Can you discern a persons nature from the genre of classical music they like ?

[Ken B]

Oh for f sake Andrei.you are insisting on specifying one particular thing, baroque, while insisting that there can be no correlation about anything. What about 'contrapuntal'? You have proof that that cannot be related to ANYTHING on an MMPI?
If we say there might be a coffee between physical attributes and politics, asking about Brown eyebrows does not answer the claim. Men and women might still differ.

[Gurn Blanston]

I might also point out that 'Baroque' in not a genre. "Baroque solo organ music" is a genre, as is "Passion Oratorios". As is "Baroque Instrumental Suites". I would suggest that they have varying appeal for different people. So Ken's comment:

Oh for f sake Andrei.you are insisting on specifying one particular thing, baroque, while insisting that there can be no correlation about anything.

more than a little agrees with my own feelings.

My answer was no, BTW, and I haven't seen a reply yet to MY question... sorry, just nagging....

[James]

It is like he is trying to narrow it down somehow in order to get some scientific cover-all answer or something. Obviously the wrong approach. He would have to simply discuss it with the Baroque music lover, and from there we can open things up and see what the relationship is about, which would provide insights into a person's character etc. .. but here is the kicker, he can then ask a different Baroque music lover and get different answers/reasons. Still though, through this process .. we can get closer to answers for questions like these.

[Florestan]

Reply 54.

Here is reply 54

But that is not in the spirit of the question. In any case, I don't know. Did you look at the wiki link? I thought some of the traits described were interesting.

It seems to me that the your issue with all this is that you don't like the idea that someone could draw some conclusions about you from this type of information. I could be wrong, but that seems to me to be the gist of the objection based on your comments here.

Can anyone see in it something of an answer to the question What is the nature of e person who listens mostly to Baroque music?? I confess I can´t.

EDIT: I am wrong, there actually is an answer: I don´t know. Why, yes, this has been my point all along: you don´t know. Thanks for admitting it.

[Florestan]

Oh for f sake Andrei.you are insisting on specifying one particular thing, baroque, while insisting that there can be no correlation about anything. What about 'contrapuntal'? You have proof that that cannot be related to ANYTHING on an MMPI?

Where did I say that there are no correlations? Name that post of mine. All I said is that I cannot predict a person´s nature based on his musical preferences and that I doubt anyone can do that. You and Neal say yes, you can. Then I take the next step: I keep asking aboput Baroque because I happen to know two persons who listen mostly to that kind of music. According to Neal and you, that is enough for you to discern their nature, therefore I invite you both, for the umpteenth time, to tell me, even vaguely, broadly, tentatively, statistically, whatever you want, what is their nature. See reply 157. It is really beyond me why it is so difficult to get a straight answer from you if you say "yes I can discern a person´s nature from the genre of classical music they like"? Fine, I believe you! Here is that person who likes that genre of classical music --- discern his nature, please!

[Elgarian]

I am just wondering - looking at all the circles being traversed - whether some of us are interpreting the original question differently. The question is: "Can you discern a person's nature from the genre of classical music they like?"

It seems to me that this can be read in two ways.

1. The literal: Can you, the person reading this, here and now, discern a person's nature from the genre of classical music they like?.

Most of us would reply 'no', surely. We just plain can't.
or
2. The hypothetical. Can one (that is, is it generally possible for someone to) discern a person's nature from the genre of classical music they like?

And the answer to this is, surely, that if the appropriate research were done, and if certain correlations were found, and if we knew about it, we might be able to make a reasonable guess at some aspects of the person's nature, with some sort of probability estimate assigned to our answer.

Not having done any such research, and never having read about any ... I don't think I can go any further.

[Florestan]

I am just wondering - looking at all the circles being traversed - whether some of us are interpreting the original question differently. The question is: "Can you discern a person's nature from the genre of classical music they like?"

It seems to me that this can be read in two ways.

1. The literal: Can you, the person reading this, here and now, discern a person's nature from the genre of classical music they like?.

Most of us would reply 'no', surely. We just plain can't.

My point exactly.

or
2. The hypothetical. Can one (that is, is it generally possible for someone to) discern a person's nature from the genre of classical music they like?

