what is the purpose of music, and other tech?

Chaotic DescentChaotic Descent Registered User regular
edited December 2006 in Debate and/or Discourse
I'm a consumer whore. (and how!)
I've heard people saying what a good idea it is to do things like throw out your TV and computer, or even your music. (of course, some of them are crazy and questionable like Dave Sim. but questioning isn't dismissing)
I can personally see the advantage of this, not that I'm anywhere near ready to do it. I also think it's a bit extreme. but is this something everyone CAN do? SHOULD do?

What is the purpose of music and other technology? how does it fit into a human life? it seems even music is a dangerous tool that can easily be abused like any substance. (addiction to acohol, smoking, but also to the internet, or other stimulus like constantly listening to music) does anyone in this country know how to moderate? all our limitations seem arbitrary without a reason, and I think most of this society feels "why avoid doing something if I'm capable of doing it? if I can afford to spend the rest of my life playing video games and watching movies, there is no reason NOT TO."
having the purpose of computers be "everything" is really actually more of a burden than a blessing. if computers are good for everything, then why ever leave the computer, other than to handle basic requirements of life? that's a scary thought. (and a situation which is very realistic)

Chaotic Descent on
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Posts

  • _J__J_ Pedant Registered User, __BANNED USERS regular
    edited December 2006
    What is the purpose of music and other technology? how does it fit into a human life?

    There is no "purpose" for a thing other than the purpose given to that thing by purposing beings. We decide what a thing's purpose will be. So there is no "inherent" purpose for music or technology. Music and technology are just things and we use and interact with those things.

    It fits into a human life in the manner in which we let it fit.

    _J_ on
  • ShintoShinto __BANNED USERS regular
    edited December 2006
    Purposing.

    Shinto on
  • AldoAldo Hippo Hooray Registered User regular
    edited December 2006
    The computer is a useful tool and a great form of entertainment. We use computers for almost everything and without it, we wouldn't be where we are today, we wouldn't be discussing religion with people from all over the world, we would be oblivious about large parts of the world and communication with people who live far away would be near impossible.

    Why would one want to throw away technology?

    Humans have listened to and made music since forever, it is a mean to communicate, to get together, to feel happy, to dance to and a way to express who you are.

    Why would one be afraid of music?

    Aldo on
  • YarYar Registered User regular
    edited December 2006
    Shinto wrote:
    Purposing.
    Yeah ttly lawled.

    Yar on
  • SpackleSpackle Registered User regular
    edited December 2006
    I don't understand the music issue. Music has been around for centuries and valued in countless cultures. It's not a product of technology or some new fangled trend.

    Your comments about music actually are quite aggravating (comparing music to drug addicition???). You might want to elborate more on what you said.

    Spackle on
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  • ShintoShinto __BANNED USERS regular
    edited December 2006
    Yar wrote:
    Shinto wrote:
    Purposing.
    Yeah ttly lawled.

    I'll purpose all I want, for I am a purposer.

    So purpose off.

    Shinto on
  • DrezDrez Registered User regular
    edited December 2006
    Interesting purpositions.

    Drez on
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  • Chaotic DescentChaotic Descent Registered User regular
    edited December 2006
    _J_ wrote:
    What is the purpose of music and other technology? how does it fit into a human life?

    There is no "purpose" for a thing other than the purpose given to that thing by purposing beings. We decide what a thing's purpose will be. So there is no "inherent" purpose for music or technology. Music and technology are just things and we use and interact with those things.

    It fits into a human life in the manner in which we let it fit.
    I was hoping for a little more than "stuff is stuff" answer.
    nothing has purpose that you don't give it, but you don't give purpose if you have no purpose to begin with, so you in turn need to be given purpose. where does it come from? is it so easy to stop a person from being involved in purpose? do whatever it is you do to a kid to make them mindless zombines for the rest of their lives?


    Is it bad to combine replies to two different posts like this?:
    Aldo wrote:
    The computer is a useful tool and a great form of entertainment. We use computers for almost everything and without it, we wouldn't be where we are today, we wouldn't be discussing religion with people from all over the world, we would be oblivious about large parts of the world and communication with people who live far away would be near impossible.

