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General Category => Entertainment and Media => Topic started by: cowardknower on May 18, 2008, 05:49:45 am

Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: cowardknower on May 18, 2008, 05:49:45 am
Alright, so all these totws are lists and I would like to not do that.
is it morally ok to live a life dedicated to music?

This question has given me pause at times.  What am I really doing for the world by focusing my life entirely around music?  There is all sorts of horrible shit going on and all I can do is sit around and write songs and play guitars and etcetcetcetcetc.  I'm aware that this is a can of worms kind of question yeah because it hinges on what is moral etc blah blah blah, but here it is.

What do you think!?!

Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: ThugTears666 on May 18, 2008, 05:58:50 am
Well I'd say yeah you are contributing something to the world but is it as useful as building a house or teaching kids in a school? I dunno, it's kinda selfish if you aren't actually helping or benefiting anyone.

Then again when I think about my chosen career I'm only doing it because I like it, I never once thought of anyone else, its my life so I can do what I want right? So I guess it really depends on you as a person, some people choose to be doctors because they want to help people, some people just choose a job that they like, I think if anyone is telling  you that making music is selfish or lazy or whatever then they can eat a dick because heaps of people choose their career for selfish reasons not just to contribute to society.
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: ghastly_darklord on May 18, 2008, 06:51:40 am
duh
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: headphonics on May 18, 2008, 06:56:02 am
who would ever say no to this
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: last life on May 18, 2008, 07:01:14 am
yeah I've definitely thought of the same thing too.  Especially since I'm not necessarily making music for other people to enjoy, I'm just doing it for myself pretty much (if other people like it that's cool too).  I definitely think it's not really fair to do it but a lot of other careers are certainly much worse (corporate bitch who puts money higher than people).

Morals are just a human conception anyway. I don't really try to live my life "morally", I just do whatever I feel is right.  Mostly this leads me to act by some sort of code, but I think that if I do something that people would consider amoral or immoral or whatever it doesn't make me a worse person (most people are immoral, they just don't want to admit to it).
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Lars on May 18, 2008, 07:44:26 am
no the only morally accepted job is minesweeper
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: dom on May 18, 2008, 09:08:46 am
you aren't exactly making a negative impact on the world by dedicating yourself to music, and you are making a positive impact on your own life, which is one of the most important things imo

so yes absolutely
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: From Jungle on May 18, 2008, 09:09:50 am
Never thought about it like that. I think it's fine. I could care less about contributing to society, to be honest. Like everyone else, I'm ultimately only concerned about making myself happy. I wanted to say pleasing myself instead of making myself happy, but I would just be setting myself up there...
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Shepperd on May 18, 2008, 12:51:22 pm
even if you close yourself in room and never ever get out, and constantly make music, it would be weird and all but still be "morally" ok.
"morally" because really, it has no place here. You don't necesarily have an obligation to help society or whatsoever. If that concept is not in your mind, it is perfectly fine.
After all morality is a very subjective concept and depends on each person's character, but it is an intrinsic thing, it is based on your perception of reality. You follow what you believe in, but not everyone sees it the same way. We have laws for that to determine what's right and wrong for the State.
But morally? that's up to do, I don't mind.
I personally think there's no morallity involved at all in that question of yours and find it pretty stupid.
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Frisky SKeleton on May 18, 2008, 08:28:21 pm
uhhh there probably are some moral issues in dedicating your life to entertainment
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Bravo on May 18, 2008, 08:34:22 pm
you aren't exactly making a negative impact on the world by dedicating yourself to music, and you are making a positive impact on your own life, which is one of the most important things imo

so yes absolutely
what about if your name is britany spears?
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: headphonics on May 18, 2008, 10:21:46 pm
uhhh there probably are some moral issues in dedicating your life to entertainment
is this a joke?
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: ThugTears666 on May 18, 2008, 10:24:10 pm
Maybe because he means its a shallow lifestyle or something
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: headphonics on May 18, 2008, 10:25:44 pm
yea pursuit of creativity and expression is pretty shallow GO GET A REAL JOB and quit that art bullshit
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: headphonics on May 18, 2008, 10:25:53 pm
*learns trade*
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: ThugTears666 on May 18, 2008, 10:41:24 pm
For arguments sake you could say "A trade is a service to others" whilst making music is just self fufillment.
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Shepperd on May 18, 2008, 10:54:15 pm
uhhh there probably are some moral issues in dedicating your life to entertainment
according to you and your set of moral codes. These codes aren't universal
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: headphonics on May 18, 2008, 11:15:56 pm
For arguments sake you could say "A trade is a service to others" whilst making music is just self fufillment.
music and art in general has a huge impact on the world, though.  saying that making music is just self-serving is pretty absurd considering the amount of influence music plainly exerts over people!  maybe you're making it for yourself, but it can make a lot of other peoples' lives a little bit better and that's nothing to just write off imo.  you can write a novel for self-fulfillment, too, but that doesn't mean it can't have a really positive impact on a lot of peoples' lives.  so yeah to clarify i think this topic is a bit silly because it seems to be based on the assumption that music doesn't DO anything for anyone but the people who make it, and as such is intrinsically selfish, which honestly isn't the case at all.
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: ThugTears666 on May 18, 2008, 11:26:57 pm
I'm kinda just tryna get some discussion started here dude, so it really is just for arguments sake.

