The way I see it, music colors our conscious experience. Quite literally, it is a drug.
The term “drug,” is not always met with the most positive response, but I’ll save the “are drugs good or bad,” debate for another time. For the purpose of this particular rambling, I mean “drug,” in its literal interpretation: “a substance other than food intended to affect the structure or function of the body” (Merriam-Webster).
Okay, music isn’t a physically tangible substance the way an ingested pill is. But think about it this way: how often do you turn a certain song on, intending (consciously or not) to change or amplify your mood? Help you cry? Find inspiration?
Through the wonderful gift of science, we know that both human brain function and human behavior are affected when the body and mind absorb these certain vibrations. In quite remarkable ways, I might add. Music can be an energizer, it can reduce seizures, boost immunity, evoke memories, and in some cases, cause a grown man to dance like a lunatic.
Side note, what the fuck is dancing? Why do we do that?
Also by the way, music really can reduce seizures and boost immunity. They said it, not me: https://www.ucf.edu/pegasus/your-brain-on-music/
Back on my train of thought. I know that we all have our favorite music that we regularly ingest. I don’t need to urge people to listen to more music. Here’s what I’m asking: how often do we pay attention to what is happening to our self and our consciousness when we turn music on? Do we ever think about what we’re actually doing?
Maybe music is just… music. No more consequential or meaningful than ingesting something pleasant or stimulating, like sugar. Personally, I don’t think so. It is literally magic.
I hereby submit that music is the most supernatural encapsulation that mankind has ever discovered and harnessed. I don’t claim to know what God is. But pragmatically for me, God somehow manifests itself in the form of music. If one has ever asked to see real evidence for either God or Magic, music is my “Exhibit A.”
I know that these are bold speculations that sound awfully hippie. But I wonder why exactly it is that music can have such profound and positive effects on our body and soul?
Conversely, everyone and everything possesses potential for both good and evil. An idea worth mulling is that we exist in a dualistic universe. That like a drug, music is value-neutral. It’s all about our intent in the use of these things. Even music does not work exclusively for the good. Music can, and has in fact, been used literally for torture. A device used to torment another person’s soul. “Black magic,” if you will. Does God contain a dark side?
We may never know why invisible vibrations have seemingly supernatural effects on us. However, we do know that humankind has observed it as a real phenomenon for thousands of years, and ancient civilizations took it to practice.
“And when the harmful spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand. Saul was refreshed and was well, and the harmful spirit departed from him” (1 Samuel 16:23).
Musicians are shamans.
David’s lyre drove away Saul’s demons. Call this a stretch, but in the same way, David Gilmour’s electric guitar drives away my demons!
Do you see what I’m trying to get at? Sure, these concepts could be dismissed as symbolic, or mere archetypical thinking. Maybe I’m guilty of over-correlating, being needlessly deep, or smoking too much weed. Maybe somewhere in the universe, there’s a simple mathematical equation that explains music. I understand that. But that’s really boring.
-MB
P.S.: Raise your dosage! I.e., turn your stereo volume all the way up. Let the drug have your full attention.
Also published at Notion Club: https://www.notionclubpodcast.com/blog
Muskego Brown 