    Why would one want to throw away technology?
    I don't know. you tell me why anyone would want to do anything. I don't understand any of it at all. it's all theoretical to me. like some kinda advanced math. real life seems to have nothing to do with it.
    Humans have listened to and made music since forever, it is a mean to communicate, to get together, to feel happy, to dance to and a way to express who you are.
    to feel happy? what about sad or depressing or angry music? so what is it... a mood altering tool? or merely a mood amplifying tool? what is it's social use? are amplified emotions more easily able to alter other people's moods? uhg. I don't know. :S

    Chaotic Descent on
  • AroducAroduc regular
    edited December 2006
    The purpose of Music is that if you get it first, you get a free Great Artist, and also lets you build the uber nice Notre Dame.

    [/Civ4]

    Aroduc on
  • JinniganJinnigan Registered User regular
    edited December 2006
    Experiencing music isn't really something you can explain with higher-level functions, like language.

    Jinnigan on
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  • AldoAldo Hippo Hooray Registered User regular
    edited December 2006
    Chaotic Descent: are you trying to say that music==drugs?

    Aldo on
  • JinniganJinnigan Registered User regular
    edited December 2006
    I once watched a porno where the premise was that the man was controlling women via trance music.

    Jinnigan on
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  • FunkyWaltDoggFunkyWaltDogg Columbia, SCRegistered User regular
    edited December 2006
    I don't know about music, but the purpose of technology is to facilitate your discussion of the purpose of technology with complete strangers.

    FunkyWaltDogg on
  • AldoAldo Hippo Hooray Registered User regular
    edited December 2006
    Jinnigan wrote:
    I once watched a porno where the premise was that the man was controlling women via trance music.

    So Eagles of Death Metal, too.

    Aldo on
  • JinniganJinnigan Registered User regular
    edited December 2006
    This seems to boil into a question of "What is technology good for?" and the only answer I really have to that is "If you honestly don't know, you've probably never lived without technology and are taking too many things for granted."

    This question also assumes that everyone in the world is apathetic and lazy.

    Jinnigan on
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  • ElJeffeElJeffe Roaming the streets, waving his mod gun around.Moderator, ClubPA Mod Emeritus
    edited December 2006
    Shinto, Yar, and Drez:

    Knock it off.

    ElJeffe on
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  • Locust76Locust76 Registered User regular
    edited December 2006
    So... throw away thousands of years of human intellectual evolution? Why, exactly? Because you can't control yourself at Best Buy?

    If you're going to go that far, why don't you go a step further, pack up your shit, grab some knives and go live in a log cabin out in the woods? Seems kind of hypocritical to say "Technology X is bad, buy Technology Y keeps my fat ass warm, so I'll keep it around"

    Technology has a purpose, and that's to make our lives easier and better. In fact, life would be much less meaningful without such advances. If you were out in said woods with said knives living in said cabin, your only purpose in life would be surviving. As it stands, your "purpose" in life is getting educated, working to provide a valuable service to your fellow man, earning money in order to provide for yourself and helping to create a safe and productive environment for other people, namely children. And surviving.

    And to survive in today's world, there are certain things and tools that you need or cannot avoid using.

    So what would be the point of shrugging these things off? Would your ultimate goal be to shed your "consumer whore" status? You still need clothes, you still need food. You'll still need to pay bills and rent. Just because you live in an empty apartment doesn't mean you're still not a consumer whore. It's the system we're born into and it's the system we'll die in.

    Locust76 on
  • FellhandFellhand Registered User regular
    edited December 2006
    Anything can be taken to the extremes.

    for me, music and tech are just means of enjoying myself and passing time. It's just something to do and I hate to be bored.

    Fellhand on
  • Andrew_JayAndrew_Jay Registered User regular
    edited May 2021
    -

    Andrew_Jay on
  • Chaotic DescentChaotic Descent Registered User regular
    edited December 2006
    Locust76 wrote:
    So... throw away thousands of years of human intellectual evolution? Why, exactly? Because you can't control yourself at Best Buy?