You are assuming that music has a huge impact on the world because of it's audience, he's saying it's entirely personal. There is a huge chance no one is going to hear this music except for himself, theres no saying it will make anyones lives better.
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: headphonics on May 18, 2008, 11:38:13 pm
well if you're not going to publish it then i guess i would say it's okay because i don't really find the concept of FULFILLING ONE'S DESIRES to be immoral when it doesn't actively harm anyone else.  i guess if you are ignoring your child in favor of music or some shit that could be bad but honestly, who really feels bad about not devoting their lives to something that could be considered public service?  GO WORK ON THE MINES ahhhh now i'm contributing to society like a proper citizen.  on one hand i understand the obligation to try to make the world a better place or contribute or whatever, but i don't think that should mean taking the thing you're most passionate about in life and shoving it in the backseat.

basically YEAH i think being constructive and contributing is great but if you believe there's another calling for you, like making music (even if it's just for yourself!) then i think you should be able to do that without reproach.  it's kind of ridiculous to really expect people to sacrifice their aspirations just so they can function as a proper citizen working a proper job.  i really kind of just don't understand the mentality.


also it's not like all musicians would be doctors or school teachers or something really noble like that.  statistically, i'm pretty sure the large majority would be doing clerical work or something else that's totally inconsequential, so it's not like society's taking a BIG HIT by them not being there to help underwrite insurance policies or some shit.
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: blood hell on May 19, 2008, 12:45:14 am
I honestly have a hard time relating to people who would rather go to college to study business managment instead of being an artist
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Marmot on May 19, 2008, 01:56:16 am
well tophue the thing is that studying buisness management prolly lands a comfy job while being an art faggot condemns you to work as a barista forever. besides i dont think you have to GET AN ART MAJOR to be creative and indulge yourself in arts. the thing is not 2+2 you know. Faulkner was almost completely self-taught.

i generally dislike art students but i dont dislike the idea of someone dedicating themselves to the arts. in fact if i had a bunch of money i would just dick around, learn, and create. i think happiness is a very important thing, and the whole worthless protestant work ethic of WORK WORK WORK or in the other side, self-martyrdom for the sake of others, are ridicolous things that should be discouraged.
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Shepperd on May 19, 2008, 02:01:21 am
Marmot pretty much.

Tophue, the life of the artist seems more of a gamble and not as safe as that of business management which is one of the most asshole mayors one can get.
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: ATARI on May 19, 2008, 02:38:01 am
as long as you don't become fred durst i think you are okay
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Erave on May 19, 2008, 02:52:44 am
I honestly have a hard time relating to people who would rather go to college to study business managment instead of being an artist

I agree with this. But it's mostly my fault.

I think you're find Couch. As long as you find that balance of music for people's entertainment/whatever and the music you do for art's sake.
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Mince Wobley on May 19, 2008, 03:00:55 am
What are insurance sales persons doing for the world?
What are lawyers doing for the world?
What are plastic surgeons doing for the world?
What are business men doing for the world? (I have no idea what they do either but they have a lot of money)
What are theologists doing for the world?

Musicians are entertaining everyone and making their lifes not so boring and other things too.
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Artis Leon Ivey Jr on May 19, 2008, 03:04:07 am
man y'all got family, I'm sure they aren't all wandering troubadours. what's this I CAN'T RELATE stuff, these are people for whom money is a concern, and not just like "oh gotta make rent" but more "oh god I am going into MASSIVE DEBT REALLY FAST" or "FUCK I'M NOT GOING TO BE POOR LIKE MY FAMILY".

like I'd like nothing more than to relax on my worthless degree and just write a book occasionally but we can't afford that shit. not everyone can be happy just pursuing a degree they might want more than a business one and often pursue that habit in tandem with their career.

then again I can't relate to Republicans so maybe there is some stopgap of understanding.

