P
Ever since I got into my teens I noticed the kids at church and around town were constantly plugged into their sound-boxes, or blaring something in their car, etc. They were obsessed with bands to the point of outright idolatry.
Now I'm not trying to make any kind of point here about the depravity and idolatry so prevalent in popular music, but just saying - it does nothing for me.
I have heard and forced to listen to all sorts of music, from Beethoven to gangster rap and I can't say I care for any of it. Again, I'm not talking about thematic or moral problems with music, but from a purely psychological/response analysis it does nothing for me. It's just bad poetry and noise. In fact, when someone tells me, "you gotta listen to MC XYZ, he's the greatest" I sort of internally roll my eyes the same way most people do when asked to read someone's poetry.
Not only do I not enjoy music but if I am trying to get anything done that requires organized thoughts or conversation the music has to go away. I can't concentrate with it on, the entire time I'm talking to someone I just want to smash the speakers so I can compose my thoughts.
I do listen to audiobooks, podcasts and sermons quite regularly, in fact if I can afford to split my attention I will listen to something of the sort all day. Now I recognize that this is somewhat similar to the girls I see at school with mp3 players cyberjacked into their skull, except we are obviously getting two completely different functions out of the sound - the whole 'rhythm' and weird emotional gravitas that seems to enmesh people in music does nothing for me; listening to podcasts or whatever is an intellectual excercise.
I remember at one point in church feeling kind of awkward and weird because the minister gave music as an example of something everyone likes and I knew that I would prefer we conducted our church services without the Genevan Psalter.
Now before I get the condescending sympathy plugs let me remind you that an absence is not a lack. Just because you don't grave nicotine does not mean you are 'missing out', even if everyone else on Earth is a smoker.
Now I'm not trying to make any kind of point here about the depravity and idolatry so prevalent in popular music, but just saying - it does nothing for me.
I have heard and forced to listen to all sorts of music, from Beethoven to gangster rap and I can't say I care for any of it. Again, I'm not talking about thematic or moral problems with music, but from a purely psychological/response analysis it does nothing for me. It's just bad poetry and noise. In fact, when someone tells me, "you gotta listen to MC XYZ, he's the greatest" I sort of internally roll my eyes the same way most people do when asked to read someone's poetry.
Not only do I not enjoy music but if I am trying to get anything done that requires organized thoughts or conversation the music has to go away. I can't concentrate with it on, the entire time I'm talking to someone I just want to smash the speakers so I can compose my thoughts.
I do listen to audiobooks, podcasts and sermons quite regularly, in fact if I can afford to split my attention I will listen to something of the sort all day. Now I recognize that this is somewhat similar to the girls I see at school with mp3 players cyberjacked into their skull, except we are obviously getting two completely different functions out of the sound - the whole 'rhythm' and weird emotional gravitas that seems to enmesh people in music does nothing for me; listening to podcasts or whatever is an intellectual excercise.
I remember at one point in church feeling kind of awkward and weird because the minister gave music as an example of something everyone likes and I knew that I would prefer we conducted our church services without the Genevan Psalter.
Now before I get the condescending sympathy plugs let me remind you that an absence is not a lack. Just because you don't grave nicotine does not mean you are 'missing out', even if everyone else on Earth is a smoker.
