Non-Classical Music Listening Thread!

[steve ridgway]

It's so interesting because this is pretty much a summary of the feeling that I try to chase all the time, and try to avoid deprivation of (though usually do feel deprived of, which is the reason for low mood). But you can connect with this feeling through anything that interests you, the way I read the song is that sexuality itself isn't even the point specifically, it's moreso a song about the chemical craving itself.

So your hormones and feelings may be stimulated by something outside you but they're actually internal. Perhaps if you just relax and focus you might be able to connect with them directly.

[greg]

So your hormones and feelings may be stimulated by something outside you but they're actually internal. Perhaps if you just relax and focus you might be able to connect with them directly.

That's definitely worth trying.

I think the main strategy, if it's possible through concentration alone, would be to push out thoughts of any external demands and obligations that weigh you down (which have the opposite effect, basically).

Perhaps it would be like some sort of meditation, but not the traditional variety maybe (then again, idk much about meditation so I can be corrected on that). I really don't get the point of traditional meditation, clearing your mind for the sake of inner peace. I don't want peace, I want insatiable lust, to feel alive. You know what is also peaceful? Death. We have forever to feel peaceful, why start now?

[steve ridgway]

I don't want peace, I want insatiable lust, to feel alive.

This reminds me very much of what I've read by philosopher Colin Wilson. His Gerard Sorme trilogy of novels is a fun and easy way to explore this idea, particularly the last, The God of the Labyrinth.

There are all sorts of meditation practice. One is to concentrate the mind on a thought or image so as to become totally absorbed in it, which could be a lot easier if it's a feeling one really wants. You might have to be careful to focus on a positive object you can find in yourself like a feeling of energy or pleasant sensation, rather than lust for something outside you, as that could drive you mad with craving or obsession.

[AnotherSpin]

That's definitely worth trying.

I think the main strategy, if it's possible through concentration alone, would be to push out thoughts of any external demands and obligations that weigh you down (which have the opposite effect, basically).

Perhaps it would be like some sort of meditation, but not the traditional variety maybe (then again, idk much about meditation so I can be corrected on that). I really don't get the point of traditional meditation, clearing your mind for the sake of inner peace. I don't want peace, I want insatiable lust, to feel alive. You know what is also peaceful? Death. We have forever to feel peaceful, why start now?

Meditation is good for stopping the merry-go-round of the thinking, with the aim of ceasing the continuous flow of thoughts. To start to live, at last, instead of scrolling through someone else's thoughts in the head, because all "our" thoughts are borrowed or imposed from outside, like viral diseases. By the way, death is nothing more than a thought. You cannot experience death, you can only think about it. Or you can put thoughts of death out of your mind by meditating. Or by doing something. The former is easier and available to anyone.

[Bachtoven]

[greg]

There are all sorts of meditation practice. One is to concentrate the mind on a thought or image so as to become totally absorbed in it, which could be a lot easier if it's a feeling one really wants.

You know, this sounds familiar and I think I used to do this (not by purposefully "meditating," just moreso on accident). But I might experiment with this.

Meditation is good for stopping the merry-go-round of the thinking, with the aim of ceasing the continuous flow of thoughts.

That seems to be the fundamental direction that people that get into meditation are coming from, but I just don't get into that, I feel the exact opposite.

A lot of them also have the attitude of "being one with the universe," but IMO it should be the opposite. The universe it not to be trusted, it's not good. Only your own mind can be fully trusted, nothing else. Although you don't have complete control over your own mind, it's certainly more controllable/influencable. It will also help you against the universe (which doesn't have your best interest in mind, it's completely indifferent).

So I don't really get the drive to quiet the mind, that I commonly hear with fans of meditation. It's like driving without a GPS- I guess if you wanna get nowhere and have a more stress-free drive, then go ahead. But my GPS gets me where I wanna go.

[AnotherSpin]

You know, this sounds familiar and I think I used to do this (not by purposefully "meditating," just moreso on accident). But I might experiment with this.




That seems to be the fundamental direction that people that get into meditation are coming from, but I just don't get into that, I feel the exact opposite.

A lot of them also have the attitude of "being one with the universe," but IMO it should be the opposite. The universe it not to be trusted, it's not good. Only your own mind can be fully trusted, nothing else. Although you don't have complete control over your own mind, it's certainly more controllable/influencable. It will also help you against the universe (which doesn't have your best interest in mind, it's completely indifferent).

So I don't really get the drive to quiet the mind, that I commonly hear with fans of meditation. It's like driving without a GPS- I guess if you wanna get nowhere and have a more stress-free drive, then go ahead. But my GPS gets me where I wanna go.

I don't have a GPS in the car. Actually, I don't have a car either, I drive my wife's car when I need to, and I rarely need to.

