Your Neitzsche quote reminds me of a line from Arcade Fire song "Here Comes the Night Time": "If there's no music up in heaven then what's it for?" The "it" could refer to either music or heaven; either way, there's a lot to unpack in that statement.
And "Dragonball Durag" is one of Thundercat's best songs. I'm consistently in awe of his ability to produce greatness while also maintaining the element of fun. So many of his songs — "Tron Song", "Aw Sheit it's X", most of "Drunk" — exist in that area of general goofiness yet remain splendidly fascinating art. Thundercat is a genius.
What if a modern movement tried to sacralize music, much as Islam did for images with a human likeness? I can imagine mobs of people attacking the speakers that pump muzak into shopping malls. Imagine how unappealing television, movies and radio would be without the power of music to sweeten them?
Looking forward to the future of this exploration! These contemplations are super healthy.
“In the healthy condition of man, the spiritual vital force (autocracy), the dynamis that animates the material body (organism), rules with unbounded sway, and retains all the parts of the organism and in admirable, harmonious, vital operation, as regards both sensations and functions, so that our indwelling, reason-gifted mind can freely employ this living, healthy instrument for the higher purposes of our existence”. Samuel Hahnemann ‘Organon’ of Med. were approaching 50 books on homeopathy! Can I recommend the Norland family…Misha, Luke…? Cv is an example of employing this wisdom black mantras, yantras, Nlinguistic programming and inverted homeopathic science through adjuvants and alchemical heresy. There’s a reason we’ve eaten our way around the zoo diac Chinese western, eastern…have consumed detuned substances and blood fractions and upper, lower and mid side band radiation.. this 5th generation quickly bleeds into the next…don’t get me started! Still we can transcend!
"In a culture that perceived music in this manner, it really did have the powers that they supposed—it really could, against all odds, turn the tide of a war, incite a tyrant-toppling revolution, or heal those whom conventional medicine could not help (i.e. raise the dead)."
But still, I don't see why music should be sanctified. The fact that music can potentially do great things via psychosocial effects (not to mention they're likely more limited than what the Greeks have believed them to be) that are not yet understood, doesn't mean we should restrict access to it. Moreover, an attempt to sanctify music can face serious realistic consequences, such as a government's total control of the kind of music content available to the public, which is already half the case in China.
"'But why do we destroy music? In the pages ahead, I will suggest that songs have always played a special role in defining the counterculture and serving as a pathway to experiences outside accepted norms.'"
I'm all for preserving a venue for independent creators and voices of the counterculture. Unfortunately, throughout history, this kind of venue is usually fragile and not easily accessible, due to authorities (yes I'm talking about censorship but more generally), cultures, as well as disparities in social resources (e.g. musical education, the economic stability to pursue music, etc.). Right now, although we treat music as a commodity, this treatment offers great freedom and accessibility of creation for the independent creator and members of the counterculture. It's not clear right now if there exists an alternate system that will preserve this freedom of creation, so I think we should cherish the system that we have now.
Your Neitzsche quote reminds me of a line from Arcade Fire song "Here Comes the Night Time": "If there's no music up in heaven then what's it for?" The "it" could refer to either music or heaven; either way, there's a lot to unpack in that statement.
And "Dragonball Durag" is one of Thundercat's best songs. I'm consistently in awe of his ability to produce greatness while also maintaining the element of fun. So many of his songs — "Tron Song", "Aw Sheit it's X", most of "Drunk" — exist in that area of general goofiness yet remain splendidly fascinating art. Thundercat is a genius.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5nf4piw1ZnhhzwyJIoMKGp?si=QYGgTZSOSqGjpx8R7mWXmA
I'm not sure what sort of party I'm going to play this at, but I'm sure I'll find a way
What if a modern movement tried to sacralize music, much as Islam did for images with a human likeness? I can imagine mobs of people attacking the speakers that pump muzak into shopping malls. Imagine how unappealing television, movies and radio would be without the power of music to sweeten them?
Looking forward to the future of this exploration! These contemplations are super healthy.
“In the healthy condition of man, the spiritual vital force (autocracy), the dynamis that animates the material body (organism), rules with unbounded sway, and retains all the parts of the organism and in admirable, harmonious, vital operation, as regards both sensations and functions, so that our indwelling, reason-gifted mind can freely employ this living, healthy instrument for the higher purposes of our existence”. Samuel Hahnemann ‘Organon’ of Med. were approaching 50 books on homeopathy! Can I recommend the Norland family…Misha, Luke…? Cv is an example of employing this wisdom black mantras, yantras, Nlinguistic programming and inverted homeopathic science through adjuvants and alchemical heresy. There’s a reason we’ve eaten our way around the zoo diac Chinese western, eastern…have consumed detuned substances and blood fractions and upper, lower and mid side band radiation.. this 5th generation quickly bleeds into the next…don’t get me started! Still we can transcend!
"In a culture that perceived music in this manner, it really did have the powers that they supposed—it really could, against all odds, turn the tide of a war, incite a tyrant-toppling revolution, or heal those whom conventional medicine could not help (i.e. raise the dead)."
But still, I don't see why music should be sanctified. The fact that music can potentially do great things via psychosocial effects (not to mention they're likely more limited than what the Greeks have believed them to be) that are not yet understood, doesn't mean we should restrict access to it. Moreover, an attempt to sanctify music can face serious realistic consequences, such as a government's total control of the kind of music content available to the public, which is already half the case in China.
"'But why do we destroy music? In the pages ahead, I will suggest that songs have always played a special role in defining the counterculture and serving as a pathway to experiences outside accepted norms.'"
I'm all for preserving a venue for independent creators and voices of the counterculture. Unfortunately, throughout history, this kind of venue is usually fragile and not easily accessible, due to authorities (yes I'm talking about censorship but more generally), cultures, as well as disparities in social resources (e.g. musical education, the economic stability to pursue music, etc.). Right now, although we treat music as a commodity, this treatment offers great freedom and accessibility of creation for the independent creator and members of the counterculture. It's not clear right now if there exists an alternate system that will preserve this freedom of creation, so I think we should cherish the system that we have now.