What are insurance sales persons doing for the world?
What are lawyers doing for the world?
What are plastic surgeons doing for the world?
What are business men doing for the world? (I have no idea what they do either but they have a lot of money)
What are theologists doing for the world?

Musicians are entertaining everyone and making their lifes not so boring and other things too.

oh come on quite a few of these are doing a great deal more for the world than musicians do, and you know it. there's no MORAL OBLIGATION just like there's no moral obligation to tell a fry cook at McDonald's they should be in the Peace Corps but don't compare someone who repairs burnt faces or someone who offers spiritual counsel with a nerd who plays a few notes on a guitar and generally relaxes.
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Mince Wobley on May 19, 2008, 03:20:48 am
I don't think people would notice any difference if every theologist died right now. If every cosmetic surgeon disappeared nobody would miss bolt on tits and nobody would mind if real doctors fixed cleft lips etc. If every musician disappeared world would become really boring. Period.
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: ThugTears666 on May 19, 2008, 03:22:05 am
Quote
I'm kinda just tryna get some discussion started here dude, so it really is just for arguments sake.

Hell yeah.

Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Artis Leon Ivey Jr on May 19, 2008, 03:24:43 am
ahahaha that's stupid.

religion is pretty big champ, I'm pretty sure you get rid of the entire populace of theology (this would include priests, because I'm sure your definition of musician doesn't mean a degree) the world would devolve into chaos far worse than if every musician died, the least reason of which would be the end times prophecies in most religions promising such a departure. if every plastic surgeon died, no, every doctor couldn't take care of the cleft lips or burn victims, that is why PLASTIC SURGEONS EXIST. and you know there are also some very unattractive people out there and whie I'm sure that's far from helping the world, it's certainly not much better than entertainment as a job consequence.

change it to lawyers or business people and we're talking the effective shutdown of every major world economic and legal system.

great serious discussion with inri cheetos.
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Mince Wobley on May 19, 2008, 03:55:55 am
ahahaha that's stupid.

religion is pretty big champ, I'm pretty sure you get rid of the entire populace of theology (this would include priests, because I'm sure your definition of musician doesn't mean a degree)  the world would devolve into chaos far worse than if every musician died, the least reason of which would be the end times prophecies in most religions promising such a departure.

No, it would not include priests, theology is just studying religion. You would survive it.

Quote
if every plastic surgeon died, no, every doctor couldn't take care of the cleft lips or burn victims, that is why PLASTIC SURGEONS EXIST. and you know there are also some very unattractive people out there and whie I'm sure that's far from helping the world, it's certainly not much better than entertainment as a job consequence.

Do you think it would make a difference to those people in third world countries who grow your food (hint: people need them more than they need plastic surgeons) and don't have any plastic surgeons in the first place? And what most cosmetic surgeons do is just liposuction and breast implants, I'm pretty sure the real doctors would be able to fix cleft lips (which aren't too common) and your burnt face persons (and they're not extremelly common either, and will remain that way unless someone decides to bomb everyone with napalm). In other words, you would survive and as a bonus see a lot less semi-spherical breasts.

Quote
change it to lawyers or business people and we're talking the effective shutdown of every major world economic and legal system.

It would just be a change. I think you would survive too.

Quote
great serious discussion with inri cheetos.

Thank you.
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: ThugTears666 on May 19, 2008, 04:01:25 am
Inri are you basing your career on how useful it would be?

No matter which job is more important, society needs its rubbish cleaners and its wall painters. Without them there is no one to do it.
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Artis Leon Ivey Jr on May 19, 2008, 04:06:03 am
...people would first of all survive musicans far easier than any of the ones you're talking about (that being the whole CRUX OF THE ARGUMENT dude) and you're kind of stretching theologian as if most of the people who study religion aren't demagogues of the faith themselves.

that and do you have any idea the chaos that would result if suddenly every business person or lawyer disappeared? pretty sure people would DIE in a few of these cases (like someone on death row appealing their case).

christ what a stupid argument. no one has to spend their career helping mankind but there are clear lines and degrees of what someone contributes to the world as far as a career goes, and musician is pretty low on the list unless you achieve Bob Dylan or Bruce Springsten level success.

or Panic at the Disco because then kids will dress like idiots.
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Mince Wobley on May 19, 2008, 04:08:36 am
Then try living without music for one year and tell me how good it was.
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Lyndon on May 19, 2008, 04:11:00 am
what about deaf people?
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Artis Leon Ivey Jr on May 19, 2008, 04:12:35 am
gz actually doesn't listen to music ever and he's one of the best programmers and people on GW.
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Mince Wobley on May 19, 2008, 04:14:43 am
what about deaf people?