    If you're going to go that far, why don't you go a step further, pack up your shit, grab some knives and go live in a log cabin out in the woods? Seems kind of hypocritical to say "Technology X is bad, buy Technology Y keeps my fat ass warm, so I'll keep it around"

    Technology has a purpose, and that's to make our lives easier and better. In fact, life would be much less meaningful without such advances. If you were out in said woods with said knives living in said cabin, your only purpose in life would be surviving.
    but life isn't supposed to be easy. making things easy means we forget how to live, because invariably REAL life comes along and smacks us in the face with a difficulty and we run away screaming like a baby.
    So is there an optimal level of "easy"? Because if we didn't have time to do anything except survive... we'd... probably... never... evolve?
    As it stands, your "purpose" in life is getting educated, working to provide a valuable service to your fellow man, earning money in order to provide for yourself and helping to create a safe and productive environment for other people, namely children. And surviving.

    And to survive in today's world, there are certain things and tools that you need or cannot avoid using.

    So what would be the point of shrugging these things off? Would your ultimate goal be to shed your "consumer whore" status? You still need clothes, you still need food. You'll still need to pay bills and rent. Just because you live in an empty apartment doesn't mean you're still not a consumer whore. It's the system we're born into and it's the system we'll die in.
    well... it doesn't really MATTER. they've taken all my purpose away from me. (well don't just whine about it, make some purpose for yourself! you know, pull yourself by your own bootstraps. that's a real crowd-pleaser.) I don't even need to do any of that stuff. I don't need to make money. I'm really lost. I think I'm blocked in more than one area too. why does it seem like a person's life reinforced itself against change? I thought change was an inevitability of life.

    Chaotic Descent on
  • AldoAldo Hippo Hooray Registered User regular
    edited December 2006
    Why are you on the internet, now? :?

    Aldo on
  • FencingsaxFencingsax It is difficult to get a man to understand, when his salary depends upon his not understanding GNU Terry PratchettRegistered User regular
    edited December 2006
    Oh yes, we're going to find the difinitive meaning of art on an internet forum.

    Fencingsax on
  • _J__J_ Pedant Registered User, __BANNED USERS regular
    edited December 2006
    nothing has purpose that you don't give it, but you don't give purpose if you have no purpose to begin with, so you in turn need to be given purpose.

    Why?

    Human beings have no purpose yet they give things purpose. They say "the purpose of a bowling ball is..." yet themselves have no purpose.

    _J_ on
  • JinniganJinnigan Registered User regular
    edited December 2006
    Why wasn't life meant to be easy? Why was it meant to be hard?

    Jinnigan on
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  • CrayonCrayon Sleeps in the wrong bed. TejasRegistered User regular
    edited December 2006
    Entertainment. To advance our species.

    Crayon on
  • ThaiboxerThaiboxer Registered User regular
    edited December 2006
    This is something you can learn in your Freshman Year of College.

    ENC 101 - Will teach you that everything has an "Opportunity Cost".

    Since there are only 24 hours in the day, people have to prioritize the things they are going to do each day.

    By saying someone should do more "X" and less "Y", you are basically trying to impose your opinion (and priorities) on others.

    Srsly, I'll mock anyone who thinks they know better how to live my life than I do.

    Thaiboxer on
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  • AibynAibyn Registered User regular
    edited December 2006
    ANGEL: "Well, I guess I kinda - worked it out. If there is no great glorious end to all this, if - nothing we do matters, - then all that matters is what we do. 'cause that's all there is. What we do, now, today. - I fought for so long. For redemption, for a reward - finally just to beat the other guy, but... I never got it."

    KATE: "And now you do?"

    ANGEL: "Not all of it. All I wanna do is help. I wanna help because - I don't think people should suffer, as they do. Because, if there is no bigger meaning, then the smallest act of kindness - is the greatest thing in the world."

    Aibyn on
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  • Locust76Locust76 Registered User regular
    edited December 2006
    but life isn't supposed to be easy. making things easy means we forget how to live, because invariably REAL life comes along and smacks us in the face with a difficulty and we run away screaming like a baby.
    So is there an optimal level of "easy"? Because if we didn't have time to do anything except survive... we'd... probably... never... evolve?

    well... it doesn't really MATTER. they've taken all my purpose away from me. (well don't just whine about it, make some purpose for yourself! you know, pull yourself by your own bootstraps. that's a real crowd-pleaser.) I don't even need to do any of that stuff. I don't need to make money. I'm really lost. I think I'm blocked in more than one area too. why does it seem like a person's life reinforced itself against change? I thought change was an inevitability of life.

