quote only confirms my idea that there's a lot of people who uses culture (small c) as a form of individual compensation or to heal their low self-esteem. Wasted time.

Get off Kurt Vonnegut, the man was brilliant.

[Haffner]

Get off Kurt Vonnegut, the man was brilliant.

"WELCOME To The Monkey House!"



Just one of many classics.

[Sergeant Rock]

You have been presented with the data. What part of it don't you get?

The data may be faulty. Cows love classical music. How intelligent are they? 

Sarge

[knight66]

The data may be faulty. Cows love classical music. How intelligent are they? 

Sarge

Well, I cannot offhand think of any recently invading any other cow's country, nor any suicide-cow bombs. Nor are any sitting on death row for murder; that latter point is proof of their innate intelligence, as they manage to remain unsuspected of the most unlikely murders.

Mike

[greg]

do cows even know how to milk each other when they need to?

[greg]

You have been presented with the data. What part of it don't you get?

If classical music is linked to brain power then it means becoming a classical music fan is only partially related to taste. An individual of great mental ability may exercise some freedom of choice, but there's no way a person who is not mentally capable of processing complex informations is going to understand higher forms of art. Sure you can get somebody to listen to Mozart because of the pretty melodies, but that's the extend of it.

I don't think it relates to general intelligence. If they liked Mozart because of the "pretty melodies" I think an idiot could go from there and if he started listenening to more and more with an open mind, he would eventually like a bunch of stuff. Stupid people are less likely to be exposed to classical music anyways, so maybe it's a self-fullfilling prophecy and they never develop the taste?

Being able to like complex music is way different from being able to solve a complex physics problem.

[mahlertitan]

what are you talking about? we all have the same amount of brains don't we? one? is one not enough?

[greg]

nah, i think we have 2, right and left. That's why there is so much inner conflict, because our left brains wants to do something while our right brain doesn't, and vice versa. 

[Sergeant Rock]

Well, I cannot offhand think of any recently invading any other cow's country, nor any suicide-cow bombs. Nor are any sitting on death row for murder; that latter point is proof of their innate intelligence, as they manage to remain unsuspected of the most unlikely murders.

Mike

You may be right, Mike. Maybe cows are a lot smarter than we think they are

.


On the other hand 

[Josquin des Prez]

what are you talking about? we all have the same amount of brains don't we?

Mmmh, no, not exactly. Recent studies have proven that brain mass matter. Studies done upon people with 'ultra' high IQs (160+) revealed that their brains have a greater amount of gray matter in certain key areas used during IQ testing. Their neurological infrastructure was also much more condensed and responsive. Scientists believe that soon they'll be able to determine a person IQ by scanning the brain, making traditional tests obsolete.

That alone indicates that metal prowess is a physical trait (which is obvious, but again, people need convincing). So no, we are not all the same. Some people have bigger, more efficient brains while others are less lucky.

Reality is a bitch, isn't it?

[Josquin des Prez]

I don't think it relates to general intelligence. If they liked Mozart because of the "pretty melodies" I think an idiot could go from there and if he started listenening to more and more with an open mind, he would eventually like a bunch of stuff.

That's the argument. Personally, i don't think it's possible unless you have sufficient mental ability to begin with.

[mahlertitan]

Mmmh, no, not exactly. Recent studies have proven that brain mass matter. Studies done upon people with 'ultra' high IQs (160+) revealed that their brains have a greater amount of gray matter in certain key areas used during IQ testing. Their neurological infrastructure was also much more condensed and responsive. Scientists believe that soon they'll be able to determine a person IQ by scanning the brain, making traditional tests obsolete.

That alone indicates that metal prowess is a physical trait (which is obvious, but again, people need convincing). So no, we are not all the same. Some people have bigger, more efficient brains while others are less lucky.

Reality is a bitch, isn't it?

i agree that mental prowess is a physical trait (what else could it be? psychic?), but to judge someone's "intelligence" is higly problematic, because before you "measure" anything, you have to define what "intelligence" means.

[Mozart]

Sure you can get somebody to listen to Mozart because of the pretty melodies, but that's the extend of it.

Was this directed at me?   

[mahlertitan]

I don't think classical music fans have more brains, because 100-200 years ago, people listened to this music that we call "classical", were they smarter than us then?

[The Mad Hatter]

People who once listened to classical music exclusively were found leaning towards pop once dementia set in. The logical conclusion is that pop music requires less brain power. Where else would you go from this?

All pop music is of the same intellectual standard now?

Ack, I hate classification.

[Josquin des Prez]

you have to define what "intelligence" means.

Why, the dictionary definition isn't enough for you?