I'm pretty sure they would like to listen to it

gz actually doesn't listen to music ever and he's one of the best programmers and people on GW.

He is the minority. Do what I said and tell me what you learned in your journey of self discovery.

--

PS: To be honest when I made my first post I wasn't trying to say that the other "professionals are doing nothing for the world" but that even if useless professions such as "theology" are considered "doing something for the world" then I'm pretty sure "dedicating your life to the music" (which is much more entertaining than THEOLOGY) must be considered "doing something for the world" too. This is how to properly interpret that post.

But then there comes "Magical Negro" with his "But other professions are doing more than musicians" (if you thought it was "trolling" you could just have ignored it RIGHT? "do not feed the troll", RIGHT???) and I felt the urge to reply to that because I find that kind of pointless arguing to be entertaining (and apparently "Magical Negro" has the same obsessive compulsive arguing disorder) but I will try really hard to control myself, starting now.
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Artis Leon Ivey Jr on May 19, 2008, 04:18:28 am
the point is actual effect dude. I'm not going to stop listening to music because I don't want to but you're out of your mind if you think its the same as not going to a lawyer when I NEED to.

how many posts do you have to make before you get warned for trolling and banned because I know a lot of mods are just waiting for you to slip up and you're pretty clearly trolling right now!
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Marmot on May 19, 2008, 04:54:50 am
inri cheetos is a terrible troll, he isnt funny at all. like, a good troll has some sort of vague point, cheetos is just stupid
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: ThugTears666 on May 19, 2008, 05:38:36 am
inri cheetos is a terrible troll, he isnt funny at all. like, a good troll has some sort of vague point, cheetos is just stupid

I think sometimes he is a troll but lately I have seen him trying to be better.
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Frisky SKeleton on May 19, 2008, 05:52:30 am
is this a joke?

no, everyone was saying OH GOODNESS OF COURSE NOT HOW SILLY when there probably are some moral issues in what would essentially be hedonism. there's a huge difference between dedicating your life to music and playing music as a career, most lawyers wouldn't say they dedicate their lives to law, nor doctors to healthcare. and especially not garbage men to picking up garbage.

Quote
Then try living without music for one year and tell me how good it was.
i know you tend to post some pretty absurd things but would this seriously be a big thing for you? i think i could go a year without music and NOT NOTICE unless you take out movie soundtracks or something.
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: ghastly_darklord on May 19, 2008, 06:05:48 am
Quote
religion is pretty big champ, I'm pretty sure you get rid of the entire populace of theology (this would include priests, because I'm sure your definition of musician doesn't mean a degree) the world would devolve into chaos far worse than if every musician died,
if a man can't dream what can he do
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: headphonics on May 19, 2008, 07:14:59 am
Quote
no, everyone was saying OH GOODNESS OF COURSE NOT HOW SILLY when there probably are some moral issues in what would essentially be hedonism. there's a huge difference between dedicating your life to music and playing music as a career, most lawyers wouldn't say they dedicate their lives to law, nor doctors to healthcare. and especially not garbage men to picking up garbage.
are there?  i guess i could see why you think there are but idk i think there are even larger moral issues with compelling someone to give up whatever would fulfill them in life so they can be another COG IN THE WORKS or whatever you would feel you should be doing instead of devoting your life to music.  i would say guilt tripping people into fulfilling their obligations to society is at the very least, equally questionable.  and again, most people wouldn't be leaving music behind to be a doctor or a teacher or someone that legitimately helps people.  most would just have nominal jobs with nominal effects on things that in the greater scheme of civilization are also probably pretty nominal themselves!  i don't understand what's so much more acceptable about going to work in the customer service department of some nbc subsidiary, honestly!


also how many people dedicate their lives to music but do it in a way that it affects NO ONE WHATSOEVER beyond them?  yeah, there's a difference between playing music as a career and just dedicating your life to it, but do you really think it's likely that someone would dedicate their lives to music and then keep it all tucked away like a secret where it can't positively impact the lives of anyone around them?  you don't need to be a professional musician for the music you make to have some sort of an impact, is what i'm saying.  you could teach a music class or something and that in itself is can be a pretty big thing for your students!
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Hundley on May 19, 2008, 07:47:58 am
is it morally ok to live a life dedicated to music?

