.. and I swear to you I became smarter. Somewhere around the 1st or 2nd month, I stopped watching tv channels and resorted to picking and choosing which shows I want to watch online. I also cut out radio (except news, sports, talk radio, etc). I'm telling you, it had a profound effect on me and I became so much more productive with my time. I used to listen to music basically 24/7. I've decided to stick to this plan while selectively creating a database of songs only for when I go to the gym, and the songs have to fit a ceratin criteria: no cussing, no hoes, no alcohol, no drugs, etc + it has to send me a positive message (something that will push me to do something good/productive). Has anyone else ever tried this? I think those who are listening to music ALL the time must have probably had a similar experience at some point.
That's pretty cool that you have been more productive. I've never seen music to be such a distraction though. Were you downloading new stuff everyday, or just listening to your collection? I've been thinking about cutting down on my tube time - after all it is a time vampire with little or no productive value.
music is my life.. i don't think i would ever try this..ever...but thats just me. maybe you should try not listening to music like for 5 years straight..hopefully you'll get so smart you'll discover a cure for cancer or something. anyways, congratulations on becoming smarter!
I don't ever listen to music unless I have to. I play music for a living and I'll listen if I have to learn a song, but when I'm in the car or at home I don't listen to music. My ipod has audio books on it so that's what I listen to when driving or doing work around the house.
I like that you think music is a waste of time, but you'll still listen to sports/talk radio. I can't think of a bigger waste of time than those.
So did this guy. Kinda NSFW <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Z8ScQoSuEYo&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Z8ScQoSuEYo&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
I went to a Coldplay concert at an outdoor pavillion with my son and wife a week back. They played Yellow...there were clouds all around us...and flashes of lightning....and I listened to the music considering that the sentiment in the lyrics was akin to something God might say to mankind. And I felt very much connected to God in that moment. I don't know if I'm dumber for it....but I'm glad I had the experience. I went to see The Fray Saturday night at the same outdoor pavillion with my wife; a group we both enjoy. Sharing the experience of music with someone I love deeply. I don't know if I'm dumber for it...but I'm glad I had the experience.
My theme song: <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/vgXXnEC_37w&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/vgXXnEC_37w&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> Ain't gonna happen around here buddy.
Life is a big block of time to be filled. You should strive to fill it with whatever you find positive and rewarding. Love, kids, work, music, TV, a buzz, religion, meditation, academic study, athletics, exercise, charity work, animals. As a confirmed slacker and misanthrope I choose the more passive forms with very little guilt. (well, a little guilt) What you don't want to do though, is to get committed to more negative experiences than you have to. Worry, hate, uncomfortable relationships, pain etc. A lot of that comes at you in unavoidable ways anyway so you need to be considering what makes you happy and making the choices you can to maximize that. That does take some honest self reflection. And music can be a good background or even catalyst for that. Seems the OP has decided to limit what he sees as negative distractions. good work!
I had a similar experience at a Weird Al concert a few years ago. But seriously, to the OP.. some of us think that listening to music IS a productive use of time. Maybe the music you listened to was more of a negative factor than the fact that you listen to it a lot. You'll have a hard time convincing me that listening to something as beautiful as Smetana's The Moldau, for instance, is anything BUT a productive use of time.
Yeah Coldplay was freaking amazing that night... It was such a good show. Im not that big of a fan of the Fray, but I went anyways... Not a bad concert... Im just not the biggest fan and they played the 4 songs I do know at the beginning so that sorta killed the rest of the show for me.
70's - Turned off the radio when disco hit the airways 80's - Heard contemporary music as a bartender in numerous live venues around Houston 90's - Talk radio fan, Christian Rock fan 00's - MP3 fan Except for the 90's, I lived without the radio, BUT music was never far from my reach...like from the couch to the guitar stand, easy reach!
I usually cycle through the radio (plain FM - no satellite, no HD). I'll listen for a while and get tired of everything out there, stop long enough to be out of touch, and then start listening again. I think it's because I'm too young to be out of touch with music just yet. And because I'm horrible about exploring and discovering new music on my own. I need the radio to boss me around.
I have over 40K tracks scrobbled on my Last.FM account. I would go insane without music. But regarding tv, I watch about an hour or two per week. I haven't turned on the radio in years though as well. Here is a scientific study on music preferences and smarts.
