Andrew

I just remembered I haven’t opined on anything in a while. So let’s take Music.The world has become so mechanized and standardized these days that it is really no secret that we, as individuals, are defined (by others and ourselves) by our tastes. That is to say the things we like or don’t like: Movies, TV, Cars, Phones, celebrities, people around us (men and women) we can increase the list ad infinitum. Some of these things are artistic in nature and some are more ‘art’ than others. But what about music? Music, many people will be quick to say “Is my favorite thing!” Ok, you may then ask, “Why?” You may hear some decent answers but most of them are likely to be bland and jaded like; “I love to dance to it,” or “It makes me think,” or “It doesn’t make me think,” or “It makes me happy,” or “It’s something to do.” etc. So why do I like music?There is a great pastime of our generation, (the internet especially has made blatantly clear through file sharing and chatting) which is sharing music. Now in its purest form sharing music is beautiful. The passing on of something that is special to oneself to another in a hope they can share in the experience that inspired you to want to pass it on in the first place. But a problem here arises. Remember what we said about defining ourselves and others through tastes. Well music is no doubt a taste in this world. In that we all have some level of preference. So what happens? People use their knowledge of or access to music to differentiate themselves from others… just another way to gain power over someone (in some circles of psychology this may be called ‘stealing energy’). C’mon you’ve all been there, someone who will put music on for you, have you enjoy it and then not let you borrow it. Or they’ll give it to you, but constantly remind you the THEY were the ones you made it possible for you to enjoy this music. “Hot Shit!”Here is the issue. People act as if they own the music. (Like it was ever even their’s to give away in the first place) No one owns music. Not even the musicians who made it. On a certain level a lot of produced music, like we hear on the radio, is bullshit. But music is not. Music is the realist thing in the world. It is simultaneously infinitely simple and infinitely complex. There is no one best kind of music or band for everybody. Every individual is as different as the bands who make the music. Great music is whatever does it for you. Whatever crushes your soul and awakens your spirit. The incredible power of incredible music is that it puts you directly into the moment. You can not appreciate music anywhere except in the moment. This is probably why so many people say that God is Music or Music is God, because God only exist and we can only be connected to him in the moment. He does not exist in the past or the future, mostly because there is no such thing as the past or the future; they only exist in our minds. But this moment right here, right now, is very much real. And music help us to see, which is basically always true anyway, that right here, right now, I am happy. I have everything I need to be happy. Now this is true for basically every moment of everyone’s life, but music is the tool we use to truly get into the moment. Great music grabs you by the Spine and shakes you into reality (ever had music send chills up your spine?). Sadly enough, we spend most of our time in our own heads inventing troubles that do not exist.Music is the most real thing in the world. And I’m not saying my music is better that yours. If your music does for you what mine does for me, then we are on the same page. So I’ll ask: when was the last time you stopped to appreciate your music? And please respect/ love it. Don’t abuse it. Same goes with the people around you. If you follow me, cool. If not, cool too.