I guess there is no point in getting into a discussion about meditation here in the thread. I will only say that this word is used to refer to many different things. "Being one with the universe" seems rubbish to me. It is a standard substitution of one thought for another.

[Henk]

By the way, death is nothing more than a thought. You cannot experience death, you can only think about it.

Agreed. It's useful to aqcuire a peaceful mind, to oneself, others and society. To remain calm in every circumstance is a proof of value and wisdom. And is productive. But Greg is just not content with it, it's not his value, but it can be someone else's. For me personally it is. For some it's natural for other's like me, it's something to strive for, to acquire, to be productive and to be able to live wisely.

Not that I can't relate to @greg. I also need excaltation and dopamine, though serotinine, endorphine and oxytocine are of equal importance to me.

Of course Greg has a different brain and body chemistry, he seems to need more stimulation to produce dopamine (with probably a positive feedback loop involved).

[Henk]

I think that musicians in general are humans that live lifes in an excalted way.

A painter, like me, also needs excaltation / frenzy (though many do without) but only during the creative work, in my life my wellbeing needs calm.

[AnotherSpin]

Agreed. It's useful to aqcuire a peaceful mind, to oneself, others and society. To remain calm in every circumstance is a proof of value and wisdom. And is productive. But Greg is just not content with it, it's not his value, but it can be someone else's. For me personally it is. For some it's natural for other's like me, it's something to strive for, to acquire, to be productive and to be able to live wisely.

Not that I can't relate to @greg. I also need excaltation and dopamine, though serotinine, endorphine and oxytocine are of equal importance to me.

Of course Greg has a different brain and body chemistry, he seems to need more stimulation to produce dopamine (with probably a positive feedback loop involved).

I wasn't talking about a peaceful mind. The mind is just a mind, it makes no difference is it calm, or active, or balanced. Natural human condition is beyond mind. Or body, or chemistry.

Nothing to acquire too.

[Henk]

I wasn't talking about a peaceful mind. The mind is just a mind, it makes no difference is it calm, or active, or balanced. Natural human condition is beyond mind. Or body, or chemistry.

Nothing to acquire too.

In my case I must acquire it. I must use my brain plasticity in a high degree to recover from trauma, illness to become who I am and that is quite a rewarding (dopamine) thing to me.

[Bachtoven]

[AnotherSpin]

In my case I must acquire it. I must use my brain plasticity in a high degree to recover from trauma, illness to become who I am and that is quite a rewarding (dopamine) thing to me.

I do not know your circumstances, but I am quite certain that you had no doubt you are before, during, and after the trauma. Your essence is unchanged. Nothing to acquire here, truly.

[Henk]

I do not know your circumstances, but I am quite certain that you had no doubt you are before, during, and after the trauma. Your essence is unchanged. Nothing to acquire here, truly.

There's very much to say about these things and there are very many unknowns. But I can agree there's something like an essence, genetic make-up or formation in chilhood, but one has a past, one has illness, a history, one has to interact with a (ill) world and society, and this raises many difficulties. Life isn't easy and I think it's imperative to acquire mental health, to deal with all those things. That makes much sense to me, otherwise I would feel lost. In that learning process, through experiences, I become who I am.

[AnotherSpin]

There's very much to say about these things and there are very many unknowns. But I can agree there's something like an essence, genetic make-up or formation in chilhood, but one has a past, one has illness, a history, one has to interact with a (ill) world and society, and this raises many difficulties. Life isn't easy and I think it's imperative to acquire mental health, to deal with all those things. That makes much sense to me, otherwise I would feel lost. In that learning process, through experiences, I become who I am.

Look, I actually hold pretty much the opposite views. About becoming who I am, about personal history, the past, etc. About interacting with the world. Despite the fact that I see it all radically differently, I am also see that it greatly helps me in my current situation as a person living in a city under missiles attacks. I really don't believe this thread is the right place to go deeper. If you are interested, we can chat in private

[greg]

I think that musicians in general are humans that live lifes in an excalted way.

A painter, like me, also needs excaltation / frenzy (though many do without) but only during the creative work, in my life my wellbeing needs calm.

Pretty accurate summary.

[KevinP]

I had heard the term "MUZAK", but I didn't know what kind of music it prefers to.

Years ago, I heard (and believed) a quip that Muzak was called such because it was the person's name. I just looked it up and that is apparently not true, but it was an attempt at a brand name along the lines of 'Kodak'.

Muzak is basically an outgrowth of Satie's furniture music, though I suspect if Satie hadn't invented the notion of background music, somebody else would have.

[SimonNZ]

Boygenius - The Record

[Karl Henning]

I listen to it infrequently enough, that I am apt to forget just what a good album Sgt Pepper is. I get that there are those who maintain that Revolver is the better of the two. Maybe, but I really don't see that taking aught away from Pepper.

[SimonNZ]

Yo La Tengo - This Stupid World

Wire magazine's album of the year for 2023