This question has given me pause at times.  What am I really doing for the world by focusing my life entirely around music?  There is all sorts of horrible shit going on and all I can do is sit around and write songs and play guitars and etcetcetcetcetc.  I'm aware that this is a can of worms kind of question yeah because it hinges on what is moral etc blah blah blah, but here it is.
you know, if this is a concern of yours you should just make sure you always remember to not lose sight of what your music does for other people. you know, expressing yourself, making music that makes people feel. i don't know if i speak for most people but i use music to help me think and feel. it adds much needed flavor to life and provokes things in my mind that i find pretty valuable. i'd like to think there are a lot of people who feel this way.

i think this would be a worthless thing to tell a lot of musicians, sadly, but i've always found your music to be pretty moving. just don't forget to do this at any point(it's easy to forget and just start DOING)

also remind yourself that the process of being a human is a lot less interesting without music. even if you can't apply some concrete FUNCTION to your work you need to remind yourself that without artists like yourself the world is a dull and colorless place.
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Frisky SKeleton on May 19, 2008, 08:11:05 am
are there?  i guess i could see why you think there are but idk i think there are even larger moral issues with compelling someone to give up whatever would fulfill them in life so they can be another COG IN THE WORKS or whatever you would feel you should be doing instead of devoting your life to music.  i would say guilt tripping people into fulfilling their obligations to society is at the very least, equally questionable.  and again, most people wouldn't be leaving music behind to be a doctor or a teacher or someone that legitimately helps people.  most would just have nominal jobs with nominal effects on things that in the greater scheme of civilization are also probably pretty nominal themselves!  i don't understand what's so much more acceptable about going to work in the customer service department of some nbc subsidiary, honestly!

usually people will dedicate their lives to something like their family or god, themselves, friends, possessions , money, sex etc

i guess some people do dedicate their lives to their career seperately from money but for the most part i would say people don't dedicate their lives to being a COG or a gofer at NBC

i am probably argueing semantics here but when someone says they've dedicated their life to something the sole purpose of their life is tied up in that something, like WoW players. is it morally ok to dedicate your life to world of warcraft?
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Hundley on May 19, 2008, 08:21:33 am
i am probably argueing semantics here but when someone says they've dedicated their life to something the sole purpose of their life is tied up in that something, like WoW players. is it morally ok to dedicate your life to world of warcraft?
wait are you actually arguing that being a career wow player is even slightly similar to being a career musician? maybe i am not following your thought processes here.

i'm pretty sure you get a free pass if you tie your life up in something that genuinely affects the lives of others in a positive way
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: CorporateGreed on May 19, 2008, 09:42:44 am

I think we´ve lost track of the original topic.

Either way, I don´t see what morality has to do with it. If you get well known, people
will listen to your music and some of them will find comfort in it. Only when you get
really famous you might be able to do something about the world, but those chances
are close to non-existant.

Other than that, if you're a musician boasting Nazistic beliefs, I think that would not
be morally acceptable. Then again, you might think it is.

That said, it depends on your circumstances. If you have a family and you disregard them
in your quest to become a well known musician, that's pretty amoral i guess.
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Frisky SKeleton on May 19, 2008, 10:31:05 am
wait are you actually arguing that being a career wow player is even slightly similar to being a career musician? maybe i am not following your thought processes here.

i'm pretty sure you get a free pass if you tie your life up in something that genuinely affects the lives of others in a positive way

no! i am saying there are similiar moral issues in living your life solely for music to living your life solely for world of war craft. i don't know what they are it just seems like there should be some!

it'd be easier if we had a more universal moral handbook
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: cowardknower on May 19, 2008, 11:25:13 am
Quote from: everyone telling me that i shouldnt be worried about it
dont worry dude

Yeah, I'm not really worried about this per se.  I thought about this very briefly about a year ago, but basically arrived at the same conclusion as everyone else in this thread. (also thanks hundley you are such a sweetie pie)

no! i am saying there are similiar moral issues in living your life solely for music to living your life solely for world of war craft. i don't know what they are it just seems like there should be some!

it'd be easier if we had a more universal moral handbook


the bible climbtree the bible
Yeah, the whole "what is morals anyway" kinda rubs its asshole all over this question and turns it into "is it ok to pursue something that does not quantifiably contribute to society in some way?" and several thousand other cans of worms.

