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Hey Big Mike:
what genre of music do you like?
what are your favorite bands?
who do you think is the best …(fill it in)..? These are questions that Big Mike doesn’t really like to try to answer. Why not?- OK, now there’s a question I will try to answer: A healthy sense of curiosity is a timeless virtue, one that should be embraced and cultivated by us all; but most particularly by those of us traversing our vibrant golden years. Considering new ideas, places, cultures; learning new skills; exploring, seeking and embracing change: this is how we keep rerouting the neural networks up in the old cranium and keep cognitive decline on the run. Plasticity ain’t just a river in Egypt as they say (they do now anyway). But being curious is also fun! Rewarding! Helps promote a sense of purpose and well being! Positive outlook! Lowers stress! All of the things! So what you say?-what does this have to do with genres of music or favorites or best of lists? Well, if we start to define our tastes by categorizing what we like: I like pop-punk, or I like outlaw country or whatever it is, there is an unstated implication here: there are entire categories I don’t like: I don’t like mainstream commercial country, or I don’t like K-Pop. Similarly if we focus on listing or thinking about our favorites, we, in effect, relegate a lot of things to lower positions (or no position at all) on our lists. I contend that it is healthier, from an encouraging curiosity standpoint, to shy away from figuring out categories, putting our favorites and our likes over here, and ignoring or downvoting the rest in broad terms. Granted, there is so much music (and books and tv shows and yeah) out there that some kind of organization is necessary. And you of course will listen to the music that engages you and brings you joy, and a lot of it will share similar characteristics. No problem there. The algorithms will certainly feed you. But keeping an open mind (ear) to new sounds, new experiences, is easier if you don’t close doors ahead of time. -Ask your kids, your friends, your parents (yes!) what they are listening to lately (not their favorites!). Ask for specific artists, without categories or explanations. Try to listen without preconceived notions/bias. How do the songs feel? Listen to them again! -If you go to a show, pay attention to the opening act. At a festival? Check out a different stage, or go early in the day before the big acts play. -Turn the radio to a different station-public radio stations available online are great for this (I have been listening to WFUV from NYC lately, an old family favorite from Fordham University that has some great programming). One of the most open minded music appreciators I have known was my father. “It’s all music” he would say. Or, when he was trying to be amusing in his dad way, “My tastes are catholic-with a ‘small c.’”(1) Seemed to work well for him and his brain. Being open to new music is good practice, maybe with lower stakes involved, for maintaining an appreciative and accepting approach to other areas of our lives: fostering empathy, improving problem solving. Being nice and having fun! I am just looking out for your future brains here. You can thank me later, in your dotage, when your super ultra plasticizing synapses are the envy of the aquatic pickleball class.
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