And the answer to this is, surely, that if the appropriate research were done, and if certain correlations were found, and if we knew about it, we might be able to make a reasonable guess at some aspects of the person's nature, with some sort of probability estimate assigned to our answer.

Not having done any such research, and never having read about any ... I don't think I can go any further.

Nothing to disagree with here.

[Moonfish]

I guess humanity loves stereotypes....?

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/sep/08/classical.metal.fans.study

[mc ukrneal]

Here is reply 54

Can anyone see in it something of an answer to the question What is the nature of e person who listens mostly to Baroque music?? I confess I can´t.

EDIT: I am wrong, there actually is an answer: I don´t know. Why, yes, this has been my point all along: you don´t know. Thanks for admitting it.

This is why the question is pointless. I may not know it, but it is surely knowable (roughly) with the right knowledge and understanding. Who cares if I, personally, can know it? Should you wish to fund my PhD in the area, an offer I would gladly accept (cash in advance please (upon acceptance to a program of course)), I will make this my thesis. Then I will be able to provide you a more detailed answer.

By the way, to end this conversation, all you need to do is show that it cannot be known.

[some guy]

I guess humanity loves stereotypes....?

That is such a stereotype.

[Karl Henning]

Everybody generalizes.

[Moonfish]

That is such a stereotype.

[mc ukrneal]

Nothing to disagree with here.

Wait. Huh? So why are we arguing about this? 

[Ken B]

I am just wondering - looking at all the circles being traversed - whether some of us are interpreting the original question differently. The question is: "Can you discern a person's nature from the genre of classical music they like?"

It seems to me that this can be read in two ways.

1. The literal: Can you, the person reading this, here and now, discern a person's nature from the genre of classical music they like?.

Most of us would reply 'no', surely. We just plain can't.
or
2. The hypothetical. Can one (that is, is it generally possible for someone to) discern a person's nature from the genre of classical music they like?

And the answer to this is, surely, that if the appropriate research were done, and if certain correlations were found, and if we knew about it, we might be able to make a reasonable guess at some aspects of the person's nature, with some sort of probability estimate assigned to our answer.

Not having done any such research, and never having read about any ... I don't think I can go any further.

Yes. Exactly. But everyone agreed on reading 1. No-one claimed we could do that. Neal, and I, and Jo, and James have been explicit on that. We have been discussing ONLY reading two. And we get told that people know it's impossible. And you are right: they don't.

[James]

I still think that even without further inquiry or research, "we just plain can't" is too hard the other way and false .. it is safe to make broad observations, assumptions, or even accurate insights about a person's character based on what 'we see' (on the surface, first hand) what they tend to mainly listen-to & absorb, consume etc. We aren't completely in the dark .. of course it's easier to just ask that person.

[Florestan]

By the way, to end this conversation, all you need to do is show that it cannot be known.

Nope. The burden of proof is on he who claims something, not on he who denies it. You claim you can, so you must prove it --- but unfortunately I cannot fund your research. 

One thing I agree with, though: let´s end it here.

[Florestan]

it is safe to make broad observations, assumptions, or even accurate insights about a person's character based on what 'we see' (on the surface, first hand) what they tend to mainly listen-to & absorb, consume etc.

And yet when I asked you to do exactly that, you didn´t. Why?

[Florestan]

Yes. Exactly. But everyone agreed on reading 1. No-one claimed we could do that. Neal, and I, and Jo, and James have been explicit on that. We have been discussing ONLY reading two. And we get told that people know it's impossible. And you are right: they don't.

For what James has been explicit on, see reply 174.

The big difference between Jo and the rest of you is that he did answer my question. He did take a bet on what the character of a person who listens mostly to Baroque music is. You didn´t. Neal didn´t. James didn´t.

[mc ukrneal]

For what James has been explicit on, see reply 174.

The big difference between Jo and the rest of you is that he did answer my question. He did take a bet on what the character of a person who listens mostly to Baroque music is. You didn´t. Neal didn´t. James didn´t.

Actually, I did answer your question (he repeats yet again).

[Florestan]

Actually, I did answer your question (he repeats yet again).

You actually did. Correct me if I´m wrong: what you basically say is "it is possible in theory to discern a person´s nature from the genre of classical music they like, but for all practical purposes pèrsonally I cannot do it." Is that correct?