(good discussing guys i am surprised this actually got any discussion the first few replies had me a little worried haha)
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: holloway on May 19, 2008, 08:52:35 pm
uhhh there probably are some moral issues in dedicating your life to entertainment
What are you, jewish?
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Shepperd on May 19, 2008, 09:29:02 pm
i know you tend to post some pretty absurd things but would this seriously be a big thing for you? i think i could go a year without music and NOT NOTICE unless you take out movie soundtracks or something.
speak to yourself, I can't go past a day without some dose of music
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Artis Leon Ivey Jr on May 19, 2008, 09:31:14 pm
uh by saying I THINK I COULD I think he was speaking for himself.
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Shepperd on May 19, 2008, 09:46:42 pm
uh that's what I said, and that's not the entire purpose of my post
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: last life on May 19, 2008, 09:50:33 pm
I think people overplay how important music is in their life, I'm sure all of us would be fine with no music to listen to or play (I play music all day though).
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: headphonics on May 19, 2008, 09:57:52 pm
i mean you would probably just compensate for the loss with other creative outlets like writing or painting or some shit, but if you're talking about not having music in your life and not being able to replace it with anything else, i don't think people would be fine!  losing a major mode of expression like that isn't really good for your mental well-being i do not think
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Shepperd on May 19, 2008, 09:59:44 pm
Without music, life would be a mistake
-Friedrich Nietzsche
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: headphonics on May 19, 2008, 10:48:37 pm
gopd is dead......
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: last life on May 19, 2008, 10:54:46 pm
I mean, yeah it would suck at first, but I'm sure people would still be really happy and in the long run completely fine.  People just think OH NOES NO MUSIC because they've had it their whole life, I really don't see it as neccessary in anyway.  Sure it's nice, REALLY NICE, but so is chocolate.

The world would be fine without chocolate.
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: headphonics on May 19, 2008, 11:11:50 pm
yeah but chocolate does not serve as a therapeutic exercise or a release of any sort.  what i am saying is, whether you make it or listen to it, music is an outlet, so i think just plugging it up would lead to a lot of anxiety and yeah just a decline in mental health if you didn't replace it with anything.  i don't think it'd be catastrophic but i do think it'd result in a decline in the general quality of life.
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Shepperd on May 19, 2008, 11:28:07 pm
without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines. Frank Zappa
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: last life on May 20, 2008, 12:27:59 am
there are plenty of things equally effective (or more effective) at relaxing people, music is not necessary

the chocolate thing was a joke
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: cowardknower on May 20, 2008, 12:54:58 am
I could do no music for a year.  I'd even be interested in it-- but I would definitely have other creative outlets, cause thats ultimately what my passion is-- creating.  I like to make cool shit, music is just the outlet im best versed in so its what I do the most.

Itd be cool though I think to go without it for a whole year.  Damn.
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Shepperd on May 20, 2008, 02:21:24 am
music is not just relaxing

music can be energy, movement, entretainment, soothing, transmitting, decorating, you find the adjectives.

Life without music would be a mistake
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: last life on May 20, 2008, 05:21:32 am
things that you can find elsewhere.  I'd say a lot of other activities are more effective at giving you those things.  If you need me to LIST EXAMPLES then I will, but I don't think it's necessary.

I'd say out of most of the arts even music is the most easily disposable because of the amount of effort it takes to produce, and also because of it's incredibly temporary and abstract nature.  Well certainly music can be emotionally moving, so can a play, and theater seems to communicate much more effectively to people than music because everyone understand talking and words and not everyone understands music the same way.

Besides, all art is just a way for us all to waste our time, and certainly their are other ways to waste times like sports and other games, discussion etc.

It can be hard to see life without music because you deal with it so much each day, but I guarantee you'd be fine and completely happy if music never existed.  Certainly if music was BANNED you wouldn't be happy, but I'm sure you could learn to live life and enjoy it if you let yourself.
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Mince Wobley on May 20, 2008, 06:10:56 am
What do you think theater can "communicate" more effectively to people than music? If someone made you watch a play made and played by foreign actors in their own language which you don't understand, would you understand anything at all?
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: last life on May 20, 2008, 07:10:02 am
that was just an example, it doesn't even matter, but 1) plays can be translated 2) english will soon become a global language, and almost already is.

but it does not even matter I don't know why I responded.
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: cowardknower on May 20, 2008, 01:59:40 pm
Besides, all art is just a way for us all to waste our time, and certainly their are other ways to waste times like sports and other games, discussion etc.

Whooooah I would like to see you explain this a little further, friend.
defend yourself
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: dom on May 20, 2008, 05:43:16 pm
things that you can find elsewhere.  I'd say a lot of other activities are more effective at giving you those things.  If you need me to LIST EXAMPLES then I will, but I don't think it's necessary.

I'd say out of most of the arts even music is the most easily disposable because of the amount of effort it takes to produce, and also because of it's incredibly temporary and abstract nature.  Well certainly music can be emotionally moving, so can a play, and theater seems to communicate much more effectively to people than music because everyone understand talking and words and not everyone understands music the same way.

Besides, all art is just a way for us all to waste our time, and certainly their are other ways to waste times like sports and other games, discussion etc.

