Music: What's up with it?

[Qoorl]

So pretty much every sentient being on the planet likes some kind of music. How come? Why is music so adept at evoking a variety of emotions with people. Why is it that music is so important in our lives that people can make a filthy stinking rich living off of it? I don't have any answers, so I turn to PD... Discuss.

[Twig]

Well, pretend music is like racism for a second.

There's your answer.

[God]

ron paul's band would be huge

[Twig]

U2 wrote I will Follow. Ron Paul would write I will Lead.

[Qoorl]

Sure they can both bring people together, and yes there does seem to be some idea that they are ingrained in our subconcious, but Racism as a comparison really does nothing to answer any of the questions I've brought up. It certainly doesn't explain why music does the things to us that it does. Racism fuels our need to be superior to someone else, and to fear outsiders. Music CAN do some of those things, but that doesn't really seem to be it's purpose.

[Nidogod]

It's a way of classifying people.

[Qoorl]

Sure it's a way of classifying people... but why? Why do we like the music we do? How is it that it can affect people's emotions, inspire certain thoughts or memories.. and all that rot.

[Nidogod]

I guess as humans developed more complex means of audible communication, certain noises and tones triggered individual reactions in those listening?

[Solly]

Music is a form of auditory patterns. Humans love patterns.

[Hicky]

We're atuned to hear sounds and relate them to things. When we hear a doorbell, for example, we answer the door. When we hear music, it makes us do things, and feel things. Like if we heard a doorbell we'd be like 'Shit who's at the door', we hear music and relate it to things, and those things make us feel good. And they're good sounds, not doorbell sounds.

[Octazooka]

Music was all the early Homo Sapiens had for entertainment and expression. We've just never grown out of the habit.