    First of all, evolution is a passive process. Think about it all you want, you'll never grow that sixth finger you've always thought would be handy (pun not intended). Natural disasters, camping and animal attacks aside, I can't imagine a single thing that would happen which would make me wish I had paid attention in class when they were teaching the fine art of lion hunting, or other such "REAL life" activities.

    They've taken all your purpose away? Think of it this way: "Purpose" is a word tied to an idea that only humans can fully grasp. Since it's a human idea, it's humans that assign purpose. Since it's your life, you assign it a purpose. I don't remember being handed a "purpose card" at birth. My forehead wasn't stamped with some random occupation that I must fulfill in my life. I think you've got something going on that's a little deeper than the strange-ass question you started this topic with.

    Locust76 on
  • LadyMLadyM Registered User regular
    edited December 2006
    Are you on a crusade to simplify your life from the evils of technology? Well, go ahead, it's your life. Meanwhile, unlike my grandmother, I will be enjoying the use of a washing machine and dryer rather than melting snow for the wash basin and scrub board and hanging said clothes on the line to freeze-dry.

    I'm confused as to why you lump music in with technology.

    LadyM on
  • PodlyPodly you unzipped me! it's all coming back! i don't like it!Registered User regular
    edited December 2006
    The purpose of music is to gain an ineffable understanding of transcendent beauty, truth, and reality.

    Podly on
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  • YosemiteSamYosemiteSam Registered User regular
    edited December 2006
    Thaiboxer wrote:
    This is something you can learn in your Freshman Year of College.

    ENC 101 - Will teach you that everything has an "Opportunity Cost".

    Since there are only 24 hours in the day, people have to prioritize the things they are going to do each day.

    By saying someone should do more "X" and less "Y", you are basically trying to impose your opinion (and priorities) on others.

    Srsly, I'll mock anyone who thinks they know better how to live my life than I do.
    Well, you can learn from other people ways in which you might want to change how you live your life. Are you claiming to already know how to live life exactly how you want to?

    YosemiteSam on
  • slurpeepoopslurpeepoop Registered User regular
    edited December 2006
    Thaiboxer wrote:
    This is something you can learn in your Freshman Year of College.

    ENC 101 - Will teach you that everything has an "Opportunity Cost".

    Since there are only 24 hours in the day, people have to prioritize the things they are going to do each day.

    By saying someone should do more "X" and less "Y", you are basically trying to impose your opinion (and priorities) on others.

    Srsly, I'll mock anyone who thinks they know better how to live my life than I do.
    Well, you can learn from other people ways in which you might want to change how you live your life. Are you claiming to already know how to live life exactly how you want to?

    Every person, at every point in their life, has an ideal of how their life could be "perfect". Though it may change at different points, they always know exactly how they want to live their life.

    Not to say that they do...

    For the OP, if some sort of technology is bothering you, don't use it. Everyone has preferences on what kinds of technology they're comfortable with and at what level to incorporate any given technology in their life.

    If you want to live a life without a computer, go ahead. My grandparents lived 90+ years without touching a PC. It's not how I want to live my life, but if you want to, knock yourself out.

    slurpeepoop on
  • durandal4532durandal4532 Registered User regular
    edited December 2006
    I'm all for loosening the ties to consumer technology if you want, I'm actually thinking of doing the same, post-college. Of course, I'll totally end up in the suburbs, but let's pretend. Thing is, it's not like it's going to let you tap into the Dreamtime and find your purpose. You're just going to find things besides the specific stuff you do right now to fill time.

    Of course, I remember reading a sci-fi story about an alternate reality where everyone in the universe was at peace because they didn't have the right physical conditions for solid state electronics. But this isn't the book thread.

    I would say that looking into alternate technologies may provide a bit of a renewed interest. I especially enjoy the idea behind "Fab": http://fab.cba.mit.edu/, making technology as transparent a tool as possible for making life more livable, with less useless mass-produced crap. The book about it was really interesting.

    durandal4532 on
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  • Evil MultifariousEvil Multifarious Registered User regular
    edited December 2006
    Poldy wrote:
    The purpose of music is to gain an ineffable understanding of transcendent beauty, truth, and reality.