It can be hard to see life without music because you deal with it so much each day, but I guarantee you'd be fine and completely happy if music never existed.  Certainly if music was BANNED you wouldn't be happy, but I'm sure you could learn to live life and enjoy it if you let yourself.
just because you have no emotional stake in music doesn't mean nobody else does. i would go crazy if i stopped listening to music. i really dont think you see music in the same way that we do! it's not just something to pass the time.
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Mince Wobley on May 20, 2008, 07:15:21 pm
that was just an example, it doesn't even matter, but 1) plays can be translated 2) english will soon become a global language, and almost already is.

but it does not even matter I don't know why I responded.

Music doesn't need to be translated, it can be apreciated by everyone. Just like food! It's something you taste with your ears.
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: cowardknower on May 20, 2008, 07:35:22 pm
Music doesn't need to be translated, it can be apreciated by everyone. Just like food! It's something you taste with your ears.

this is not true.  music's meaning IS somewhat cultural.  A little different than language, but tonality is 100% a social construct.
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Mince Wobley on May 20, 2008, 07:37:11 pm
Well yes but you don't need to understand the meaning or anything, just listen to it
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Farren on May 20, 2008, 09:51:13 pm
Thats not necessarily true either, of course I listen to alot of music because it sounds great. But the stuff that really moves and inspires me the most wouldn't do so if it didn't have meaning.
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Mince Wobley on May 20, 2008, 10:08:56 pm
But what about music with out vocals? Do they mean anything at all? (many with vocals and lyrics don't really mean anything either) Or in this case, what matters is not the meaning but the "feeling"?

Again it's like food because you can just eat it and apreciate the marvelous tastes and smells without knowing anything about why the ingredients are there.

Understanding is just an extra, not a requirement
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: last life on May 20, 2008, 11:21:03 pm
But unlike food it's not necessary, and we certainly have many other ways to enjoy ourselves, communicate, and express ourselves artistically other than music.

BTW, I am a music major and I spend almost all of my time playing music, and I certainly have a huge emotional stake in it.  It's just not as necessary as people think.  It may be hard to imagine a world without music, but I don't think it would be an AWFUL AND BLEAK place like everyone seems to believe.  I'm probably wrong but there's no way to say who's right with out actually living lives without music and seeing the result (no one's going to do that, not worth it).
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Shepperd on May 21, 2008, 01:02:24 am
Besides, all art is just a way for us all to waste our time, and certainly their are other ways to waste times like sports and other games, discussion etc.
you are DEADLY[/u][/size][/color] wrong.

you don't WASTE TIME when you enjoy what you're doing.
Simple as that
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: ThugTears666 on May 21, 2008, 01:07:37 am
Yeah saying it's a waste of time is kinda like saying expressing yourself in general is a waste of time.
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Frisky SKeleton on May 21, 2008, 02:10:58 am
are we talking about making music or listening to it?

are you guys, do you ever like, i dunno when you're reading a book or something do you ever just go UGH I REALLY WANT TO LISTEN TO SOME MUSIC RIGHT NOW?

i find it really laborsome to just listen to music, like it's alright if it's in the background or whatever or if it's linked like in a music video but just listening us choresome
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Artis Leon Ivey Jr on May 21, 2008, 02:34:23 am
yeaaaaaaaaaaaaah I think a lot of people here like listening to music exclusively dude just maybe in the music forum.
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Mince Wobley on May 21, 2008, 02:42:58 am
I find it really laborsome to read a book (I try to start, and then go skipping lines and give up) but I like to listen to every detail in a song and how it takes shape and moves and flows and how each chord change and interval feels and the multitude of textures and timbres and so on and I'll do that even it's just a BGM like in a waiting room but for a limited amount of time before I become really angry from listening to something SO BORING (certain kinds of jazz or rap for example)

And musicians are there to create those marvelous creations of mankind so that they can stimulate our aural senses, so, go for it couch!
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: cowardknower on May 21, 2008, 02:48:15 am
But what about music with out vocals? Do they mean anything at all? (many with vocals and lyrics don't really mean anything either) Or in this case, what matters is not the meaning but the "feeling"?

Again it's like food because you can just eat it and apreciate the marvelous tastes and smells without knowing anything about why the ingredients are there.

Understanding is just an extra, not a requirement

Like I said, tonality is a social construct.  Music only sounds musical because we're kinda trained culturally to recognize certain things as sonant, certain things as not, etc.  Diff cultures have different standards for it.

