Music Appreciation & the Crystalizing Intellect
One of the most sad things about aging is that music is not listened to with as much enthusiasm and not heard with the same appreciation as in youth. From the tweens into the early 20s, by contrast, music is HUGE-- and in human brains, it is meant to be. My guess is that music became such an important way to connect with one's cultural heritage that we've evolved to really get into it to learn and connect and dance (thus showing our health) and have the passion needed to get through life.
That feeling of having a life that revolves around music fades. I've noticed it and mourned the loss of that energetic connection to music every day that I had in my youth. Apparently, studies on brains and aging bear out my own observations. We're just not as enthusiastic nor as connected to music as much the older we get. Music becomes a way to emotionally connect to our youth, but new music isn't as big of a deal to us as it used to be.
Younger brains use a more "fluid" intelligence that moves and shifts and adapts. Older brains, by contrast, become more crystalized, carrying more memories and facts, but less able to adapt-- let alone with excitement. Different ages have different things to take care of, and different things to offer, to our families, friends, and tribes.
But one thing my explorations of drugs have made clear to me-- some bring that ability to connect to music with passion BACK.
~ Alcohol. I'm not a big drinker, but every few months I get very tipsy and for some reason end up on the internet watching and listening to videos. I find new music to just LOVE almost every time. That's how I discovered Billie Eilish and Aurora, for recent examples. Otherwise--? I don't seem to be in that mental space where I give a damn. The happy news is that my love for the new music I discover while intoxicated remains after I'm sober and I find I'm thrilled to find new music to love in my life. I just need to be in an altered mind state to go looking for it actively.
~ Ecstasy. No doubt this does incredible things to make our brains "younger" for a while. And the musical appreciation and emotional connection to music remains very strong for days after taking it, even while sober. And there is a long term lingering effect that enhances that musicality for weeks. To me, this helps illustrate part of the magic of that particular drug. No wonder we're able to work out our shit when we take it! Especially passionate songs and singers and DANCE music!
~ Marijuana. The ability to relax and hit a liquid mental state definitely is connected to weed. But I notice it's better for relaxing music and more chaotic music like jazz. In fact, it's hard for me to even listen to jazz without it being in my system. I'll actively try to listen to something else otherwise. So... maybe the stereotype about those things going together is not an accident?
Overall, I find my waning musical appreciation to be quite distressing. I can temporarily bring it back at least, so that's good to know, but I miss being so INTO music every day of my life like I was when I was young. This may be the saddest part of aging to me, honestly. Not the physical wearing down or losing my looks-- but the loss of the massively enthusiastic connection to music.
That feeling of having a life that revolves around music fades. I've noticed it and mourned the loss of that energetic connection to music every day that I had in my youth. Apparently, studies on brains and aging bear out my own observations. We're just not as enthusiastic nor as connected to music as much the older we get. Music becomes a way to emotionally connect to our youth, but new music isn't as big of a deal to us as it used to be.
Younger brains use a more "fluid" intelligence that moves and shifts and adapts. Older brains, by contrast, become more crystalized, carrying more memories and facts, but less able to adapt-- let alone with excitement. Different ages have different things to take care of, and different things to offer, to our families, friends, and tribes.
But one thing my explorations of drugs have made clear to me-- some bring that ability to connect to music with passion BACK.
~ Alcohol. I'm not a big drinker, but every few months I get very tipsy and for some reason end up on the internet watching and listening to videos. I find new music to just LOVE almost every time. That's how I discovered Billie Eilish and Aurora, for recent examples. Otherwise--? I don't seem to be in that mental space where I give a damn. The happy news is that my love for the new music I discover while intoxicated remains after I'm sober and I find I'm thrilled to find new music to love in my life. I just need to be in an altered mind state to go looking for it actively.
~ Ecstasy. No doubt this does incredible things to make our brains "younger" for a while. And the musical appreciation and emotional connection to music remains very strong for days after taking it, even while sober. And there is a long term lingering effect that enhances that musicality for weeks. To me, this helps illustrate part of the magic of that particular drug. No wonder we're able to work out our shit when we take it! Especially passionate songs and singers and DANCE music!
~ Marijuana. The ability to relax and hit a liquid mental state definitely is connected to weed. But I notice it's better for relaxing music and more chaotic music like jazz. In fact, it's hard for me to even listen to jazz without it being in my system. I'll actively try to listen to something else otherwise. So... maybe the stereotype about those things going together is not an accident?
Overall, I find my waning musical appreciation to be quite distressing. I can temporarily bring it back at least, so that's good to know, but I miss being so INTO music every day of my life like I was when I was young. This may be the saddest part of aging to me, honestly. Not the physical wearing down or losing my looks-- but the loss of the massively enthusiastic connection to music.