    Go back to the late eigtheenth century, hippy.

    Evil Multifarious on
  • Ant000Ant000 Registered User regular
    edited December 2006
    As far as music goes, it's one of the many forms of artistic expression. Artistic expression is humanity's common language, and it transcends traditional oral or written expression as it appeals directly to senses. Humans communicate because we're social creatures and that's what we do!


    Maybe it's just me but the OP seemed somewhat disjointed.

    Ant000 on
  • ShintoShinto __BANNED USERS regular
    edited December 2006
    Poldy wrote:
    The purpose of music is to gain an ineffable understanding of transcendent beauty, truth, and reality.

    I've been using it wrong then.

    Shinto on
  • The CheeseThe Cheese Registered User regular
    edited December 2006
    Poldy wrote:
    The purpose of music is to gain an ineffable understanding of transcendent beauty, truth, and reality.
    Unless you listen to Steve Vai.

    The Cheese on
  • TiemlerTiemler Registered User regular
    edited December 2006
    _J_ wrote:
    There is no "purpose" for a thing other than the purpose given to that thing by purposing beings. We decide what a thing's purpose will be.

    This is true of life itself, let alone the trappings of our particular way of life.

    Tiemler on
  • IncenjucarIncenjucar VChatter Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    edited December 2006
    I'm a consumer whore. (and how!)
    I've heard people saying what a good idea it is to do things like throw out your TV and computer, or even your music. (of course, some of them are crazy and questionable like Dave Sim. but questioning isn't dismissing)
    I can personally see the advantage of this, not that I'm anywhere near ready to do it. I also think it's a bit extreme. but is this something everyone CAN do? SHOULD do?

    Diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks, kiddo.

    People get different things out of different things.

    I, for instance, only watch TV because I need some background noise, and video games have a bazillion load times.

    I play video games because this forum is only so interesting so often (Seriously, if this place was happenin' 24/7, I wouldn't actually bother playing video games, ever...).

    I chat on here because I don't have people to hang out with right now, I can only go to the club so many times a week, and I'm not quite in the mood to get back to my book yet.

    And I'm only bothering with reading a book rather than writing one because, right now, I have no girlfriend, and for some reason my ability to write is directly related to how much cuddling I've been doing (though my recent stint of clubbing has helped me along enough that I wrote a crappy four-line poem earlier today).

    But always, there is a place for music. Even deaf people often love music (seriously).

    I don't see a reason to throw things out, because at one time or another, I will have nobody to cuddle with, it won't be club night, the forum will be boring, and a video game will have a loading time.
    What is the purpose of music and other technology? how does it fit into a human life?

    Endorphine increase. Just like sex, watching your kids grow up, and playing with kittens.
    it seems even music is a dangerous tool that can easily be abused like any substance. (addiction to acohol, smoking, but also to the internet, or other stimulus like constantly listening to music)

    Everything can be overdosed on. It's just sorta... you know... life.
    does anyone in this country know how to moderate?

    Stupid, stupid question.

    If moderation was beyond us, we would all be extinct.

    Here's the trick though:

    Everything in moderation. INCLUDING moderation.

    Sometimes there is a benefit in going too far.
    all our limitations seem arbitrary without a reason, and I think most of this society feels "why avoid doing something if I'm capable of doing it? if I can afford to spend the rest of my life playing video games and watching movies, there is no reason NOT TO."

    If that is the thing which provides you the most happiness and does not detriment others, there IS no reason not to.
    having the purpose of computers be "everything" is really actually more of a burden than a blessing. if computers are good for everything, then why ever leave the computer, other than to handle basic requirements of life? that's a scary thought. (and a situation which is very realistic)

    Because a computer is not the greatest possible source of happiness for most human beings.

    Incenjucar on
  • electricitylikesmeelectricitylikesme Registered User regular
    edited December 2006
    I don't get why people think being connected to more information is a bad thing. We're just at the point where our interfaces lag behind how much stuff we can actually store, and it's not like we don't have guys working on that problem effectively 24/7.

    electricitylikesme on
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