Even with foods, its true that taste is something of a universal language, but some cultures think things taste greeeat that other cultures hate (american like hot dog ha ha ha ha ha).
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Mince Wobley on May 21, 2008, 03:03:25 am
In this case just forget the standards, culture and etc and listen to it
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: last life on May 21, 2008, 03:08:09 am
Yeah I didn't mean a WASTE OF TIME, of course that's wrong, music is worthwhile just like any art.  What I meant was that music and a great many of the activities humans participate in are things we do only because we have a lot of extra time during which we don't have to worry about survival or something more pressing. 

I don't consider what I do every day ALL DAY a waste of time.

Also I'm talking about both making music and listening to it, because if no music was made, there'd be no music to listen to.

Edit:  Inri, what Couch is saying is that the only reason you, or anyone for that matter, finds music happy, sad, good, bad, glorious, depressing, whatever, is because we culturally associate certain sounds with those feelings.  There is only musical "feeling" because we are trained to respond that way.  That is why it's hard to appreciate certain music from other cultures or subcultures for you and for most people.
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Marmot on May 21, 2008, 08:02:29 am
this thread is somewhat meaningless. there is no meaning in anything without us imposing it. being a professional WOW player is not less important than being a musician without a human being placing upon them values.

Anyway, i dont find music that important at all. it certainly is fun but I bet i can survive just fine without music, considering i have never heard something that changed my life, while i have read shit that has changed my life.
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Mince Wobley on May 21, 2008, 06:22:36 pm
Yeah I didn't mean a WASTE OF TIME, of course that's wrong, music is worthwhile just like any art.  What I meant was that music and a great many of the activities humans participate in are things we do only because we have a lot of extra time during which we don't have to worry about survival or something more pressing. 

I don't consider what I do every day ALL DAY a waste of time.

Also I'm talking about both making music and listening to it, because if no music was made, there'd be no music to listen to.

Edit:  Inri, what Couch is saying is that the only reason you, or anyone for that matter, finds music happy, sad, good, bad, glorious, depressing, whatever, is because we culturally associate certain sounds with those feelings.  There is only musical "feeling" because we are trained to respond that way.  That is why it's hard to appreciate certain music from other cultures or subcultures for you and for most people.

I don't think so, you don't become sad when someone you like dies just because it's a cultural thing, it's more of an instinct. You don't hate arugula just because it's a cultural thing to hate it but because it tastes bitter as hell.

The same happens with sounds. So, saying "Ah this musical piece by beethoven gives me emotions!" just because people say that (some people repeat such things to sound smart) doesn't count, what counts is what you feel at the moment. Which is why I said you don't need to understand it, just listen to it.

PS: And when I say "feel" I don't mean "feel" as in "oh emotions sad anger hungry etc" but something else, it's more of something that just ranges from bad to bland to good to awesome  :fogetbackflip:
Title: [totw] is it morally ok to dedicate your life to music?
Post by: Strangeluv on May 23, 2008, 08:07:21 pm
I've always had a special type of respect for musicians who make good music. I don't know how to exactly define what good music is but I guess any music that does not cause an overall negative impact upon society. I don't know how to explain it better than that.

There was this quote I read once. It went like, "Painters paint their art on a canvas. Musicians paint their art on silence." When I think about that, the harder it feels for me to be able to compose something because I really think you gotta have a kind of special creative talent to do that.

Virtually every culture in this world associates itself with a certain type of music; whether it be for to obtain a sense of atmosphere, a sense of patriotism, for religious purposes or for simple form of entertainment. The ancient Chinese zithers, an army reveille, the chanting of Tibetian monks, the sharp strings of the Psycho soundtrack, a country's national anthem, the Ave Maria, in an women's aerobics class at your local gym, callings of morning-birds; all music one way or the other. It's all around us. Some hillbilly strumming his banjo over Shenandoah to a dancehall song playing in a club to a massive choir singing Beethoven's Ode to Joy to a rock concert in Madison Square. It unites us, it draws lines between us, it creates new cultures, it inspires, it makes us act differently.

As you can see, I'm not just talking about what you find in the recording studio or being played by your average garage band. Music on the whole. I think it's necessary. As Hundley said, the world is dull and colourless without music. Maybe not your world (because maybe you dislike music and can survive without it for 10 years at a time), but the world on the whole.

I don't want to answer if it's MORALLY OKAY but dedicating your life as a musician is not a bad thing at all, from my point of view, once you don't try to stir an overall negative impact upon everything around you. There are people who just make music for people to enjoy, same as how there are people who write stories for people to enjoy and there are people who try to put a stratum of emotion or message into their music, same as writers who do the same. So I think it's what you set out to do if you want to dedicate your life to music. It shouldn't be a selfish endeavour that just benefits YOU.